Sins against the Holy Spirit: There are a few sins against the Holy Spirit that are considered unforgivable.
Here are some of them:
- Blasphemy,
- Resisting the known truth, and
- Resisting the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Are you guilty of any of these sins?
Unforgivable sins
There are sins which cannot be forgiven. One of these sins is an unforgivable sin, or ‘eternal sin’, which cannot be repented of or atoned for. This sin is referred to as the ultimate sin and cannot be forgiven by God.
The definition of this sin is unbelief and hatred of Jesus Christ. The apostle Peter, who was executed for blasphemy, denied Christ with curses on the night of his arrest, but was subsequently restored through the mercy of the Lord. He had been a sinner who did not have the faith to understand the true meaning of Jesus’ love, mercy, and grace, and therefore qualified to preach on this subject.
Unforgivable sins against God are those that are considered “unpardonable.” Unlike pardonable sins, an unpardonable sin involves consciously rejecting the truth about Jesus. When God hears such sin, His response is to harden the heart of the rebel, so that they will never repent. This kind of sin can only be committed by unbelievers, but only God can decide if someone has committed it. In fact, many people who seem to have committed an unpardonable sin later come back to accept Jesus’ words.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit falls into the category of sins that are unpardonable in the Bible, but it is different from the others. It is not an act of unbelief or doubt, which is the most common sins. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, on the other hand, is a conscious act of opposition to truth. It leads to hardened heart and a lack of repentance. It also leads to obstinacy, which is the inability to change one’s ways.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can be traced back to the Pharisees during Jesus’ ministry. They had heard of his mighty deeds, but instead of acknowledging his divine power, the Pharisees claimed that it was the power of Satan.
Resisting the known Truth
Resisting the known truth is a grave sin that is defined by Scripture as “refusal to submit to the truth.” It means resisting the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work. It is the refusal to submit to the truth even if it contradicts or challenges our own beliefs. This sin cuts us off from God.
Resisting the Holy Spirit is different from sins of weakness, passion, social pride, and mistreatment of others. It is the direct rejection of Christ, and it is much harder to receive pardon for than other sins. The Bible explains that this sin is a serious offense that requires the wrath of God.
A sin against the Holy Spirit can be defined as “a sin committed by choice.” Philosopher James describes sin against the Holy Spirit as “an act of choice.” The Philosopher tells us that a person cannot commit a sin against the Holy Spirit without having committed a previous sin.
Resisting the promptings of the Holy Spirit
Resisting the promptings of the Spirit is a major sin against God. It equates to ignoring the Word of God. This unpardonable sin is a sign of spiritual deadness. It also involves hardening the heart, refusing to hear God’s words, and shutting off the Holy Spirit.
The unpardonable sin of unbelief is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit convicts the unsaved of sin, righteousness, and judgment, those who do not repent blaspheme His Spirit. It is a sin for which there is no pardon in this age or in the age to come. The Spirit’s love for us is demonstrated in the Scriptures.
Another sin against the Holy Spirit is blasphemy against Christ. This is a deliberate rejection of the message and gift of salvation that Jesus Christ gave. It is a sin against the Holy Spirit to deny Christ by accusing him of Satan’s allegiance.
Defiant sin
A defiant sin is a sin against God. This type of sin is defined as blasphemy against God. It is a sin that we do not repent of. God cannot forgive us for this type of sin. We must make atonement for this sin.
A defiant sin is also called apostasy. This sin is a direct denial of the Gospel. It is a sin that does not consider salvation and is in direct defiance of the Holy Spirit. It is the most dangerous of the 20 sins against the Holy Spirit.
Defiant sins against the Holy Spirit do not necessarily lead to death. While these sins are blasphemy against God, they are not hardened opposition against Him. During Jesus’ ministry, many priests blasphemed him. Similarly, the apostle Paul blasphemed the Holy Spirit before receiving forgiveness.