What Is The Unforgivable Sin?

What is the unforgivable sin? Is it murder? Is it adultery? Is it cursing?

When I was ignorant of the Catechism, I was so afraid I might commit the unforgivable sin. Imagine having sinned and not even going to Confession could save your soul. Just how grievous is that sin that it could send you to hell?

Thankfully, I have learned the true definition of this sin through the Catholic Church:

“There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.” (CCC 1864)

The unforgivable sin is unforgivable simply because the sinner does not want to be forgiven. He or she refuses to accept the mercy and forgiveness of God.

“Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”-Matthew 12:31-32 (NABRE)

God’s Mercy Is Not Lacking

God’s mercy is infinite. We can never fathom its depths even in eternity.

There is therefore no sin, however big or shameful that He could not forgive if we could only allow Him to do so.

For how could we receive something if we refuse it? God will never force anything upon us, even heaven itself.

It is not His mercy that is lacking, it is our trust.

The Spirit of Truth

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth who convicts us of our sins. We are made aware about what we have done wrong and how our sins have offended God.

After our spiritual eyes have been opened such that we can see clearly the evil we have done and we still refuse to repent, what more could still be done for our stubborn hearts?

“If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins but a fearful prospect of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries.”
-Hebrews 10:26-27 (NABRE)

I believe that at the end of our lives, we shall be shown something like a mirror of our lives. We shall see clearly the good and bad things we have done. We will know how badly we have hurt other people and how deeply we have offended God.

We cannot excuse ourselves that we do not know because we shall finally know. Truth will convict us of our sins. Will be repent? Or would we deny the truth just like hypocrites do?

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about[b] sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
-John 16:7-11 (NRSVCE)

“I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy. Write: before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice…” – Jesus to St. Faustina (Divine Mercy In My Soul, 1146)

Jocelyn Soriano writes about relationships and the Catholic faith at “Single Catholic Writer”. She wrote the books To Love an Invisible God, Defending My Catholic Faith and Questions to God.