The Only Unforgivable Sin

           Jesus said that all sins were forgivable except for one. There is only one "unforgivable sin." Let us look at this one "unforgivable sin" and see what he means by this.  Jesus says in Matthew (Mt 12:31-32), that "every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."  Ouch. Notice that Jesus doesn't say blasphemy against God, or blasphemy against himself, but blasphemy against Spirit and the Holy Spirit.

            This "blasphemy" against the Holy Spirit, or Intuition, can't be forgiven, because it is only through the Holy Spirit or intuition, that sins can be forgiven. If we seek to "blasphemy" or depreciate the powers of our mind, then we won't find the underlying cause or intuition that, we might have been wrong about someone else's sins. Hence we won't be able to forgive and we won't be able to keep from "sinning." A sin in A Course in Miracles is defined as a lack of love, and a correctible error. Once this uncorrectable error becomes noticeable to our intuition (Holy Spirit), it can easily be changed to a correctible error. (See a Course in Miracles Chp19) So there you have it. There are no unforgivable sins. The only "unforgivable sin" is the one that we don't correct, the one we don't allow corrected, and the ones we hold against ourselves.  

            This idea of the Holy Spirit easily offended by words, and name-calling is absurd. The idea of Jesus easily offended and who doesn't offer forgiveness goes against his own teachings. Jesus admonished that we "should pray for our enemies"(Luke 6:27-36) and that everyone was our "neighbor." Jesus said, "I come not to judge the world" and kept an adulterous woman from being stoned to death.  Jesus told his disciples to first look inward, and remove the "the beam in thine own eye" (Luke 6:41-42), before they saw "sins" in another. Jesus did not hold back forgiveness for anyone wanting it, not even when he was being crucified. One of the criminals who was crucified with Jesus asked, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, " I tell you the truth today, you will be with me in paradise."(Luke 2342-43)

            Those who believe that only God and Jesus (or his disciples) can forgive sins are using the same argument that the religious leaders of Jesus' time used. When Jesus healed a paralytic,

            "some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!" Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, Get up and walk'? But so that you many know that the Son of Man [humanity] has authority on earth to forgive sins..."Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, and take your mat and go home." When the crowd say this, they were filled with awe: and they praised God, who had given such authority to men (Matthew (9:3-8).

            The story of the risen Christ also tells how he told his disciples that they had the power to forgive sins, "If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."(John 20:23)[i] This "not forgiven" is that their sins would remain unforgiven in the minds of his followers, not in "heaven." 

            Jesus was forceful with the religious leaders of his time, but that's because he didn't share the illusions that they had about their authority. And they had put themselves in a position of power, who were misleading the people and were citing scriptures (law) that they didn't fully understand. 

            These scriptures (Luke 12:49) and when Jesus said "I come with a sword" (the sword of truth) are taken out of context. There he is also referred to as saying "I did not come to bring peace." Jesus' arrival and presence in the community didn't bring peace, but his message was peace. He is also referred to by Paul as the "Prince of Peace" He knew that his message spreading would bring divisions in households (Luke 12:52-53).

            Unfortunately these scriptures are taken out of context, and are not interpreted in light of Jesus' overall message.  They have been used to justify un-Christian behavior, which is supposed to be geared towards unconditional love, and used to perpetuate animosity and violence towards others. 

            Jesus' parables are likewise misinterpreted to show how God is unforgiving, shows favoritism, and only selects a certain group (such as in inter-tribal myths and stories, The Old Testament). The "hell-fire," concept is conceived and emphasized by the erroneous "Book of Revelations" that has made its way into the New Testament and Christianity.(See David Hawkin's The Eye of the I: from which nothing is hidden.)

            Jesus came to fulfill the law by reinterpreting it. Unfortunately, in Christianity today, it is much easier to see Jesus as the only son of God, (rather than seeing the Sonship as One) than as a profound mystic who was ahead of his time.

            Although it is true that "all scripture is inspired by God and beneficial," how we interpret scripture isn't always beneficial. It also leaves us with the question of what is scripture (dharma) and what isn't.

            What were the greatest commandments or guidelines that Jesus instructed us to live by? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." You must love God [not your fixed ideas of God, Spirit, Reality] and with your whole being, body, mind, and soul, because this is the only way to love reality fully.

            The second greatest commandment is that you should "love your neighbor as yourself."(Matthew 22:39) If we don't love ourselves, how can we love our neighbor? We have to extend our being, and see the other person as a part of who we are, our shared identity as Spirit. Jesus concludes by saying, "All of the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."(Matthew 22:40)

            If Christianity has any chance of surviving, it has to change; it has to evolve, towards a better future, one with a better understanding. We shouldn't be as concerned with "Christian love" as we should be with unconditional love. Christianity has to incorporate the understanding of the mystics and the transpersonal qualities (love, faith, kindness, devotion, open-mindedness, spiritual discernment) that is at the heart of the original message. Sincere people who want to understand the true meaning of Christianity are invited to check out A Course in Miracles published by the Foundation of Inner Peace. 

            Let us not forget the warning of Jesus when he says "A house divided against itself (which in this case we can refer to as humanity) cannot stand."     --rl

            "Heaven and earth shall pass away" means that they will not continue to exist as separate states. My word, which is the resurrection and the life, shall not pass away because life is eternal. You are the work of God, and His work is wholly lovable and wholly loving. This is how a man must think of himself in his heart, because this is what he is.

                                                            -A Course in Miracles

[i] [i] Holy Bible: New International Version