“I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” - Mark 3:20-35
Reflection by Renee Wilson
The Pharisees, once again, are reacting to Jesus’ words and actions with false accusations. They attribute His power to heal and cast out demons to Satan. Their words could not have been more blasphemous! They are not just throwing doubt on Jesus, they are rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit.
We are taught that all we need to do is bring our sins to the foot of the cross, confess, repent, and we are forgiven them. Does that include every sin? Jesus tells us in Matthew 26:28, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” And in 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree.”
Our words against God, His Son, others, even our thoughts, and actions are forgiven when we come to God through His Son, Jesus (John 6:37). So what does Jesus mean when He says blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven? The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of our sin, enable us to understand His Word, and to reveal Christ and His righteousness (John 16:8-13). To reject the Holy Spirit is to deny Him the opportunity to change our hearts forever, separating us from the One through whom mercy and forgiveness comes. It is true that God does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). However, to be indifferent to sin, to God and to the work of the Holy Spirit—and continue to do so to the end of life is to risk final condemnation.
