What are the sins against the Holy Spirit?

"Therefore I tell you, all sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven" (Matthew 12:31).

This is one of the most challenging and confusing teachings of Jesus found in the Gospels. The gospel of Jesus Christ is rooted in the forgiveness of sins and the redemption of those who confess their faith in Him. However, here Jesus teaches unforgivable sin. Since this is the only sin that Jesus expressly says is unforgivable, it is quite important. But what is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and how do you know if you did it or not?

What was Jesus referring to in Matthew 12?
A demon-oppressed man who was blind and dumb was brought to Jesus, and Jesus healed him instantly. The crowds who witnessed this miracle were amazed and asked "Could this be the Son of David?" They asked this question because Jesus was not the Son of David they expected.

David was a king and a warrior, and the Messiah was expected to be similar. However, here is Jesus, walking among the people and healing rather than leading an army against the Roman Empire.

When the Pharisees learned of Jesus' healing of the demon-oppressed man, they assumed that he could not be the Son of man, so he must have been the progenitor of Satan. They said, "It is only from Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons" (Matt. 12:24).

Jesus knew what they were thinking and immediately recognized their lack of logic. Jesus pointed out that a divided kingdom cannot hold, and it would make no sense for Satan to cast out his demons who were doing his work in the world.

Jesus then states how he casts out demons, saying, "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matthew 12:28).

This is what Jesus refers to in verse 31. The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is whenever someone attributes to Satan what the Holy Spirit does. This type of sin can only be committed by someone who, in blatant rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit, deliberately affirms that God's work is the work of Satan.

The key here is that the Pharisees knew that Jesus' work was done by God, but they could not accept that the Holy Spirit was at work through Jesus, so they intentionally attributed the deed to Satan. Blasphemy against the Spirit occurs only when one knowingly rejects God. If one rejects God out of ignorance, he will be forgiven to repentance. However, for those who have experienced God's revelation, are aware of God's work, and still reject Him and attribute His work to Satan, it is a blasphemy against the Spirit and is therefore unforgivable.

Are there multiple sins against the Spirit or just one?
According to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 12, there is only one sin against the Holy Spirit, although it can be manifested in many different ways. The general sin against the Holy Spirit is deliberately attributing a work of the Holy Spirit to the enemy.

So these sins are "unforgivable"?

Some understand unforgivable sin by explaining it in the following way. In order for one to experience God's revelation so clearly, a great degree of rejection is required to resist the work of the Holy Spirit. Sin may indeed be forgivable, but someone who has rejected God after such a level of revelation will likely never repent before the Lord. Someone who never repents will never be forgiven. So although sin is unforgivable, someone who has committed such a sin is likely so far away that they will never repent and ask for forgiveness in the first place.

As Christians, should we worry about committing unforgivable sin?
Based on what Jesus says in the scriptures, it is not possible for a true bona fide Christian to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. For one to be a true Christian, he is already forgiven of all his transgressions. By the grace of God, Christians are already forgiven. Therefore, if a Christian performed the blasphemy against the Spirit, he would lose his current state of forgiveness and thus would again be sentenced to death.

However, Paul teaches in Romans that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8: 1). A Christian cannot be sentenced to death after being saved and redeemed by Christ. God won't allow it. Someone who loves God has already experienced the work of the Holy Spirit and cannot attribute his works to the enemy.

Only a very committed and God-convinced bumper can reject it after seeing and recognizing the work of the Holy Spirit. This attitude will prevent an unbeliever from being willing to accept God's grace and forgiveness. It may be similar to the hardness of heart attributed to Pharaoh (ex: Exodus 7:13). Believing that the revelation of the Holy Spirit about Jesus Christ as Lord is a lie is the one thing that will certainly condemn someone forever and cannot be forgiven.

A rejection of grace
Jesus' teaching on unforgivable sin is one of the most challenging and controversial teachings in the New Testament. It seems shocking and conversely that Jesus can declare any sin unforgivable, when His gospel is that of complete forgiveness of sins. The unforgivable sin is that of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This occurs when we recognize a work of the Holy Spirit, but in the rejection of God, we attribute this work to the enemy.

For one who observes God's revelation, and understands that it is the Lord's work and yet still refuses it, it is the only thing that can be done that cannot be forgiven. If one completely rejects the grace of God and does not repent, he can never be forgiven by God. To be forgiven by God, one must repent before the Lord. We pray for those who do not yet know Christ, so that they may be receptive to God's revelation, so that no one will commit this sin of condemnation.

Jesus, your grace abounds!