What is the unpardonable sin? What sin won't God forgive?

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What is the unpardonable sin? What sin won't God forgive?

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Many have asked about what is often called the unpardonable sin.

Christ mentioned this unforgivable sin in Mark 3:28-29, where it is described as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. It had to do with denying the authority and power of God. Mark explains that Christ was responding to an accusation from His detractors, who said, "He has an unclean spirit" (Mark 3:30). They meant that His authority came from Satan, not from God. Although these accusers knew that Christ was the Son of God, they accused Him of being a fraud. Christ warned them that they were in danger of committing a sin for which there was no forgiveness.

What is the fate of one who does not repent of this sin? The unrepentant will die in a lake of fire at the end of the age (Matthew 10:28; Revelation 20:14-15). It's not that one sin is more terrible than another is, but rather that any sin we don't repent of will result in death. Hebrews 6:4-6 and Hebrews 10:26-27 both mention this sin as well, warning us not to "fall away" or to "sin willfully." How does one know if he has crossed the point of no return?

So long as one desires to repent, to get his or her life back in order spiritually, God will always forgive. Sadly, it is possible to come to a state of not caring about and not looking for forgiveness. If there's no repentance, there can be no forgiveness. That's when a person is in danger of the unforgivable sin. A person can come to that place either by simply drifting away or by sharply turning away from God in angry hostility.

At any time, God can and will forgive the sin of departing from Him, if the sinner wants forgiveness and genuinely repents. God inspired John to write, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Clearly, God will extend mercy to all who sincerely repent and change—regardless of their sin. Christ's words, coupled with the warnings in Hebrews, are sobering. Nonetheless, we should hold fast to the hope that God will grant us repentance when we turn to Him.

Let's broaden the subject to consider a related aspect. Quite apart from the unpardonable sin, many sincere religious people do not understand that sin is the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4). Most churches teach and practice a theology much different from the way of life followed by the early New Testament Church of God.

For more understanding, please read our free Bible study aid booklet The Road to Eternal Life.

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Comments

  • Skip Miller

    Hello Rejoice!
    I like that name! Lena has given you the correct answr but I want to add a scripture that seems appropriate here. (Just this one verse!)
    Isaiah 43:25
    25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
    God forgives because He is bigger and better than all of us put together!
    Not because we deserve it; not because we are going to try to be better. (Be better but that is not why God forgives.) God forgives because the Father knows anguish and the Son knows suffering! Try to read how these both came about . Read God's word and meditate.

  • TommyBoy107

    Hello. I feel this way too. Late June I cried out to God to take me back after almost 10 years of backsliding. I was battling a certain sin I had a hard time dealing with. Now it's been more easy to resist. In fact, I no longer have a desire to go to it. I have a attitude that I don't want to sin and avoid things that might make me fall into again. I always have fears of committing the unforgivable sin. I'm concerned always and I'm afraid of it and care about my stand upright with God. I choose to seek a closer relationship with God and prayers to have hunger for the word again. Lately I worry that I lost the holy spirit. But how so? When the biggest sin I was stuck in no longer I have any interest in. I know I couldn't overcome it with my own power. I find it easier now to resist it. Now I do still struggle with other sins and ask God to help me with, because I want please The Lord.. I'm hoping I didn't pass "the point of no return". Because here I am. Wanting God and less sin, more concerned about my salvation than willfully sinning, and I don't want to no longer be caught up with the things of the world. I care so much about my concern and want to get close to God...again.

  • Saagber Rejoice

    Hello,please I need your help or advice or anything that can make me feel safe again.
    I've committed a sin ,a sin which has been haunting my life ,my mind ,in fact everything I do. It has sent me away from God. I'm scared and confused. Please help me,is there anything I can do? I'm terribly scared.
    Thank you.

