what is the sin that cannot be forgiven

"Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost." As very many anxious souls are perplexed with the fear that they have been guilty of this sin, and that they are consequently shut out from the offers of mercy in the gospel, it may be well to explain its true character. The words in which our Lord describes it are these: "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come" (Matt. 12:31-32; see also Mark 3:28-30).

The sin then spoken of is "blasphemy," or "speaking against" the Holy Ghost, and the precise force of these terms may be gathered from an examination of the context. The Saviour had just performed a miracle. We read, "Then was brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw" (Matt. 12:22). The people were deeply impressed with this display of divine power and mercy, and saw in it an evidence of His Messiahship; for they said, "Is not this the Son of David?" But the enemies of Christ — the Pharisees — made it an occasion for the exhibition of their enmity, and with the miracle before their eyes — indeed, confessing it — ascribed the power which they had seen exerted to the devil. They said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." Hence it is that we find in the gospel of Mark the reason given for the Saviour's warning concerning "blasphemy against the Holy Ghost": "Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit." The sin therefore spoken of is the wilful ascription to Satan of the power wrought by the Holy Ghost, and therefore blaspheming the Holy Ghost by maligning His operations as devilish. To prevent all possibility of mistake, the argument may be displayed at length.

But it was more than folly. Such a course as they had embarked on would imperil the salvation of their souls, and cause them to be in danger of eternal sin. Of this the Lord now warns them: "Verily I say to you, All sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost has never forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" (rather than condemnation). And to make clear what the Lord referred to as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, Mark, and he alone, explains it: "Because they said, He has an unclean spirit" (3:28-30). Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit consists in attributing the power of the Spirit to evil agency. How many a person with a morbid conscience has been troubled, thinking he has committed that sin. A simple reference to Mark 3:30 should at once set such an one at rest.

This leads to another form of opposition to the grace of God, that is, the hatred of Christ by man. The Lord faced this squarely, and all true disciples will find it is true. But we still have no reason to fear, for the Lord is in control. The Son of Man would be spoken against (v.10), for man in the flesh is at enmity against Him. Yet with many who opposed Him there was still definite possibility of conversion and forgiveness. Let us remember this and pray for the conversion of those who act as enemies against us. But one who blasphemed against the Holy Spirit would never be forgiven. Mark 3:28-30 explains this clearly. The scribes had accused the Lord Jesus of casting out demons by satanic power (of which Luke 11:15 also speaks). One who openly and intentionally takes such a stand of callous hatred is blaspheming the Spirit -of God by whom Christ was actually casting out demons. This malicious evil, in the face of every witness to the contrary, would never be forgiven. Such people seal their own doom.

It also brought things to a very plain issue, that not to be definitely with Christ and gathering with Him, was to be against Him and scattering. This led the Lord to unmask the real nature of their sin, which was beyond the pale of forgiveness, in spite of the fact that all manner of sin may be forgiven. In the Son of Man God was presented to them objectively: they might speak against Him, and yet be brought by the work of the Spirit to repentance, and so be forgiven. But to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, by whom alone is repentance and faith wrought in the soul, is to put oneself in a hopeless position. It is to thrust from one both repentance and faith, to bolt and bar the only door that leads into salvation.

A. — The same thing in substance is meant, the first stating its evil character with energy, the second widening its extent. It signifies imputing to Satan that power of God which the Holy Ghost exercised then and afterward; and it bespeaks deep and settled hatred of God. Souls that give themselves up to such malice against the worker of all good are beyond pardon. Forgiveness is for those who repent and believe the gospel.

We are told in Matthew 12:24-30 what this unpardonable sin really is. It is attributing the works of God to demoniacal power. Beelzebub was regarded as the prince of devils and the Pharisees actually said our Lord was empowered by him in doing these mighty works. Twice they accused Him of this, Matthew 9:34 and here again in Matthew 12:24. The Lord had just healed a blind and dumb man and they said this good work was done by evil influence. What can be done with such people who attribute the works of God to Satanic influence? This judgment pronounced by our Lord came upon them at the stoning of Stephen who accused them of always resisting the Holy Spirit. Acts 7. This is the only sin which will not be forgiven, "but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men."

