In Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-30 and Luke 12:10 Jesus Christ tells the Jews that there is one sin that will not be forgiven, and that sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 12:31-32
31 Wherefore 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.
32 And 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.
Mark 3:28-29
28 Verily I say unto you, all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.
Luke 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
Their Final Warning - All Sins Will Be Forgiven Except the Sin of Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
To understand what Jesus Christ meant when He said that all sins will be forgiven except the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, we need to first understand who Christ was speaking to. In Matthew 15:24 Christ said “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
In Matthew 12:32 Christ says “And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him.” In Luke 23:34 we see the evidence of this forgiveness at the cross, when Christ said “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” It was through this prayer to God the Father, that their sin and blasphemy against God the Son was forgiven them, because their sins at that time were sins of ignorance.
In Matthew 3:11 and Luke 3:16 John the Baptist told of the coming of Christ who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Luke 3:16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
When Christ was crucified, the Holy Spirit had not yet been given. The Holy Spirit was sent by Christ on Pentecost. On that day, Christ baptized the believers with the Holy Spirit. The church that was established on that day became known as the Jerusalem church, Acts 8:1, Acts 11:11 and Acts 15:4.
Israel Rejected God the Father
In the Old Testament, we are told of Israel rejecting God the father. They rejected God the Father through their unbelief and idolatry. Israel rejected God the Father, when they killed the prophets that He sent to instruct them to turn back to Him. Israel rejected God the Father, when they wanted a king to rule over them as the Gentiles had. In I Samuel 8:7 we are told how that Israel rejected God the Father, in favor of a king.
I Samuel 8:7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
Israel Rejected God the Son
In Acts 2:22 Peter tells of the multitude of miracles, signs and wonders that were done by Jesus of Nazareth.
Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.
However, all of the miracles, signs and wonders did not persuade very many in Israel that Jesus Christ was their Messiah and the Son of God. In Luke 9:22 Christ tells His disciples “…The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.”
Israel Rejected God the Holy Spirit
In Acts 2:1-4 we are told of the Holy Spirit coming as a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind. In these four verses we see the Holy Spirit being given to the Apostles.
Acts 2:1-4
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
In Acts 2:43 we are told that many signs and wonders were done by the apostles.
The Spirit-filled apostles were threatened by the religious leaders – Acts 4:17-21.
Acts 4:17-21
17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.
20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.
The Spirit-filled apostles were imprisoned by the religious leaders – Acts 5:17-18.
Acts 5:17-18
17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation,
18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.
The Spirit-filled apostles were beaten by the religious leaders – Acts 5:40-42.
Acts 5:40-42
40 And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
In Acts Chapter 6 we are told that Stephen was full of faith and the Holy Spirit – Acts 6:5, and that he had the face of an angel – Acts 6:15. In Acts Chapter 7 we see Stephen standing before the Sanhedrin where he recounts the history of Israel which began with Abraham. In Acts 7:51-53 Stephen tells the religious leaders that they always resist the Holy Spirit, that they had betrayed and murdered Jesus Christ, and that they had not kept the Law.
Acts 7:51-53
51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.
52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,
53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”
In the Old Testament, God the Father was rejected. In the New Testament, God the Son was rejected. With the murder of Stephen, the religious leaders of Israel had rejected God the Holy Spirit. Their rejection and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit was the one sin that God could not forgive as they had rejected once again their Messiah, Jesus Christ, through their rejection of the Holy Spirit.
With Israel’s rejection of Jesus Christ, God paused the prophetic program and it’s gospel of the kingdom. God then gave unto the world the mystery program and it’s gospel of the grace of God. God chose Saul, later named Paul, and committed unto him the preaching of the gospel of the grace of God. Paul’s apostleship shows God’s mercy and forgiveness, in that even though Paul had made havock of the Jerusalem church, God yet chose him to preach the gospel of the grace of God to the entire world.
When we rightly divide the word of truth, we clearly see the truth that our gospel is truly a gospel of grace and we cannot commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us that sins are not imputed in this age of grace – II Corinthians 5:19. It is God’s Holy Spirit that baptizes believers of the gospel, into the body of Christ – I Corinthians 12:13. It is God’s Holy Spirit that seals believers of the gospel, in the body of Christ, until they are redeemed – Ephesians 1:13.