Words from the Rock
I tell you that any sinful thing you do or say can be forgiven. Even if you speak against the Son of Man, you can be forgiven. But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven, either in this life or in the life to come.
Matthew 12:31–32 CEV
Because of this Scripture, some Christians worry that it’s possible to lose their salvation and be unforgivable. But that’s certainly not Jesus’s plan. He’s just warning us to be careful. He’s saying, don’t slam or slander God’s Holy Spirit. But what does that really mean? Is he suggesting that if we get angry and say something stupid against the Holy Spirit that we will be struck down with lightning and go to hell? Probably not. But he is strongly cautioning us—he wants us to understand how serious our words are.
There are a series of steps—rather, missteps—that are possible for you to take, and if you do, you could arrive at the place that’s “unforgivable.” For starters, you could decide to disobey God, resulting in some form of sin in your life. Jesus says that he’s still there and ready to forgive you. But what if you don’t come to him? What if you refuse to confess your sin, and you refuse to be forgiven? And what if that makes you bitter, and, as a result, you get mad at Jesus? Well, Jesus says he can still forgive you for that—you just need to come to him and ask.
But what if you don’t? What if you allow your heart to become so hard and bitter that you say bad things about the Holy Spirit? Remember, the Holy Spirit is the quiet God-voice inside you—the personal link who connects you to God. What happens when you tell the Holy Spirit to take a hike? It’s possible that at that point you’ve reached a place where you’ve turned your back on God. You’ve shoved him out of your life and severed all ties. And that means you no longer have a relationship with him—period. Jesus says don’t go there.
My Prayer
Dear God,
Please help me to confess any and all sins to you ASAP. Help me to keep a clean slate and to never become bitter toward you.
Amen.
Final Word
God has shown us how kind he is by coming to save all people. He taught us to give up our wicked ways and our worldly desires and to live decent and honest lives in this world.
Titus 2:11–12 CEV
Stone for the Journey
God won’t turn his back on me unless I turn my back on him first.