Jesus taught that there is a specific sin that is unforgivable by God. What is that sin and how do we avoid it?
Mark 3:22-30
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.
28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter,29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Refusal of Validation (Mark 3:22)
- The Jewish experts from the Jewish capital attempted to hinder the Jewish Messiah.
- They couldn’t deny Jesus’ ability so they tried to invalidate His ministry by demonizing His power.
- Attributing the work of Jesus as evil is the first step towards the unforgivable sin.
Refusal of Acceptation (Mark 3:23-27)
- A hardened heart often leads to an irrational logic.
- Satan lures us to interpret what is good as evil and what is evil as good.
- Jesus came to bind up the person and work of Satan.
Refusal of Salvation (Mark 3:28-30)
- There is not a momentary sin so heinous that it is beyond forgiveness.
- Blasphemy is defiant irreverence and yet even it can be forgiven.
- Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin.
- The unforgivable sin is defiantly and ultimately refusing to accept the Holy Spirit’s declaration that Jesus is Lord.
- If you are concerned that you have committed the unforgivable sin, that almost guarantees that you have not.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.