1911 308 It is important to observe that the sin concerning which our Lord made such an unqualified pronouncement is a specific one. It is in no sense vague and indefinite, but on the contrary it is here, as well as in the parallel passages of Matthew and Luke, stated in precise terms to be blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This terrible guilt rested upon the Jewish generation of that day. Most cogent evidence of the power of the Holy Ghost was before their eyes in the words and works of Jesus; but they denied the validity of that evidence, and going further in their malice they ascribed this power for good to the energy of Satan. For this wilful blindness and obduracy of heart there was no remission. Such perverse unbelief was the sure sign of that impending doom to the nation which could not be averted. Could there be a more perfect testimony than that which was rendered by the Spirit through the holy Son of man in whom every act and word and motive were in absolute accord with His divine energy? The generation to which the Lord ministered had "done despite to the Spirit of grace" by describing this testimony as Satanic, and was "guilty of an eternal sin."

This last phrase is peculiar to Mark. And the expression is one pregnant with deep significance. It teaches by a word the unalterable character of the unforgiven. There is an eternal fixity in the unholy character of such rebellion against the authority and love of God. The penitent is forgiven, but the guilt of the impenitent is eternal. And eternal sin implies eternal punishment.

"How can one blaspheme against the Holy Ghost today? Jesus said that it was one sin that can never be forgiven" (Mark 3:28-29).

Read also verse 30: "Because they said, He has an unclean spirit." It would be well for us to first enquire what the Lord called "blasphemy against the Holy Ghost." In the more detailed account given in Matt. 12:22-32 we find the Lord Jesus had healed a blind and dumb man by delivering the subject from a demon and when the man "both spake and saw" all the people were amazed and said, "Is not this the Son of David?" Thus the shining forth of the glory of David's Lord and Son was what aroused the Pharisees and Scribes (Mark 3:22) to this blasphemy—"this fellow does not cast out demons but by Beelzebub, the prince of demons." Some time before, in Matt. 9:34 they had said something very much the same, but the Lord Jesus had passed it over in grace as ignorance. But now, after He had been on the mountain (Mark 3:13) and in prayer all night to God (Luke 6:12) and sent out the twelve, more light had in grace come to them, and now it was no longer a dumb man as in Matt. 9:32 but one "blind and dumb." The grace and power of God was equal to it all—by the Spirit of God, He cast out the demons (Matt. 12:28). Then it was manifest so much that the poor heathen had been able to recognize that here the "finger of God" was at work (Luke 11:20; Ex. 8:19) but in wilful blindness, they attributed this work of the Holy Spirit in grace to Beelzebub—Satan. "They have both seen and hated both Me and My Father" (John 15:24). Here is where the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost lay. These Pharisees and Scribes who had the privilege of all the light (the kingdom of God had come unto them and the King was in their midst so that even the people said, "Is not this the Son of David?") ascribed the act of casting out the demon to the power of Satan.

This question is related to Mark 3:29: ‘but whosoever shall speak injuriously against the Holy Spirit, to eternity has no forgiveness; but lies under the guilt of an everlasting sin’. The explanation is given in the next verse: ‘because they said, He has an unclean spirit’. The Lord had cast out demons in the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:28). The crowds were amazed and said, ‘Is this man the Son of David?’ but the Pharisees, against better knowledge, accused the Lord of casting out demons through the power of Satan (or Beelzebub) (see Matt 12:22–32). This action — seeing the evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit and ascribing it to Satan — was blasphemy. This blasphemy could not be forgiven because it implied the rejection of Christ.

The Pharisees, with their blasphemous accusation of satanic power in our Lord, expose themselves to the awful warning of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost for which there can be no forgiveness. Those who would ascribe to the devil the evident power of God manifested before their eyes are in danger of what can never be forgiven — ascribing thus with open eyes the works of the Spirit of God to Satan. They are calling light, darkness, and good, evil.