David Diga Hernandez - Have I Committed the Unpardonable Sin?

There are three things I want to establish as foundations before we dive into the Scriptures on this topic, and it’s a very important topic. Number one: Fear not. Don’t be afraid; God is not the giver of fear. This is what the Scripture says in 2 Timothy 1:7: «For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.» Perhaps you’re listening to this message because you’re looking for answers. You’re wondering if you’ve committed the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Maybe you’re afraid, worried, or wondering if something you thought, something you said, or something you did has forever sealed your fate. But remember this: Fear not; God has not given you a spirit of fear. That’s number one.

Number two: We have to remember that the Scripture will never contradict itself. So, our conclusion about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit must be harmonious with all other scriptural principles. The Bible will not contradict itself, so whatever we conclude on this topic cannot contradict other principles of Scripture. Finally, number three: We must remember to tread very carefully on this topic. Jesus did intend to inspire a holy reverence and a holy fear, so we must not seek to inspire apathy where Jesus sought to instill that holy fear.

With those things in mind, let’s look at the key verses and then examine the context: Matthew 12:31–32 states, «So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.»

A few things stand out to me when we consider this key portion of Scripture. The Scripture means what it means; «never» really means «never.» The term «forgiven» indicates true forgiveness. That phrase «never forgiven» literally and actually means «never forgiven.» Also, note that the Bible says «either in this world or in the world to come.» So, if I commit the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, I can’t be forgiven in this world or in the world to come, in this age or in the age to come. This tells me that the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit can be committed on this side of eternity, and that truly is a terrifying reality. This is a big deal.

Now that we’ve looked at the key verses, let’s look at the context, beginning in verse 22 of Matthew 12. «Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.» So, Jesus drives a demon out of a man; this is deliverance, and the crowd was amazed and asked, «Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?» But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, «No wonder he can cast out demons; he gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.»

In verse 25, Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, «Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, notice there that Jesus reveals the secret to driving demons out: it’s by the Spirit of God. Then the kingdom of God has arrived among you. For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger, someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. So, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.»

Let’s break a few things down here. First of all, the Pharisees were teachers of religious law, and they were quite jealous of the influence that Jesus had. What they often tried to do was discredit Jesus; they didn’t want him to gain power and influence. They were against him. Now, what did they hear? The Pharisees heard that Jesus had cast a demon out of a man and, upon hearing about this exorcism, they accused Jesus of using demon power, inspired by their own jealousy.

Now, think about what that accusation entails. Not only are they saying that the power of the Holy Spirit is actually demon power, but they’re also saying that Jesus was demon-possessed. What an ugly accusation, indeed. In Mark 3:30, which recounts the same story from a different Gospel account, we read that «He told them this because they were saying he’s possessed by an evil spirit.» The Bible reveals exactly why Jesus told them what he did, and that whole warning that Jesus gave concerning…