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The Unpardonable Sin, Part 2


The Question:

Is the unpardonable sin passage still relevant? How is it possible to attribute the work of Jesus to satan, when Jesus is no longer on the earth with us?


The Answer:

Matthew 12:33-37 "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

Luke 6:43-45 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

When you look at the passage in Matthew 12:31-32, if you say that the blasphemy part is no longer relevant, then you'd have to get rid of v.33-37 as well, and Luke reports this as part of the Sermon on the Mount ... indicating that Jesus repeated this warning on at least one other occasion.

Also the context of Matthew 12 is the kingdom of God vs the kingdom of satan... and that still applies. The phrase in Matthew 12:32 "either in this age or in the age to come" would seem to indicate that this was meant to apply to us from this point forward. And Jesus wasn't concerned about blasphemy against Himself ("the Son of Man") who would only be here temporarily, but against the Holy Spirit, whom He would send to abide with us forever.

Also consider this... Jesus said that the works that He did, we would do also, and even greater ... in some sense we represent Him on the earth... and the Holy Spirit empowers us as He did Jesus. Is the Holy Spirit then still not present and can He still be blasphemed? I think He can ... And I think that lying TO Him and lying ABOUT Him are essentially the same ... and that's why Ananias and Sapphira were slain in Acts 5.

However, I also don't think that this is something you do accidentally ... it is deliberate and done with "malice aforethought" you might say. And most people who fear they have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit most assuredly haven't because I believe it comes from a hardening of the heart through sin and unbelief ... not a fear of displeasing God. (See Hebrews 3:7-19; 10:26-31; 12:25).

Blasphemy (as in Matt 12, etc.) is blasphemia {blas-fay-me'-ah} AV - blasphemy 16, railing 2, evil speaking 1; 19 1) slander, detraction, speech injurious, to another's good name 2) impious and reproachful speech injurious to divine majesty

Hebrews 10:29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

The Greek word for "insult" the Spirit of Grace in Hebrews 10:29 is a very strong word that fits our definition of blasphemy. It is enubrizo {en-oo-brid'-zo} meaning to do despite unto or to insult. It comes from en meaning "in, by, with" and from and hubrizo {hoo-brid'-zo} AV - entreat spitefully 2, reproach 1, use despitefully 1, shamefully entreat 1; 5 1) to be insolent, to behave insolently, wantonly, outrageously 2) to act insolently and shamefully towards one, to treat shamefully 3) of one who injures another by speaking evil of him.

Hubrizo is the verb form of hubris {hoo'-bris} AV - hurt 1, harm 1, reproach 1; 3 meaning 1) insolence 1a) impudence, pride, haughtiness 2) a wrong springing from insolence, an injury, affront, insult 3) mental injury and wantonness of its infliction being prominent 4) injury inflicted by the violence of a tempest.

I John 5:16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.

Also John mentions a "sin unto [or that leads to] death" and not to bother to pray for someone that has committed this sin. The only unpardonable sin mentioned in the NT that I'm aware of - which would be a sin unto death - is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.


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The Unpardonable Sin, Part 1

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