Why can't this sin be forgiven?

Question

In Mark 3:28-29, Jesus says:

"I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."

In the verse 28 Jesus says that all sins and blasphemies will be forgiven. Then in verse 29 he says that one blasphemy (a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit) won't be forgiven.

My Question:
If all sins and blasphemies will be forgiven (verse28), then why won't a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit be forgiven (verse 29)?

Answer 1

It's called customer retention.

Answer 2

In the New Living Translation Bible, the footnotes explain what it meant. "Christians need not worry because this sin is attributing to the devil the work of the Holy Spirit. It reveals a heart attitude of unbelief and unrepentance." What they're saying is the people were giving Satan the credit for the miracles Jesus performed and to do so is blasphemy and shall not be forgiven. If you continue reading verse 30 it says "He told them this because they were saying "He is possessed by an evil spirit" so granted it's never a good idea to blaspheme God under any circumstances, but the sin itself is forgiven. If you need more information about true salvation, post a question asking and I would be happy to help. P.S. Thank you for not being afraid to ask a question of this serious nature.

Answer 3

This blasphemy has to do with someone accusing Jesus Christ of being demon-possessed instead of Spirit-filled. There are other ways to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, but this was "THE" unpardonable blasphemy. As a result, the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be duplicated today. Jesus Christ is not on earth. but seated at the right Hand of God. No one can witness Jesus Christ performing a miracle and then attribute that power to Satan instead of the Spirit.

Answer 4

You're hooked on the word "all." Understand that the scripture reads: "All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies..."

There is no "all" in front of the word blasphemies. Hence, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. You're so busy searching for flaws that you've overlooked the truth. Very sad.

Answer 5

I'm trying to determine if your question is in reference to the logical formula involved or the reason that a particular sin won't be forgiven. I'm taking it to be the latter.

The best explanation I've heard is that "blaspheming the Holy Spirit" is to ultimately reject God with your life. My understanding is that this isn't in reference to taking God's name in vain...as bad as that is, but in reference to not accepting God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ and therefore rejecting/blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Answer 6

What exactly is a 'blasphemy against the Holy Spirit'?

That seems pretty vague and wishy-washy.

If it really is that big a deal, you'd think they'd be a little more specific, maybe give some actual examples.

Maybe they could have even included something like a Commandment or something. If it really is that bad, shouldn't they have mentioned it then and there?

Answer 7

The sin or blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is mentioned in Matthew 12:22-32; Mark 3:22-30; Luke 12:10 (cf. 11:14-23); and Christ everywhere declares that it shall not be pardoned. In what does it consist? If we examine all the passages alluded to, there can be little doubt as to the reply.

Let us take, for instance, the account given by St. Matthew which is more complete than that of the other Synoptics. There had been brought to Christ "one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, so that he spoke and saw". While the crowd is wondering, and asking: "Is not this the Son of David?", the Pharisees, yielding to their wonted jealousy, and shutting their eyes to the light of evidence, say: "This man casteth not out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." Jesus then proves to them this absurdity, and, consequently, the malice of their explanation; He shows them that it is by "the Spirit of God" that He casts out devils, and then He concludes: "therefore I say to you: Ever sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not he forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come."

So, to sin against the Holy Ghost is to confound Him with the spirit of evil, it is to deny, from pure malice, the Divine character of works manifestly Divine. This is the sense in which St. Mark also defines the sin question; for, after reciting the words of the Master: "But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost shall never have forgiveness", he adds at once: "Because they said: He hath an unclean spirit." With this sin of pure downright malice, Jesus contrasts the sin "against the Son of man", that is the sin committed against Himself as man, the wrong done to His humanity in judging Him by His humble and lowly appearance. This fault, unlike the former, might he excused as the result of man's ignorance and misunderstanding.

Answer 8

“Blasphemy” in the Greek Scriptures. The apostle Paul showed the basic meaning of bla·sphe·mi′a by using the related Greek verb bla·sphe·me′o at Romans 2:24 when quoting from Isaiah 52:5 and Ezekiel 36:20, 21, cited above.

