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What Is the Unforgiveable Sin of Mark 3:30 And Matthew 12:24-32 And Can Someone Today
Commit It? This question has brought fear and confusion to many believers for a very long time. What
does that mean? How would a person know if they committed the unpardonable sin? Can you go to
heaven if you commit that sin? Can a believer lose their salvation if they commit that sin? This issue is
sometimes made more difficult by careless speculation on what the unforgiveable sin of Mark 3:22-30 is.
Some more careful studies have said that the sin is a rejection of Christ. Others have said it is attributing
the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. Jesus said “all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and
whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness
but is guilty of an eternal sin. (ESV)” The unforgiveable sin in the context Jesus spoke about it was to
attribute the miraculous works of the Holy Spirit, miracles authenticating the person and power of Jesus
as Messiah, to the Devil. Keep in mind that Jesus says that if He does His work by the Holy Spirit then the
Kingdom of God had come to them through the person of Messiah (Matthew 12:28). The Pharisees were
attributing this work of God to Satan. They were therefore rejecting God’s messenger, the promised
Messiah. In doing so they were also rejecting the salvation He brought. So, by blaspheming the Holy
Spirit they were rejecting both Christ and the authority of God that He was displaying in His miracles.
The rejection of Jesus at this time and in this context is the focus of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

It is important to notice that even though the Pharisees did this they were not told “you have
blasphemed the Holy Spirit!” They were only told they were “close” or “near” to committing the
unpardonable sin. Whatever the unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit is, even they had not
achieved it when they directly said Jesus’ miracles were performed by the power of the devil. It is for
this reason that one must make a few theologically derived inferences regarding this issue. What follows
should be viewed as theological speculation.

First, the unpardonable sin may be an ongoing and unrepentant blasphemy of the Holy Spirit rather than
a single action. This could be the case as they clearly did “blaspheme” the Holy Spirit and are only said to
be “close” to committing it. Second, while there is life there is opportunity to repent. If a person desire
to repent of a sin they think is the unpardonable sin, it can probably be said that they have not
committed it. Third, it is even possible for a believer today to be unable to commit the unpardonable
sin. Why is this the case? Two reasons immediately can be offered. First is that the blasphemy of the
Holy Spirit Jesus spoke of regarded the Spirit authenticating Jesus’ ministry on earth at that time. While
it is possible that it can be committed now, it is an assumption that may not be accurate because Jesus is
not physically here ministering in the same way. We cannot be dogmatic about this point. Many
outstanding theologians believe you can still commit it. Second, it is because all sins including past,
present, and future are now atoned for by the blood of Christ. John wrote to the believers that if they
were to confess their sin they would be cleansed from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). If that is the
case, then the unpardonable sin is either no longer unpardonable or it should be understood as
something Jesus was talking about in that context that no longer applies to us. Jesus paid for all sin and
offers that salvation to all who believe. There is no longer any sin that cannot be forgiven because Jesus
paid for any and every sin (Heb. 9:11). God credits Jesus righteousness to you when you believe. The
only unpardonable sin now is the rejection of Christ.

Can humans who die without accepting Christ’s offer of salvation be saved after death?
Hebrews 9:27 says “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Once a man or
woman dies without Christ, they have given up their opportunity to take advantage of Christ’s offer of
forgiveness and restoration. This is illustrated well by the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich
man is clearly unable to change his destiny. He is concerned about others destiny. He is told they have

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