What's the baddest of the bad sins? The kind of sin that make the Big Guy upstairs go, "Oh, hell naw!" Well, strap in, there's no getting out of this one'
You'd have to do some digging to find the juiciest, most scandalous sins in the good book...but I've saved you the headache and highlighted some real whoppers, the ones that make even the most seasoned sinners go, "That's cold!"
//You'll find a shortened version of this thought on TikTok. This is a full blown article on the subject//
The sin unto death
1 john 5:16-17
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
This means there is a sin unto death and one not unto death. Basically, this scripture says someone can pray for someone if he/she commit a sin not unto death and the person will be restored.
As we try to make sense of this Bible verse, let's keep in mind the historical context; this is very crucial in explaining the text here. During this tim, the Jewish laws permitted stonning to death as the purnishment for some capital offences – idolatry, incense, blasphemy and violating the Sabbath day – these are grevious sins and are classified as sins unto death. You can find another example in John 8:8, they wanted to stone the woman to death because of adultry. There are also sins which are not unto death like the sin of omission, ignorance and others, as permitted by the Jewish laws at the time.
Based on this understanding, the prayer of restoration for someone that sins is when the person commits a sin that is not unto death. Observe Gal 6:1 in your spare time
The point of the above is to find out what sins are so grevious people have to be killed. But does the sin unto death means it is unpardonable?
Rejecting the son of God
While Galatians tells us we can restore people who sinned, Hebrews tells us that there is a sin one can commit and it will be impossible for the person to repent.
Hebrews 6:4-6 NLT
For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened-those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, [5] who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come- [6] and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.
So what does this verse mean? They rejected the son of God! It seems rejecting Jesus is a pretty big deal.
Now let's get Exegetic
(Why? the best way to study is to go text by text, verse by verse. This gives us robust understanding of scriptures. So we'd tear Hebs 6:4-6 apart)
What does it mean to reject the Son?
1 John 5:20 is absolutely clear on the consequences of rejecting the Son of God - you are rejecting eternal life.
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
So why is this a big deal? It is because it is impossible for someone who rejects the Son to access God, the Son is the Way to the father and is described as eternal life. So Hebrews 4:4-6 means when you reject the Son, you are rejecting the only way to the Father and if you dont accept the Way, there is no repentance for you...cos, obviously, you've shut yourself outside the only way!
As a side note: historical context is also important here, Hebrews was written between AD 63 and 67 and it was written to the Hebrew converts. Paul was addressing the people who have come to understanding of the truth before, this scripture does not address backsliders as people have interpreted it to mean...I'll say that again, this scripture has nothing to do with you; it was relevant to the people living in that era. These people being addressed here are people who have come to the conclusion that Jesus was an impostor and that he rightfully died because of his claims that He is the Son of God; those who reject Christianity completely, joining unbelievers in blaspheming against Jesus. Remember from our historical context, blasphemy was a sin unto death. These are not people who just backslid from church, but attitude about Jesus being an impostor.
I'll urge you to pay attention to the above because this scripture has been interpreted out of context, people who teach the doctrine of unpardonable sin use this scripture but the context of this scripture is about those who had come to the light and understanding, then fell away from the faith and saw Jesus as an impostor, people who will say they would have taken part in the killing of Jesus,
Lemme shock you, recall Jesus had said in Matthew 12 that if you sin against the son, you can be forgiven.
Oh you didn't know that?
Matt 12:31-32
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. 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.
I announce to you, even the folks in Hebrews 6 who rejected the Son, spoke against Him and continually hang Him all over again are forgiven.
Also recall even denying Christ and His works does not lead to a sin that cannot be pardoned, because Jesus himself prayed for those who nailed him to the cross –
Father, I know you hear me always, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.
So we've established that even the sin of rejecting the son is pardonable.
Spotlight on hebs 6:5 -Enlightened
In verse 4 of Hebrews 4, the bible talks about those who have been enlightened, it means those who have been thoroughly instructed in Christianity, those who have knowledge of the truth. You see this in Hebs 10:32, illuminated means you have received knowledge of the things of God.