  • Lena VanAusdle

    Rejoice,
    The first question I have to ask is, have you repented of this sin? Have you gone before God and humbly asked Him for His forgiveness? Have you stopped committing this sin, and are you determined to never repeat it? If you've done these things you, then you need not fear God. Notice the quote from above, "At any time, God can and will forgive the sin of departing from Him, if the sinner wants forgiveness and genuinely repents. God inspired John to write, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness' (1 John 1:9). Clearly, God will extend mercy to all who sincerely repent and change—regardless of their sin."
    God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), He offers you peace (2 Timothy 1:7), but you have to take the steps of engaging with God through prayer and His word, through repentance and change.

  • Jesussaves

    Really really worried I've committed the unpardonable sin. If I confess and repent can I still be saved? Is there any chance at all I can have God's forgiveness? Please let me know as soon as possible

  • Skip Miller

    Hello Jonie, Lena has given you the correct answer. but I would simply add:
    the unpardonable sin is the one that you can repent of but simply refuse to do it.

  • Lena VanAusdle

    Hi Jonie,

    I'd like to quote the article above, "At any time, God can and will forgive the sin of departing from Him, if the sinner wants forgiveness and genuinely repents. God inspired John to write, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness' (1 John 1:9). Clearly, God will extend mercy to all who sincerely repent and change—regardless of their sin. Christ’s words, coupled with the warnings in Hebrews, are sobering. Nonetheless, we should hold fast to the hope that God will grant us repentance when we turn to Him."

    Repent, and God will forgive you. Turn to Him! He wants a relationship with you, He wants you to be in His Family, He wants you to have eternal life, " who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4).

  • Frandy1

    I loved this article, “ What is the unpardonable sin? And what sin won’t God forgive? “. It is invaluable to me at this time in my life! Only God has the words of life! Thank you for preaching God‘s Word! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  • Lucifer666

    Ok how to start, last week we had a suicide in the family she was only 18ur old and the priest had given his speech, he says not so long ago people who take there own lives are not welcome to at the church as its seen as being weak,
    Am i wrong or is it ok for priests to rape kids and still get buried??
    It's got me so down I'm hoping armageddon comes and wipes all your kind out or someone blows Rome up kills the pope, would they be forgiven for that kind of act??

  • Genecole1983

    I’m so sorry for what happened her I know exactly how it is with churches when me and my brother was little we went to victory baptist church and they would laugh at us because we could not afford dress clothes

  • Lena VanAusdle

    Hi John,
    I'm so sorry for the loss of your family member; suicide is terribly tragic. United Church of God can't comment on what the Catholic church teaches about anyone getting buried, because it isn't a Catholic denomination, it is not affiliated in any way. You refer to "your kind," but I'm not sure exactly what you mean. We denounce child abuse in any form, and provide safeguards against child abuse, as well as mandatory reporting for any instances of child abuse. We also don't advocate violence against anyone; we leave that to God (2 Timothy 4:1; Romans 12:19).

  • Skip Miller

    Hello John, Horrible things occur. We live in a world currently ruled by Satan the devil.
    But as we learn that things could be different, you and I become responsible for what we have learned. Those driven to suicide most probably did not understand enough to be lost forever. Because bad things happen to good people we tend to think WE could correct that evil. We can't but God can and will. You need to try to learn what God really does want you to do right now, because it is possible that you may have an insight that others need. Please
    read the other writings on this web site about suicide.

  • nfleming

    I had to register just to respond to this and rebuke the statement that our world is ruled by the devil so it doesn't get lodged in someone else's thoughts and they end up speaking similar curses over all of us.
    The devil does not rule anything. God is everything and rules everything, from a single electron in one of the trillion atoms that make up one key of your keyboard to the law of gravity that keeps you in your chair, God's word shapes and rules the entirety of reality. But God created man in his image with the same power to think, and create reality in our minds and then speak the word and act to create it. The power of life and death is in the tongue and whosoever shall saith a thing and not doubt in his heart but believe that what he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatever he saith; which is why your statement is a curse. We are continuously praying. We are to pray that God's will be done on earth as in heaven.
    Earth is currently ruled by man, evil happens because man thinks evil, which goes back to the apple of the tree of knowledge of good AND EVIL. The THOUGHT of evil did not exist; the thought that there was a power other than God called evil gave it power

