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The Unpardonable Sin

From: Christian Truth: Volume 13

By: Alfred Henry Burton

• 1 min. read • grade level: 9

It is ever Satan's way to harass and perplex simple souls by means of difficult texts; and, generally speaking, those most troubled by these texts are the very ones to whom they least apply. Matt. 12:31, 32³¹Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. ³²And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. (Matthew 12:31‑32) is a passage often used in this way.

A reference to the analogous passage in Mark 3:22-31²²And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. ²³And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. ²⁷No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. ²⁸Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: ²⁹But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: ³⁰Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. ³¹There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. (Mark 3:22‑31) makes it quite clear to whom this awful warning applies; namely, to "the scribes which came down from Jerusalem." Those persistent opponents of divine grace, a grace borne witness to by miracles of divine power, were forced to admit the reality of all that the Lord was doing-"Unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell down before Him," etc.

A special case had just taken place (Matt. 12:22²²Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. (Matthew 12:22)). A demon had been cast out by the Lord. The Pharisees had seen it; they could not deny it; and yet, rather than acknowledge that the miracle had been wrought by the power of the Spirit of God, they deliberately attribute it to Beelzebub, the prince of the demons. This was an unpardonable blasphemy. Mark 3:30³⁰Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. (Mark 3:30) makes this perfectly clear: "Because they [the scribes and Pharisees] said, He [Christ] hath an unclean spirit." To attribute to Satan what was the manifest work of the Holy Ghost, showed up the incurable wickedness of the religious leaders of that day.

In order to deprive many people of the knowledge and joy of salvation, Satan has often raised the question, Is it possible for one who has done so-and-so to be saved? Let the harassed one triumphantly point to Acts 16:31³¹And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31), and say, It is impossible for one who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ to be lost!

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Alfred Henry Burton Articles in Other Sources

• "Take no Thought for the Morrow."

• Take Warning!

• The Antichrist

• The Apostasy

• "The Father of Mercies."

• "The Living Grace of Christ."

• "The Living Grace of Christ."

• "The Lord Is at Hand: Be Careful for Nothing."

• The Septuagint

• "These Have Power."

• Three Estimates of Christ.

• Threshing-Floor of Boaz, The

• Two Sides of the Sea of Galilee

• Unequal Yoke, The

• Unpardonable Sin, The

• Unspeakable Gift, The

• "Unto Messiah (or Christ) the Prince."

• Various Aspects of the Gospel.

• Village Evangelization

• Village Evangelization.

• Waiting for Christ

• Waiting for His Son.

• Walking in the Power of the Spirit

• Walking in the Spirit.

• Waning Hope., A

• Weakness of Human, and the Strength of Divine Love., The

• Welsh Revival., The

• Welsh Revival., The

• What Is a Christian?

• What Is Conversion?