The Unforgivable Sin

A few years back I had the privilege to be part of the teaching rotation for a high school Sunday School class. One week a topic came up that reminded me of a conversation I had in college with a professor. He made the point that not believing in Jesus is the unforgivable sin.

I mentioned that same point in class, and a young man promptly raised his hand, and then said, “Excuse me, isn't blaspheming the Holy Spirit the unforgivable sin?” According to Matthew 3:29 and Luke 12:10, he is correct. It wasn't a primary point I had prepared to address in detail, so I acknowledged he was correct and moved on in the lesson.

My professor had argued that the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is when one rejects the Holy Spirit as He is drawing someone to salvation (John 16:8-11). If you reject salvation in Jesus, then one is “subject to eternal condemnation” (Matthew 3:29).

I came across a reformed view of free grace today, and while there is much to muddy the waters in that document, one quote stood out: “Their strange belief system asserts that Jesus died for all sins EXCEPT the sin of unbelief.”

It's not strange when the Bible repeatedly talks about belief as the means of salvation.

• “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

• “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

• “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

If one does not believe in the blood of Jesus, then he has no forgiveness of sin.

There is much confusion to be avoided when it comes to the doctrine of salvation.