But he specifically advised that sins against HIM are handled differently. It's
called "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit".
Matthew 12:31
"Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but
blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven" (Matt. 12:31). What is
blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Why is this an unpardonable sin?
The person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, however, places himself
beyond the reach of forgiveness. This is true because the Holy Spirit is the
agent in the revelation of divine truth (2 Sam. 23:2; John 15:26; 16:13; Eph.
6:17; 2 Pet. 1:21). It is only through the work of the Spirit that we come to
know of God, our sins, the atonement provided through Christ, and our need for
repentance and obedience. Blasphemy against the Spirit is unforgivable because
its source is a heart of malice, selfish preference of wrong over right and evil
over good, and a willful refusal to believe. The Pharisees had revealed that
their hearts were evil, and Jesus called them a "brood of vipers" (Matt. 12:34).
Such a perverse spirit consciously and deliberately rejects the truth and thus
the salvation it brings. "Either in this age, or in the age to come"
(Matt.12:32) simply means "never." In Mark's account, Jesus called it an
"eternal sin" (3:29). As long as a person persists in this state, genuine
repentance is impossible. There is no room in this person's heart for penitence,
which is a prerequisite for forgiveness. His sin is unpardonable simply because
he is unwilling to travel the road that leads to pardon. The only sin that God
is unable to forgive is the unwillingness to accept forgiveness.
And so we go to confession and ask to come back. John 20:22-23. The last
sentence is a bombshell.