What is the Unforgivable Sin?

As a teenager, I struggled with intrusive thoughts, fearing I might say something against the Holy Spirit and not be forgiven. But what exactly does the Bible teach that this sin is? What did the Church Fathers believe it was? Here are a few things that can give you peace and clarity about this sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

What Is It?

The concept is derived from the synoptic gospels, particularly Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-29, and Luke 12:10. In essence, God is at work by His Spirit in Jesus, His Son. To attribute the works of Jesus, done by the Holy Spirit, to Satan is to go against God’s work. In Scripture we see that the Pharisees attributed Jesus’s miracles to Beelzebub instead of recognizing them as from the Holy Spirit. This attribution to the devil, despite clear evidence, is what Jesus condemned as unforgivable. In other words, it is the deliberate knowing, and persistent rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work and testimony about Jesus Christ.

What the Church Fathers Said

The Church Fathers had various interpretations of this sin. The Didache mentions that criticizing a true prophet speaking in the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. Origen stated that backsliding is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Ambrose of Milan and Jerome both mentioned attributing Jesus’s power to the devil as blasphemy. Augustine emphasized that blasphemy is persistently refusing to accept God’s forgiveness through the Holy Spirit until death. Although the answers vary in this topic, upon studying their writings, we see that most agree that this sin involves attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to the devil or persistently rejecting Jesus Christ.

Three Characteristics of the Unforgivable Sin

1. Deliberate Rejection: This sin is not committed out of ignorance. Instead, it involves a willful and conscious decision to reject the truth of the Holy Spirit’s testimony about Jesus.
2. Persistent State: This is not a one-time act but a persistent state of heart and mind that continuously resists the Holy Spirit’s work. The heart becomes so hardened against God that it becomes incapable of seeking forgiveness.
3. Knowing Opposition: Lastly, the individual understands the truth of the Holy Spirit’s work but chooses to oppose it anyway, attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil.

Six Things This Sin Is Not

One thing to note is that although these actions may be wrong, they are not the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that Scripture talks about.

1. Mocking TV Preachers: Making fun of preachers or deliverance ministries is not blasphemy.
2. Persecuting Christians: We see in scripture that even persecutors like Paul, who did it in ignorance, were forgiven for this act.
3. Christian Backsliding: Backsliding, like David or Peter, does not constitute the unforgivable sin.
4. Non-Pentecostals Mocking Pentecostals: Mocking Pentecostals for their beliefs out of ignorance does not mean blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
5. Pentecostals Accusing Each Other: Accusing others of operating by the devil out of ignorance or for views is not blasphemy.
6. Intrusive Thoughts: Saying something bad about the Holy Spirit under pressure from intrusive thoughts is not the unforgivable sin.

Three Signs That You Haven’t Committed This Sin

1. Conviction: If you’re genuinely concerned about having committed the unforgivable sin, this is evidence you haven’t committed it.
2. Repentance: If you can repent, seek forgiveness, and turn back to God, you haven’t committed the unforgivable sin.
3. God’s Nature: God is loving and forgiving, ready to forgive us of sin when we repent.

Final Thoughts

It’s important to understand that unforgivable sin is not a single act but rather a state of the hear where a person has become hardened through unrepentance and a refusal to respond to the Holy Spirit’s conviction.

I would encourage you to try and focus on walking with the Holy Spirit instead of labeling everything that doesn’t fit your preference as demonic.

Read: Kundalini Manifestations vs Holy Spirit Manifestations