Unpardonable Sin

Unpardonable Sin - Where is it found in the Bible?

The Bible passages that deal with unpardonable sin are listed below:

Matthew 12:31-32 says, "And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."

Luke 12:10 says, "And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven."

Unpardonable Sin - What is it?

The unpardonable sin is sometimes called the "unforgivable sin" or "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit." Let's begin by defining the word "blasphemy." It can be defined as "defiant irreverence" and would constitute cursing God or degrading Him. It could also mean relating evil to God.

Matthew 12:31-32 is referencing Jesus performing miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit. Through these miracles, it is very clear that Jesus is the promised Messiah. In this passage, the Pharisees claimed that Jesus was empowered by a demon named Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24). They were connecting Jesus and the Holy Spirit's power to Hell, not heaven. Jesus was saying this was the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit - it was unpardonable. They had rejected Him.

Unpardonable Sin - Can I commit it?

The thought of an unpardonable sin has brought grief to many people throughout history. Perhaps the guilt and fear is unnecessary. If you are afraid that you have committed the unpardonable sin, that is sure proof that you have not! Those who committed the unpardonable sin had no godly regrets. They had no interest in the forgiveness of God. Remember, Peter denied Jesus three times, yet Jesus forgave him. It appears that the situation of this unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit existed only while Christ was ministering on earth. The unpardonable sin, like the one in Matthew 12, cannot be committed today. We are not able to attribute to Satan the miracles of God, as performed by Jesus Christ.

However, when people reject Jesus Christ and His gift of eternal life, they are in a sense committing the unpardonable sin of unbelief. Anyone who desires to be saved by God's grace, has not committed the unpardonable sin. However, a person who lives in rejection and unbelief until his death, will not be pardoned. This person will spend an eternity in hell apart from God. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." Those who sincerely desire God's forgiveness will receive it! All you need to do is to believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose three days later. Then you confess and repent of your sins and ask Jesus into your life as your Lord and Saviour. You are then saved by grace through faith.

Confession of Sin - Why Do It?

Many of us have trouble with the concept of sin. It is difficult to accept that even when we are trying to be good, there are areas of our life that remain sinful. We may still harbour lusts, or tell lies, or make hurtful comments to others.

Hard as it is to accept our failures, it may be even harder to confess them - even privately in prayer to God. Clearly, however, that is what God requires:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Confession of Sin - What Does it Accomplish?

Confession of sin alone is not all that God requires. He asks that we repent, that we turn away from our sinful activities and turn instead to follow Him. Repentance can be defined as: "A turning away from sin, disobedience, or rebellion and a turning back to God. In a more general sense, repentance means a change of mind or a feeling of remorse or regret for past conduct. True repentance is a 'godly sorrow' for sin, an act of turning around and going in the opposite direction. This type of repentance leads to a fundamental change in a person's relationship to God."1

The Apostle Paul notes this in Acts 3:19-20:

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you - even Jesus."

Repentance doesn't mean we become perfect. God understands that even at our best, we may backslide at times. However, every time we seek His forgiveness, we will receive it.

Confession of Sin - The Outcome

There is even better news for those who have learned to confess their sins, to repent and to turn to God.

The Bible says Jesus Himself will come to our aid.

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:1-2).

When sins are forgiven by God, the Bible says that God does not hold those sins against us. Psalm 103:11-12 says, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

Since God forgives us, we are called to forgive others. Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Fighting Temptation - Defining Temptation

Fighting temptation describes a battle that is as much spiritual as it is emotional or physical. To be tempted is not a sin. Everyone is tempted and at different levels. Even Jesus was tempted! Temptation happens when the opportunity is presented to do what we know is wrong, whether against God, ourselves, or others. Being tempted is not wrong - it's the decision to do wrong and the corresponding action that follows.