Blasphemy includes the act of claiming the attributes or prerogatives of God, or ascribing these to another person or thing. (Compare Ac 12:21, 22.) The Jewish religious leaders accused Christ Jesus of blasphemy because he said that the sins of certain persons were forgiven (Mt 9:2, 3; Mr 2:5-7; Lu 5:20, 21), and they tried to stone him as a blasphemer because of his declaring himself to be God’s Son. (Joh 10:33-36) When Jesus made a statement to the Sanhedrin concerning God’s purpose toward him and the high position to be granted him, the high priest ripped his garments and accused Jesus of blasphemy, for which Jesus was condemned as worthy of death. (Mt 26:63-66; Mr 14:61-64) Having no authority from the Romans to implement the death sentence, the Jewish religious leaders shrewdly changed their accusation of blasphemy to that of sedition when taking Jesus before Pilate.—Joh 18:29–19:16.

Since Jesus was God’s Son and direct representative, the things spoken against him may also properly be defined as blasphemy. (Lu 22:65) So, too, since the holy spirit or active force emanates from God and is intimately connected with God’s person, Jesus could speak of “blasphemy against the spirit.” This is stated to be the unforgivable sin. (Mt 12:31; Mr 3:28, 29; Lu 12:10) Blasphemy is shown to originate within one’s heart (Mt 15:19; Mr 7:21, 22); hence the heart condition, manifest in the willfulness involved, must relate to such blasphemy against the spirit. The incident that led to Jesus’ statement concerning the unpardonableness of such sin demonstrates that it refers to opposing the operation of God’s spirit. This would not be because of deception, human weakness, or imperfection; but the opposition would be willful and deliberate. The Pharisees clearly saw God’s spirit at work in Jesus to accomplish good, yet for selfish reasons they attributed this power to Beelzebub, Satan the Devil, thereby blaspheming God’s holy spirit.—Mt 12:22-32; compare Heb 6:4-6; 10:26, 27.

Like Jesus, Stephen was martyred on a charge of blasphemy. (Ac 6:11-13; 7:56-58) Paul, as Saul, had been a blasphemer and had tried to force Christians to make “a recantation” (literally, “to blaspheme”). However, upon becoming a disciple himself, he suffered blasphemous contradictions from the Jews, and in Ephesus his teaching was possibly labeled by certain elements as blasphemous against the goddess Artemis. (Ac 13:45; 19:37; 26:11; 1Ti 1:13) By a disfellowshipping, Paul handed Hymenaeus and Alexander “over to Satan that they may be taught by discipline not to blaspheme.” (1Ti 1:20; compare 2Ti 2:16-18.) James showed that the rich, as a class, were prone to “blaspheme the fine name” by which the disciples were called. (Jas 2:6, 7; compare Joh 17:6; Ac 15:14.) In “the last days” blasphemers would abound (2Ti 3:1, 2), as the book of Revelation also foretells by statement and by symbol.—Re 13:1-6; 16:9-11, 21; 17:3.

Answer 9

It is actually a very logical answer.
In order to have faith in God, you must have the Holy Spirit. If you blaspheme (reject) the Holy Spirit, you can't have faith. If you don't have faith, you can't be forgiven.
So in essence what is being said is that God can't forgive you if you won't let Him.
I hope I made that make sense.

Answer 10

Aha................

You have to take more of Jesus' message in context. Remember in John 3, Jesus said that you had to be born again. However, he also stated that the Holy Spirit had to be present......................continual refusal to submit to the Spirit's promptings may cause Him to eventually retreat from you and leave you alone (as you have requested)..............

Without the Holy Spirit present, you can't be born again............and so the sin of refusing God becomes permanent. That's why people shouldn't say they will serve God "later". He is not to be mocked............

What raised Jesus from the dead was the Holy Spirit in Him and that is what will send a Christian to heaven as well. Not your good deeds, your church, etc. but the Holy Spirit inside you will return to God................

Answer 11

Only the Elect of God could possibly commit it..Mark.13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Not allowing the Holy Spirit to speak thru them..thats unforgivable..
BUT this is way over peoples heads.