“Even now it may be that the line you have crossed.  Have you counted, Have you counted the cost?” 

During the Wednesday night gathering, Debbie Rude lead in a very thought provoking bible study.  Beginning with the above song “Have You Counted the Cost”  the whole lesson was based on the question “is it true we can ‘cross a line’ and go beyond God’s forgiveness and, as some say, ‘blaspheme the Holy Spirit’?”  What exactly is the sin against the Spirit?  

In order to understand the above questions, we need to understand the truth about God’s character.  Some of our ideas about God are rooted in paganism.  This is because as Christianity spread out from Jerusalem, more and more pagans were converted.  Unfortunately, they did not lose all their religious baggage upon conversion.  They brought to the Christian church various pagan ideas – one being about God’s character. 

To the pagan, the gods were the masters and man was their slave.  Man could anger the gods and turn their wrath upon him if he wasn’t careful.  This view, in turn, lead to the belief that God would only be patient with man for a certain length of time.  When God’s mercy was exhausted, he would no longer “draw” a person and forgive him/her even though that person sought earnestly for God.  

But we find this idea goes against God’s character and depicts Him as mean, short-tempered, and full of wrath.  In reality, He is love (1 John 4).  His compassions do not fail (Lam 3:22-23)  He is good and merciful.  His mercies are new every morning.  He is slow to anger and long suffering; always the same; always looking out for the good of His creation.  His love never fails (I Cor 13:8).  He “hopes all things” (I Cor 13), or is always hoping that one day we will turn to Him.  We can never get to the place where God will not forgive us if we turn to Him with all our heart (Jer 18:8). 

If that be so, what then could Matt 12:31 possibly mean?  “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven him, but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven Him.”   

Sin is inexcusable.  God cannot overlook any sin unless He sees the sinner’s heart is contrite, broken, sorry for the sins he has committed and repentant  -  ready to change and quit sinning.  No matter what the sin, God can reach “deeper than the stain has gone” and forgive if He sees a change of heart, or an honest seeker.  What he cannot forgive is a person who, when shown by the Spirit his sinful condition, refuses to acknowledge it and change.  This is what it means to speak against (or work against) the Holy Spirit.  To say you are all right in your sin when the Spirit says you are “all wrong”.  God cannot pass over the sin of one who “denies truth, resists duty, and willfully shuts out the Spirit” from working in His life*.   These people love their sins and want to continue in them, all the while hoping God will still forgive.  Such people have closed their heart to the influence of the Spirit of God and “love darkness rather than light.”  (John 3:19).  It isn’t God’s fault they aren’t forgiven, but theirs.  

The unpardonable sin then is not a deed, but a state of being a soul can enter.  Thankfully, this state doesn’t have to be an eternal fate, but only as long as one chooses to remain in sin.  Like Jeremiah 18:8 says, if you change your mind and turn to God, He WILL be waiting, ready to forgive. 

 (*) Excerpt (paraphrased) from book “The Truth in Jesus” by George MacDonald

 

 God said
“I forgive you child for every sin you have done.  Only turn from them and come to me.  Let me be your master.”

The child said
“Thank you Lord for your forgiveness only let me stay in my sins.  I really enjoy how I’m living”

God said
“No my child.  That I cannot forgive.  I’m sorry”

 .Be sure to request a copy of the tape.