Sometimes we can confuse temptation with God's testing of our hearts, but temptation and God's testing are very different. Most of the time, though, what we're experiencing is both! God's testing presents the opportunity to do that which would please Him. When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, Abraham was being tested - both his heart to obey God and his ability to trust Him (Genesis 22). God's Word clearly states that He tries the heart and tests for faith. Proverbs 17:3 says, "The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart."

At the time we are experiencing it, we may not be able to distinguish the difference between testing and temptation. Afterward, if we are seeking God's purposes in our dilemma, we will likely understand God's intent.

Temptation can occur on many levels. We may be tempted to eat something we shouldn't for health reasons, we may be trapped in a harmful pattern of thinking, or dangerously involved in a lifestyle that is harmful. In all cases, temptation is rarely a one-time event.

Tests may occur more than once in similar ways, but temptation is almost always cyclical. James 1:12-16 discusses the process of being tempted, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers."

Fighting Temptation - God Allows Temptation

Fighting temptation is combat God allows, because it is won or lost at the spiritual level. He desires that we endure when we are tempted and promises that there is a way out. When we are sorely tempted, it may not seem that there is a way out, but the God who made us knows what we can endure and bear, and it is He who provides a way of escape. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

Depending on what His goal is in our lives, God's way of escape might be to take us through the temptation, or He may give us strength to overcome it. His desire is that we don't fall into temptation, but that we proceed through it and master it, rather than it mastering us. God wants us to overcome! 1 Peter 1:3-8, reminds us, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed."

God Allows Temptation

Temptation is as old as mankind, beginning in the Garden of Eden. When Satan tempted Eve to do what God had forbidden, he appealed to her reasoning. "Did God really say…," the enemy hissed. Then he appealed to her desires, "You can be like gods!" Finally, he slithered aside and let her passions take over. She looked at the fruit on the forbidden tree - and she wanted it (Genesis 3). Temptation still works like that. There is nothing new in Satan's bag of tricks. King David was tempted when he saw his neighbour’s beautiful wife, Bathsheba, and he succumbed to that temptation (2 Samuel 11:2-5). Throughout the book of Psalms, we find David recording his distress after falling into temptation. His soul was grieved and felt as if it were torn in two. In a discussion with Peter, Jesus tells him that Satan wants to rule him (Luke 22:31-32). Jesus was taken by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by Satan (Matthew 4).

God wants us to succeed and prevail over temptation, but Satan, God's sworn enemy, longs to devour us. In fact, 1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." When Adam and Eve gave in to temptation in the Garden, rather than obeying God as He desired, they yielded control of this physical world to Satan. His goal in our lives is two-fold: first, he wants to take us with him to hell. If he loses that battle because we become Christians, his goal is then to make us ineffective for God in this world. He uses temptation to accomplish his purposes. The very essence and meaning of sin is to miss the mark, and this is accomplished through giving in to temptation.

Fighting Temptation - The Secret of Success is Spiritual!

Fighting temptation focuses on the cravings and desires of the flesh versus doing what is right. No one is above temptation or the potential to sin (1 John 1:8). When fighting temptation, society's solutions revolve around personal stamina and will-power. However as worthwhile as this may seem, the chances of success are minimal, due to the focus being on natural ability. As Scripture clearly tells us, the battle is not natural-but spiritual. Ephesians 6:12-13 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." As an example to us, Jesus used the weapon of God's Word in resisting temptations (Matthew 4). Since He is the only human who has ever been tempted, yet did not sin, His example is a good one to follow! God knows how to provide a way to both get through temptation, and overcome temptation. Psalm 34:17 says, "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles."

When we choose to rely on our own strength in defeating temptation, independent of God, God looks at this as pride (James 4:6). He has a plan of deliverance, a way of escape which is found primarily through relationship with Him and experiencing His loving hand of correction (Hebrews 12).

When we come to God for salvation, He gives us a new nature. The old one - full of deceit and the desire to please only ourselves - is gone. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" What begins to transpire at this point is a literal transformation. As we start to read the Bible and get to know who God is, our way of thinking is gradually changed. This is a renewing that changes the moral fibber and character of a person. New traits and disciplines are learned and integrated, replacing the old characteristics. Through a relationship with God, we become likeminded with Christ and grow in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord.

