Yes.
“Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”
Matthew 12:31-32 NASB
“… but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”
Mark 3:29 NASB
“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.”
Luke 12:10 NASB
No.
“… and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.”
Acts 13:39 NASB
When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, …
Colossians 2:13 NASB
(also Titus 2:13-14, 1 John 1:9)
First glance
For the superficial observer it seems that on the one hand all sins can be forgiven by God; on the other hand not all, as there is one excluded: sin against the Holy Spirit. This seems strange, doesn’t it?
Let’s first look at the key-texts (Yes-list).
Yes, it seems strange, however a moment of reflection can make things clear up.
– Matthew: “but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit …” It sounds like if you once in a moment say something wrong it will always be unforgiven. But that can’t be the meaning. Peter’s heart was hardened once, even at the end of his discipleship education so to speak, when he denied to know Jesus. But yet he was forgiven later on.
The translation is more simple: the suggestive “whoever” is only “who”. I.e. “but who speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him …” The point is: who always (habit) speaks against the Holy Spirit, will not be forgiven. The form here (aorist con.) has the value of a gnomic present expressing a custom or a rule. And yes, the transgression is not a sin in an unthinking moment, but a lifelong denying of spiritual things, denial of personal failures that cause 80% of one’s problems, disrespect of others.
– Mark: The same as in Matthew, it should be “but he who blasphemes against …” Who has the habit to speak against the Holy Spirit, will not be forgiven.
– Luke: This translation is correct “but he who blasphemes against …” See Mark.
So the texts in the Yes-list are coherent and convincing in logic. There is one sin that covers all sins one has done. If that one sin is not taken away all the others are unforgivable. That’s the point.
Holy Spirit
Who persists in neglecting the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven of anything! Is it that serious? All the person has done wrong is unforgivable. Why? The Holy Spirit convinces of sin, righteousness and judgement (John 16:8). So who rejects the Holy Spirit rejects all of what a (spiritual) person needs, insight in oneself, in others, in life, and one will persist in transgressions, light or heavy. And let no one say to be without sin.
However, on the other hand we read: “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people.” This cannot be unless one react positively unto the Holy Spirit, that’s the only way to experience forgiveness by God. This affirmative statement implies the necessity and acceptance of the Holy Spirit and his work, to be drawn to God and a Godly life.
No Bible Contradiction