So who are those that cannot be brought to repentance? The enlightened! Those those who have tasted the good word of God. Jesus was simply saying you rejected me, you don't believe in what I have come to do, but rejecting the holy spirit means there is no other way back to God.
So you see from Heb 2:1-3 that it is possible for us to slip in our salvation journey after first hearing of the great salvation which Jesus spoke about in Mark 1:13-15
So Hebs 6:5 was Paul saying you who have tasted of the gospel, there is no way except through the holy spirit. Keep this in mind - except through the Holy Spirit.
Heb 6:5 - The power of the world to come. Which world?
What power did they experience? What is the age to come?
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.
The power of age to come which they have tasted was the power of God they had experienced, the Scriptures say God was confirming His Word with signs and miracles following.
The King James Version calls it the power of the age to come while some translations calls it the world to come. The power being referred to here is the the flow of the miracles that happened through them.
The scriptures tells us about ages. There was the age of the law, which Moses instituted, Jesus Himself partook of that age before ending it when He went to the cross. Then another age started at the advent of the Holy Spirit on the day of pentecost - ushering in the age of the church or the age of the Holy Spirit. In Matt 19, when Peter asked Jesus - we who have followed you, what shall be our reward? Jesus said in the age to come... That age is not a futuristic declaration which happens when we drop this mortal body, Jesus was referring to the Pentecost.
In fact, let's dwell on that for a bit!
In Mark 19, the disciples asked Jesus, we who have left our wives and followed you, what shall be our reward? Jesus' response was that at the time of regeneration, which was the age to come spoken about in Hebrews 6:5, that at the advent of the Holy Spirit, you shall have 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. He was talking about the Pentecost, the age of the Holy Spirit or the age of the church.
When the Jewish people use the word "world/age to come, they are talking about what will happen after the Messiah comes. Remember as we interprete scripures, we lean in on historical context a lot.
Matt 16:28 - to taste of the world to come means to experience. Tasting of the power of the age to come means to experience the power of the age to come. What then was the power they tasted of? They experienced the workings of signs and miracles!
How did we arrive at that conclusion? Let's zoom in on the word taste. Remember, we are making sense of "tasting of the power of the age to come".
So hebs 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
This scripture says that Jesus should taste death for every man and we know that Jesus experienced death! Tasting of the power of the age to come means experiencing the flow and energy and creative power of God's spirit - miracles, signs and wonders. It refers to a house harboring the power of God, producing signs and wonders. This is the age that we are in, the age of the Holy Spirit which was ushered in after the Pentecost.
Food for thought: If people have tasted of the Holy Spirit before and they fell out or slipped away from the great word of salvation, which then condemns them to eternal torment, how then do we explain the scripture that says the Believer's spirit is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise? There is nothing that can break the seal.
So far, we haven't seen an unpardonable sin, rejecting the Son seems pretty grevious but it is forgivable. The very last gift Jesus gave to man before leaving was the Holy Spirit. This makes me imagine that the only unpardonable sin would be that against the Holy Spirit. But we'll get there in a bit because, if this sin against the Holy Spirit is unpardonable, assuming people then come back to their senses and say they receive the Holy Spirit, what then happens to them? So we remember Saul's encounter, he saw the Lord and repented of his ways and he was saved. We'll come back to this
You are only in danger of the unpardonable sin when you consistently reject the Holy Spirit. So all the years of Paul rejecting Christ was forgiven the moment he received Christ.
(side note: 1 cor 6:17 - he that is joined with the Lord is one spirit. It is impossible for you to be joined to the Lord and then fall away and never recover and be lost in hell. Jesus said of all you have given to me, no one was lost, no one can pluck you away from the Father's hand.
Unpardonable sin scripture - Fornication/blasphemy?
Recall, based on Historical context, there were capital offences. Fornication was one of them.
1 cor 5:1-12
Paul asked that this brother be committed to satan for sleeping with his father's wife. This has to be grevious and probably unpardonable because satans work is to destroy. But if you go further down to 2 cor 2:1-11. Paul had to say they should forgive the man as he has now come to realization and is in sorrow, so love should lead and there should be forgiveness lest satan takes advantage, and the man is unable to make it back to church. As grievous as this man's case was, he was pardoned.
