About Unforgivable Sins
Unforgivable sins may be reduced to a singular sin if you read and follow the Bible. There, in Matthew 12:22-37, the only sin that cannot be forgiven is a "blasphemy against the (Holy) Spirit."
Christianity has many different branches today. Depending on the denomination or reading and interpretation of the Bible, definitions of the unforgivable sin differ.
The discussion below details the classical biblical reference that many scholars point to regarding unforgivable sins.
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Identification
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According to the Bible, all sins were forgiven by the death of Jesus Christ. However, in Matthew 12:22-37, the mention of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit not being "forgivable" presents us with food for thought. Scholars generally fall into two schools of thought in interpreting this. One, from a strict view, all sins are technically forgivable, but not if one blasphemes the Holy Spirit. The second view is that God meant that sinners who do not believe in the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are not likely to be interested in being forgiven. If the sinner were, God would forgive even that "unforgivable sin" and the sinner would be redeemed by God's grace.
Features
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In Christianity, the only "unforgivable sin" is to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. In a less rigid interpretation, some Christian scholars might argue that for a truly repentant sinner, God would forgive even this enormous sin.
From an expanded point of view, every culture has taboos that may be regarded as "unforgivable sins." "The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion," written by Sir James George Frazier in 1922, details several of these taboos. For example, in some Southeast Asian islands, Frazier noted a taboo against young girls achieving menarche and touching the ground, for fear of "contaminating" the soil and harvest. In this case, a young girl walking about during her menarche would commit an "unforgivable sin" of the highest order.
Function
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Using the Biblical reference to Matthew, the notion of an "unforgivable sin" may be a way to encourage all practicing Christians to honor and respect the Holy Trinity, which includes the Holy Spirit. By upholding this structure in the church, Christians are agreeing to abide by the religion's definitions of proper conduct.
As with all religions, people who practice that particular faith may do so as a way to maintain social order. In modern times, this may also be a way to easily abide by a moral code that includes avoiding social taboos, as Frazier detailed in "The Golden Bough."
There is no one "correct" definition of an "unforgivable sin," as every culture and tribe defines its sins, the consequences for transgression and what constitutes repentance.
Misconceptions
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The greatest misconception of defining the "unforgivable sin" might be to assume that it is only possible to sin against God. From a Christian point of view, this is certainly true, as this sin is a gross disrespectful gesture.
In other cultures, the greatest "unforgivable sin" might be acting out the most grand social taboo, such as marrying a cousin or refusing a suitor arranged by one's family.
In each case, the transgression is going against set rules of social order. Again, the group defines the gravity of the sin and the sinner's recourse, if any.
Warning
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Matthew 12:31-32 provides the best warning for committing an unforgivable sin:
31: "Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven."
32: "And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the [age] to come."
As with any passage in the Bible, it is left to scholars, devout Christians and others to analyze what is stated here. Again, a strict interpretation would be to say no remedy is available for so great a sin. A more progressive reading would be that God is able to forgive those who are seeking the "kingdom of God."
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