Reasonable Theology Podcast What is the 'Unpardonable Sin'? Understanding Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit | Ep. 76
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit – commonly referred to as the ‘unpardonable’ or ‘unforgiveable’ sin – has been the cause of a lot of debate, confusion, and anxiety for many.
The primary issue is this: If in Christ we are able to find forgiveness for all our sins, how is it that there is one sin which will never be forgiven – either in this age or in the age to come, as Jesus states in Matthew 12?
Moreover, with such grave eternal consequences, even some believers are filled with concern that perhaps they have, at some point committed this sin and will not be saved after all.
Attempts to explain what blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is vary greatly, and many fail to take in to account the context of the passage where it is mentioned.
While some say that this sin can no longer be committed now that Jesus is no longer in His earthly ministry, others say that it refers to especially terrible sins like murder, and still others say that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is merely referring to the sin of unbelief – that only those who refuse to embrace Jesus Christ as their Savior have committed it.
In this sermon on Matthew 12:22-32 I endeavor to examine the context of Jesus’ warning about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in order to rightly understand what it is, who can commit it, and why the consequences are so dire.
In addition to staying grounded in the text, I also seek to understand this verse within the wider context of what God has revealed about our salvation – namely that it is a work of God’s Spirit whereby he convinces us of our sin, enlightens our mind with the knowledge of Christ, and draws us to embrace Jesus Christ through His effectual calling. Those whom the Spirit draws will, ultimately, be saved. The will of God is not overridden by the will of sinful man.
And so I hope that the following sermon will be helpful to you as we consider the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit within the context of Matthew 12:22-32.
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For the full text of this sermon: https://reasonabletheology.org/what-is-the-unforgiveable-sin/
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