Temptation always involves choice - do we obey God or give in to our own desires? Yet climbing out of the pit of temptation is rarely simple, as anyone who has been there knows. The good news is that with God's help, we can end the cycle. There may be pain and anguish in your heart and mind when declining temptations of the flesh, but overcoming temptation is treasure for the soul.

Fighting Temptation - How the Battle is Played Out

Fighting temptation can feel like struggling for breath. It's everywhere you turn, like a boxer wanting to pummel his opponent. Victory involves God's Word, prayer, confession, and avoiding situations where temptation is likely to occur. God knows who we are. After all, in the person of Jesus, He has been tempted as we have. He knows what we need to do in order to defeat sin. Whatever your area of greatest temptation is, ask God to help you recognize and stay away from compromising situations. Use God's Word to change harmful thought patterns. We have this good news from the Apostle Paul, "We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods. We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ" 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT).

Spiritual Warfare: What is it?

Spiritual warfare exists in the unseen, supernatural dimension, where God is all-powerful and Satan is in revolt. As any Christian soon discovers, although spiritual warfare is unseen, it’s absolutely real. The Bible speaks of spiritual warfare in many places, but most directly in Ephesians 6:12, where Paul speaks of putting on the full armour of God:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Spiritual Warfare: How Do We Go Into Battle as Christians?

Spiritual warfare is an image that many of us would rather reject. However, since the Bible uses terms of warfare, it’s best that we accept God’s imagery, so that we’re properly prepared for real battle. As Christians, we’re going through more than a mere “struggle” on earth – and its seems that war imagery captures this reality better than anything else. Since it’s warfare, God instructs Christians to use a very specific set of armour and weapons in Ephesians 6:14-18:

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...”

God’s list of weaponry is rather unique – these are “weapons of peace.”

Throughout the Bible, you will find examples of God’s weaponry in action. For instance, King Jehoshaphat sent out praise singers in front of his soldiers to cause disarray among the enemy; Joshua used singing and trumpets to bring down the great city of Jericho; and what better example of using faith in battle than David fighting Goliath with a slingshot. Of course, the lesson in all these examples (as in all spiritual warfare today) is that it’s only God who allows us to claim victory over evil!

Spiritual Warfare: Be Strong in the Lord

Spiritual warfare is a reality of the Christian life. But remember, we know the ending – our side wins. Since the Devil has already lost, he has nothing to lose in trying to take as many people with him in defeat. Therefore:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11).

Fruit of the Spirit - Visible Growth in Jesus Christ

"Fruit of the Spirit" is a biblical term that sums up the nine visible attributes of a true Christian life. Using the King James Version of Galatians 5:22-23, these attributes are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. We learn from scripture that these are not individual "fruits" from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one nine fold "fruit" that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, these are the fruits that all Christians should be producing in their new lives with Jesus Christ.

Fruit of the Spirit - The Nine Biblical Attributes

The fruit of the Spirit is a physical manifestation of a Christian's transformed life. In order to mature as believers, we should study and understand the attributes of the nine fold fruit:

Love

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16). Through Jesus Christ, our greatest goal is to do all things in love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Joy

"The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

Peace

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

Longsuffering

(patience) - We are "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

Gentleness

(kindness) - We should live "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left" (2 Corinthians 6:6-7).

Goodness

"Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power" (2 Thessalonians 1:11). "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Ephesians 5:9).

Faith (faithfulness) - "O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" (Isaiah 25:1). "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Ephesians 3:16-17).

Meekness

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

Temperance

(self-control) - "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).

Fruit of the Spirit - A Devotional for All Christians

The fruit of the Spirit is a wonderful study for Christians at any level of spiritual maturity. We hope this website provides a thought-provoking devotional and a springboard for growth.