Mark 3:28-29

28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” -Mark 3:28-29

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In all my years as a Young Life leader, I’ve had a few students ask me about this verse.  Many ask, “Mr. Juan, what’s the unforgivable sin that the Bible talks about?”  Even as a young Christian, I asked the same question to my older spiritual siblings and mentors.

To be honest, not all Christian scholars are in agreement about what this verse means and almost all commentary on this passage use qualifying phrases like “it probably means” or “most likely means.”

I’m going to share with the most satisfying answer I’ve heard about this passage.  As we’re embarking on Holy Week and reflecting upon Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross and his eventual resurrection, we need acknowledge that Jesus’ dying on the Cross for our sins was a gift.  By eliminating our sin, Jesus allowed us to come before God the Father without fear of being destroyed by God’s holiness.  The gift of Holy Week is the gift of God Himself.

But two things need to happen with any gift.  There must be a giver who gives the gift.  In this case, it would be God giving us the gift of a relationship with Him.  The second thing that needs to happen with any gift is a receiver to receive the gift.  That’s us.

But because we have free will, we have the ability to choose to receive the gift or not to receive the gift.  There is a choice that’s involved.  Some Christian thinkers have said that rejection of this gift is like “blaspheming the Holy Spirit” because people are rejecting the Holy Spirit, who also is God, and who have been working in people’s lives to bring them to the point where they have a chance to hear the Gospel and to respond.  So in short, blaspheming of the Holy Spirit is a direct outright rejection of the Gospel message in your life.

If you’re reading this devotional, you probably already fall into one of two categories.  You probably already call yourself a Christian or you don’t consider yourself a Christian, but you’re just curious and want learn more about the Christian faith.  

If you’re the latter, thank you so much for keeping an open mind and for even reading this devotion!  Please, take your time to consider what it means to accept God’s gift of Himself.  It is a huge commitment and it is life-changing so you need to be thoughtful as you make a choice about whether or not you should receive this gift.  BUT, keep in mind, ultimately one day you will have to make a choice.  We all do.  We can’t delay it forever.

If you do consider yourself a Christian, may this passage remind you of your own personal testimony—the story of how God revealed Himself personally to you.  That’s the work of the Holy Spirit.  And celebrate the fact that you decided to receive His gift!  Take some time today to thank God for the work of His Holy Spirit in your life and for His gift of Himself!