No matter the type of sin, once you can recover yourself and go back to God, your sins are forgiven.
1 tim 1:20
Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Here, Paul had said they should commit a brother to Satan for the sin of blasphemy. But the point here is that the end result of handing one over to satan is not for destruction but for restoration...so he can learn not to "blespheme". Paul's instruction was to ensure that his soul might be saved - the end goal of rebuke or judgement is salvation not destruction.
Men who forsook God and worshipped idols are some of the most grievous and backslidden things you can see in the bible but God still said they will come back according to Jer 2:19-20
John 10:27-28; no one can pluck any believer out of God's hands. Eternal life cannot be cut short by backsliding...so if you can slip out of your salvation and spend eternity in hell because of a sin, you were never saved in the first place.
Unpardonable sin - The sin against the Holy Spirit
So now to the bone of the matter; Mark 3:28-30
Mark 3:28-30 NLT
"I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, [29] but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences." [30] He told them this because they were saying, "He's possessed by an evil spirit."
Even those who crucified Jesus, he prayed for them and their sins were forgiven. Too many people torture themselves with fear, doubt and unbelief thinking they have committed this unpardonable sin but Jesus said even blasphemy and those who renounced and crucified him were forgiven because Jesus prayed for them.
It is important to understand that Jesus made this statement to the Scribes here in Mark 3:28-30 and to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:22, you must understand the mind of the author...and historical context.
Mark 3:28-30: Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
In Matthew 12:22 - 24 (KJV) - Jesus healed a man possessed, blind and dumb.
Why did Jesus make this statement?
If you go all the way to the book of Isaiah 35:4-6 - This was the promise of the Messiah, so when they heard and saw what Jesus was doing, they concluded among themselves that He was the Messiah.
To further prove this, Luke 7:19 -22KJV – Jesus revealing to them that He is the promised Messiah
Luke 7:22 : Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
Here, the key thing they will use to identify Jesus was the signs and miracles, so in Mat 12, when they saw the undeniable signs, the pharisees were filled with jealousy and rage, they were disturbed. They were always afraid of losing control over the people. So to maintain their status quo, they decided to frame Jesus up and dissuade people from following Him.
In John 11, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, John 12:18 What miracle? In John 11, he raised Lazarus from the dead.
Back to verse 10-11, they were plotting to kill Lazarus all to maintain control and narrative, threatened by the miracles of Jesus.
So it was these miracles (John 11, where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead that influenced John 12:18) and all these led to the conclusion that Jesus was the messiah and, if that was the case, they will lose control over the people so they came up with the false story that Jesus was using another spirit, just so people won't agree that He was the son of David, the long waited Messiah.
So Jesus was warning them in verse 25, they were sinning against God in heaven and His son on earth, opposing the Holy spirit therefore puts them in danger of blaspheming against the holy ghost.
So what was their sin? Mark 3:30 – very clearly from the NLT, because they said he had an unclean spirit. Verse 30 of Mark 3 is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
God in His redemption plan came to man as God the father, man said He is a God of the Jews, and He came as the Son but they said He is Jesus of Nazareth, then God said He will still get man back so He is coming as the Holy Spirit, if man rejects his last chance in this age, the age of the law, you will not be able to access the coming of the Holy Spirit. They blasphemed against God, the son and now blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. 1 cor 12:3 'and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost'. So no man can accept Jesus as Lord without the aid of the Holy Spirit, so rejecting the Holy Spirit means you cannot be saved, so it is rejecting the Holy Spirit that is the unpardonable sin.
Food for thought: In John 6:44 Jesus said no man can come to Him except the Father draws him. So are there people God is not drawing? Rom 2:4 - You cant repent all by yourself, the propelling force that forces you to repent is the Holy Spirit. You don't have the ability to make the choice to repent. God said I have commanded the widow of Zarephite to feed you, her responding to the commandant was out of her control. Ps 33:6. God's spirit can be sent out with power.