  • Jdmathis1968

    Why are we as Christians suppose to follow those that deny Jesus Christ? Why do we covet or follow those that write lies and blasphemy against the Messiah Jesus Christ? Of course you know of whom I speak. The Jews and their book of " instruction" The horrible filth known as the Talmud speaks blasphemy against Jesus and The Virgin Mary and we Christians. No one I have spoken to can answer me this question. God told Amos the Prophet that Jews were God's chosen people. I know it is in Deuteronomy. But really? To deny Jesus as Saviour will also bring denial by Jesus in the House of God.

  • Holly Dixon

    I am praying and waiting for the Day of the Lord. I repented of my sins and was baptized this past July 2. At first I knew that I had the Holy Spirit in me but now I am finding it really hard to not fall apart and start stepping backwards.

  • Stephen Racz

    Two more points. The article doesn't do justice to the topic or reader as it fails to explain the true nature of this sin and why it is unforgivable. That's why its drawing some of the responses it has. I think the various COGs have done a poor job in explaining this sin mentioned in the gospels and the old WCG totally misunderstood it. There are however some excellent bible commentaries which do offer a detailed in depth explanation as to the true nature of this sin. The Hastings commentary offers a very scholarly, mature and insightful explanation drawing on the original Greek leaving the reader in little doubt as to its nature. I recommend its reading to anyone who has concerns over this sin.
    Roger C commented on the unpardonable sin being committed knowingly to be unpardonable. Question, if the person did commit this sin knowingly and later repented would they be forgiven by God? The answer is Yes. The reason for its unpardonableness lies in the ongoing insult and rejection of that Power knowing better which would draws them to repentance which makes this sin unpardonable. They would therefore never be sorry and without repentance, forgiveness cannot be granted.

  • Jdmathis1968

    The Jews deny Jesus as Messiah and Saviour. They speak horrible blasphemy against Jesus and The Virgin Mary and us Christians in the book of instruction for Jewish daily life The Talmud. Is this not an unforgivable sin?

  • Stephen Racz

    Sorry but in my last comment the bible reference should be Matt 9 not Matt 10 re the unpardonable sin.

  • Stephen Racz

    The unpardonable sin in Hebrews and sinning wilfully is specific to turning our backs on God once converted returning back to our former life and not talking about wilful sins in general. The unpardonable sin mentioned in Matt 12 and Mark is not referring to an isolated act or utterance but an attitude and the expression of it. We can see this because these Pharisees and scribes made the same accusation in Matt 10 yet our Saviour simply walked off the scene and said nothing and its that lack of response that should leave the reader suspicious that there is more to this than an isolated event. In Mark the wording "because they SAID He had an unclean spirit" comes from the Greek verb ELEGON meaning they kept saying so this sin was ongoing, This sin is not a tongue sin but a heart sin and it was persistent. Christ elaborates in Matt 12 after warned the Pharisees either make a tree good and its fruit good or the tree bad and the fruit bad for the tree is known by its fruit. Nothing to do with God being unwilling to forgive but the person being unable to repent. Gods Agent which grants repentance is persistently rejected due to a hardened heart condition.

  • Bless1

    Hello Sharon. I am far from a learned theologian but I have studied most major religions and have had conversations with people of many religions. The Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus was created. They believe He is the arch angel Michael. They believe that when you die, you sleep in the dust until judgement. All of them beliefs are diametrically opposed to what the bible teaches. Jesus says He is the I AM. The religious leaders sought to stone him on several occasions for His proclamation that He is God. Paul, in his epistles, states that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. There are many more contrsdictions. Also, they wrote their own bible that omits the divinity of Christ. I pray God reveals all truths to you and your loved ones. He will in His own perfect timing.

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