What is the Unpardonable Sin?
After a read of Matt. 12:31-37, answer the following:
- What is the sin against the Holy Spirit?
- Why does it matter?
- Has anyone committed this sin in Jesus' time or today?
31 “Therefore I say to you, w every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, x but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who y speaks a word against the Son of Man, z it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
33 “Either make the tree good and a its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 b Brood 6 of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? c For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure 7of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Mt 12:31–37 NKJV).
To answer the questions above, one must be clear on the following:
- What is a sin? (see my post -- "Sin in the Bible")
- What is blasphemy?
- Is the Spirit, the Holy Spirit?
- Who is the Holy Spirit? Is the Holy Spirit God?
- Who is "the Son of Man"? (potential for a separate thread)
- What is it to speak "a word against the Son of Man"?
Dig deep, let's find answers. CM
Comments
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The statements about Father, Son, and Spirit found in the NT reveals the awareness of Trinitarian Theology. The initial and crucial issue in this matter is the relationship of Father to Son. An experience that the Christian faith began with personal impact between father and Son. The inspired writers of the NT point to him as the Son of "the living God" (see, for instance, Matt 16: 18). Of him the divine attributes are predicated:
- Eternity (Jn 1: 2; Rev 1: 8, 11, 17, 18)
- Omnipresence (Mt 18:20)
- Immutability (Heb 13:8; 1:8, 10, 12)
- Omnipotence ( Jn 1:3; Col: 17)
Things that are in the OT said of Yahweh-God, the highest of all appellations of the Deity, are in the NT said of Christ (Ps 68:18 and Eph 4:8-10; Ps 102 : 21, 24-27 and Heb 1:10-12; Is 8:13-14 and 1 Pet 2:7-8; Is 40:3 and Mt 3:3).
"Crowned with glory and honor" because he was made "perfect through suffering," the Son is infinitely higher than the angels. He existed before all the worlds; he fully shared in the divine glory throughout eternity. But he authenticated his person ultimately and in the time dimension, by his humiliation as servant and Redeemer. He lived as a man among men.
Jesus is the Christ! Jesus is Lord! Jesus is God! CM