Jesus has said even if you blaspheme against the son, you will be forgiven. So what was this sin the Pharisees committed which Jesus said cannot be forgiven? The real issue here was unbelief. Which was persistent calculated rejection against the Holy Spirit. The unpardonable sin is the sin of constantly rejecting the ministry of the Holy Spirit as we have established; unbelief.
Acts 7:51 Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
They have always rejected the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees rejected the baptism of John (repetance to accept Jesus) so there was no way they will even accept Jesus or the promised Holy Spirit.
Let's be straightforward
This world and the world to come
What really does verse 29 say?
Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Remember, we've established that blasphemy agsinst the Holy Spirit is unbelief in the Holy Spirit but Jesus said all manner of sin is forgiven, but the sin against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in this world or in the world to come.
World here is eon, which is AGE. This is not talking about eternity.
In this world " the age of the law" and the age to come was the age of the Holy Ghost. Taking it from the NIV puts it clearly,
Mark 3:29 (AMP): But whosoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit and His powe [by attributing the miracles done by Me to Satan] never has forgiveness but is guilty of an everlasting sin [a sin which is unforgivable in this present age as well as in the age to come]
What was being referred to here is the age of the law and the next age is the age of the Holy Spirit, the age of grace. It is not talking absolutely about an unpardonable sin because all manner of sins are forgiven. The correct translation is the word AGE.
You'll find the word AGE used in Matthew 19:27-30 also as WORLD to come.
Jesus said in the regeneration, they will become judges over the 12 tribes of Israel.
The question is this - what time is the regeneration?
Titus 3:3 - 4. The age of regeneration is the new age of the Holy Ghost…which happened at the Pentecost! Samson, Gideon, Deborah, Samuel...were all Judges and they didn't need to wait till thet get to heaven before they became judges. A judge is one who is able to brings forth the mind of God on a particular matter or in a region. When the Holy Spirit comes, the disciples would bring forth the mind of God.
Sidebar: You'll observe that when Jesus was still with the disciples, they couldn't heal someone and Jesus said that type does not go except through prayer and fasting. But later when He sent them out, they came back with testimonies that even the devils were subject to them. The age of the Holy Spirit is one that you are a carrier of the miraculous so you don't need to wait to be sent, wherever you are, you manifest God's presence. Are you a Judge?
How many ages are left? We don't know. But there is an age for the manifestation of the sons of God, there is the age of the church, when Christ comes in a myriad of himself as recorded in the book of Jude.
Historical context of the Age to come
The portion of text on the age to come was not talking to us in our time but the first century rulers of the kingdom of Judah. Jesus was telling them that even if they are in error of blasphemy and disobedience because of the age of the law, even in the age to come, the one they were expecting but currently denying (denying the son of God yet expecting the Messiah), that they will still suffer for rejecting the Holy Spirit because it is only through the Holy Spirit they can be saved.
Is there salvation for all?
Rom 11:25-26, 30-33
Just like in the case of the prodigal son - "this my son was dead now alive". Everytime you come back to God, it is a resurrection back to life and God is always there to welcome you.
All Israel shall be saved meaning when the fullness of time has come and the sons of God arise, salvation comes. The age we are entering into is the age of the sons of God, the age of judgement ended with the age of the law. We just read that God will have mercy on all both the jews and gentiles.
Zech 12:10, 13:1 shares the same insights - all shall be saved.
The text regarding the age to come was written to the leaders of the house of Judah at the time, but their judgment ended with the advent of the Holy Spirit because Zech 12 tells us 'I will pour the spirit of grace and supplication' and the jewish people will come to a place of supplication and they will begin to come back to God. We are saved by grace, all Israel shall be saved because of the spirit of grace and their rejection will be no more.
The unpardonable sin was a word for the house of Judah who rejected the Lord and Jesus said in this age and in the age to come, they will experience the judgement and Jesus also said that generation will not pass until those things come to pass. Jerusalem fell because they had passed through the judgement. But the next age to come, in Zech 12:10 ushers in the age of the sons.
Through grace we are saved as the spirit of grace and supplication comes on us, everone will be saved.
If all Israel are saved because of grace, there is no unpardonable sin.
