Have you ever wondered if there’s a sin so serious that it can never be forgiven? In this episode of Ask FGBC, Pastor Jim Butler and Wim Kerkhoff explore the biblical meaning of the unforgivable sin, often called blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Drawing from Matthew 12, Hebrews 6, and Hebrews 10, they discuss how this sin relates to apostasy—deliberate rejection of Christ and His work. But what does this mean for those who fear they’ve committed it? The conversation brings clarity, encouragement, and a reminder of God’s mercy in the gospel. Watch the full episode or read the transcript to deepen your understanding.

Got a question on Christianity, Gospel, Scripture, Theology? Submit your own questions here.

Transcript

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Unforgivable sin, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, apostasy, Hebrews 6, Hebrews 10, Matthew 12, rejection of Christ, miracles, signs and wonders, Old Covenant, Aaronic priesthood, defection from truth, genuine apostate, reprobate, gospel preaching.

SPEAKERS

Pastor Jim Butler, Wim Kerkhoff

Wim Kerkhoff  00:08

Okay, what does the Bible mean by the unforgivable sin? It’s also called the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Jim Butler  00:14

Yeah, I think that there’s a connection between that and apostasy. And apostasy, I think, is spelled out in Hebrews 6 and Hebrews 10. So, in the gospel record, I think specifically the crime, the sin that is being dealt with is that Jesus did mighty deeds and miracles, and his opponents, the unbelieving Jews, were ascribing that to the devil himself. And so, it’s in that context, in Matthew 12:31, Therefore I say to every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men. But the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. So by their conduct, by their rejection, by their resistance of our Lord Jesus, it was impugning the Holy Spirit, and I don’t think we’re supposed to see like as we talked in the last section, you know, divisions amongst the Godhead. I think Berkhof says it well, it is not so much a sin against the person of the Holy Spirit as a sin against his official work in revealing, both objectively and subjectively, the grace and glory of God in Christ. So, it is to resist and reject that which God has done here, specifically in the miracles and the signs and the wonders that are attributed to our Lord Jesus. And then in Hebrews 6 and 10, the commonality is to resist and reject what God has done in sending the Son of His love, who is superior to the Old Covenant, who is superior to the Aaronic priesthood, who is superior to all these things that you guys want to keep going back to. So, an apostasy is a defection from the truth. It is a rejection of the truth. It is in the language of Hebrews 10 to trample again under the underfoot the Son of God, so to witness the works, the power, the glory, the gospel of God, and then just to wholesale reject it. And I don’t think it’s the struggling saint. I don’t think it’s the little faith guy that’s, you know, “Am I a believer or not?” These people don’t want recovery. It’s not like they’re they’ve committed the unpardonable sin, or they’ve committed apostasy, and they feel bad. That’s not it at all. I mean, these guys in Matthew 12, not only did they not feel bad, but they clamored or cried out, Away with him, Away with him, crucified Him, manipulated Pontius Pilate such that they that He would be crucified in the same way in those contexts. In Hebrews 6 and 10, they needed to stay in terms of their profession of faith in Christ, and not go back to Temple, not go back to Moses, not go back to Aaron. Not that temple Moses and Aaron were bad, but temple Moses and Aaron pointed to Jesus the substances here don’t go back to the shadows. To go back to the shadows was a defection from or an apostasy from the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Wim Kerkhoff  03:27

But if they were like that, like the next year, they actually hear the Gospel, or they could come turn around, yet?

Pastor Jim Butler  03:34

That’s right, we don’t know who a genuine bona fide apostate is. We don’t know who a genuine bona fide reprobate his there’s no markers. There’s no indicators. We preach the gospel to every creature. It’s God’s will, God’s work to save his elect. And so, yeah, we don’t if somebody, no. I mean, if somebody is a violent apostate or a violent reprobate, that doesn’t mean we have to keep, you know, going into their yard while they try to shoot us. You know, you’ve got to exercise wisdom. Paul says in Romans 12, as far as it depends on you be at peace with all men. Well, I don’t think that obligates me to get shot with buck shot by a reprobate neighbor. So, so yeah, we don’t know decisively, and we don’t know beyond a shadow of a doubt who’s a reprobate and who’s an apostate. So, I always try to be careful in using that language and preaching or teaching, because we don’t know somebody may give expression or give evidences of being an apostate or a reprobate and get convicted and converted and we praise God while there’s breath in the lungs. That’s right. Amen. That’s how we operate? Yeah, that’s right, but there is a category of apostate and of reprobate, just because we don’t know who they are. God does so, you know? And I think that’s what those Matthew 12 or the unpardonable sin and the apostasy passages in Hebrews 6 and 10. That’s what’s going on.

Wim Kerkhoff  04:58

If somebody’s doubting, “Have I committed that sin?” The fact that they’re asking that question, shows they haven’t committed it.

Got a question on Christianity, Gospel, Scripture, Theology? Submit your own questions here.