The Only Sin God CAN’T Forgive...

Thu Jan 23 2025

"Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven." Matthew 12:31 What is the sin "against the Spirit"? What is the sin that God can't forgive? Fr. Mike reveals to us that this sin is... any sin. Today, he explains how that's possible and how we can lean on God's goodness and mercy for salvation.

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

Episode Title: The Only Sin God CAN’T Forgive...
Host: Ascension
Released: January 23, 2025

Father Mike Schmitz delves deep into the profound and often misunderstood concept of the unforgivable sin in this enlightening episode. Through biblical references, analogies, and personal reflections, he offers listeners both reassurance and a sobering call to self-examination regarding their relationship with sin and forgiveness.

1. Introduction to the Unforgivable Sin

Father Mike opens the episode by posing a critical theological question: "What is the sin against the Holy Spirit? What is the sin God can't forgive?" (00:00). This sets the stage for a thorough exploration of this significant doctrine.

2. Saint Therese of Lisieux’s Insight

Quoting Saint Therese of Lisieux, Father Mike illustrates the overwhelming power of God's love:

"If you took all of the sins of the world...and threw that massive ball of all humanity's sins into the fire of God's love...it would be like throwing a drop of water into a raging inferno. It would just be gone." (00:30)

This analogy emphasizes that God's capacity for forgiveness far exceeds any sin we might commit.

3. Clarifying the Exception in Forgiveness

Despite the boundless mercy, Father Mike addresses a perplexing exception Jesus mentioned:

"Jesus said, all sins will be forgiven except...blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Except for sins against the Holy Spirit." (02:15)

He acknowledges the natural fear this exception evokes in believers, prompting a deeper investigation into its true meaning.

4. The True Nature of the Unforgivable Sin

Contrary to common interpretations that suggest a specific sin is unforgivable, Father Mike presents a transformative understanding:

"The sin God can't forgive is any sin that we won't give him permission to forgive." (04:50)

He explains that it's not about a particular wrongdoing but the deliberate refusal to accept God's forgiveness, effectively hardening one's heart against repentance.

5. The Role of Free Will in Forgiveness

Father Mike emphasizes the crucial role of free will in the forgiveness process:

"If we're holding on to our sin, he's never going to pry open our hand and take it away from us. If we want it, he gives us what we want." (07:20)

This underscores that God's offer of mercy is always available, but it requires our willingness to embrace it.

6. The Dual Nature of This Doctrine: Relief and Responsibility

He explores the dual implications of understanding the unforgivable sin:

Relief: Knowing that the only sin that cannot be forgiven is the refusal to accept forgiveness provides hope and assurance that no sin is beyond God's mercy, provided we are open to it.
Responsibility: It also serves as a caution against the danger of persistently rejecting God's grace, which could lead one away from salvation.

"It is the only unforgivable sin because God will never overrule your free will again." (09:05)

7. The Transformative Power of Jesus’ Sacrifice

Highlighting the role of Jesus in the forgiveness narrative, Father Mike states:

"Because of Jesus, we get what we've chosen. If you want heaven, you can have heaven... you can have mercy, healing, restoration, you can have heaven." (11:30)

He contrasts the pre-Jesus era, where choices were more limited, with the present where Jesus opens the doors for both forgiveness and eternal life.

8. A Call to Self-Examination and Confession

Father Mike invites listeners to introspect:

"Are there any sins that I'd rather go to hell holding onto than let him forgive and bring me to heaven? If so, go to confession, let him take them, and let the God of mercy show you what real mercy is like." (13:10)

This is a heartfelt encouragement for believers to seek God's forgiveness actively and not hold onto their sins stubbornly.

9. Personal Reflection and Light-Hearted Conclusion

Towards the end, Father Mike shares a personal anecdote about wanting to be the voice of Paul Bunyan, adding a relatable and human touch to the discourse:

"When I was growing up, there was Paul Bunyan...And so he'd greet everybody. And I wanted to be the voice of Paul Bunyan...Hello, Joseph from Hibbing, Minnesota, who's seven years old." (15:00)

This light-hearted moment serves to balance the heavy theological discussion with warmth and personal connection.

Key Takeaways

Unforgivable Sin Defined: It is not a specific act but the persistent refusal to seek or accept God's forgiveness.
God’s Infinite Mercy: No sin is too great for God's love and forgiveness, provided there is a willingness to repent.
Free Will Respect: God honors our free will, allowing us to choose our path towards or away from Him.
Encouragement to Seek Forgiveness: Active confession and openness to God's mercy are essential for salvation.

Conclusion

Father Mike Schmitz offers a profound and compassionate exploration of what it means to sin against the Holy Spirit. By redefining the unforgivable sin as the conscious rejection of God's mercy, he provides both comfort and a solemn reminder of the importance of openness to forgiveness. This episode serves as a compelling invitation for listeners to embrace God's boundless love and to let go of any persistent sins that distance them from His grace.

Transcript

A (0:00)

What is the sin against the Holy Spirit? What is the sin God can't forgive? Well, here's the answer. Any sin. Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and this is Ascension. Presents. I think it was Saint Therese of Lisieux who said something along the lines of. She said, if you took all of the sins of the world, like all of humanity for the beginning of time to the end of time, and squashed them together in this massive, like, kind of like ball of sin, and you threw that massive ball of all humanity sins for all time into the fire of God's love into. She said it would be like throwing a drop of water into a raging inferno. What would happen if you threw a drop of water into a raging inferno? It just be gone. It would not even diminish the raging inferno even a little bit. And that is how powerful God's love is for you. Remember, this is the same God who is for you. This is the same God who sent his only son so that you might not perish but have eternal life. Now that is powerful. That's amazing. And that is great, great news. And at the same time, Jesus said, all sins will be forgiven except. And he gives us an except. Which makes me. My ears perk up. He says, except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Except for sins against the Holy Spirit. Now, when you hear that, if you're like me, you say, okay, I know God is merciful. I know God is love. I know he can handle any sin. What's the sin he can't forgive? That one I want to avoid. Like, if there's a sin God can't forgive, like, let's stay really far away from this. The sin God can't forgive is any sin. Now, from the very beginning, every person I've ever read, every person I've ever heard about commenting on this part of the Gospels has always said the same thing. That what, technically speaking, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit or sins against the Holy Spirit? It's this. It's any sin that you or I don't let God forgive. It can be anything. That's the thing, that's the Holy Spirit, is that sense of, I'm going to keep my heart hardened to the Lord. I'm going to choose against repentance. I'm going to choose unrepentance, right? The sin against the Holy Spirit that God can't forgive. The only sin God can't forgive is the sin that we won't give him permission to forgive. Now, this is simultaneously relieving and also potentially devastating because relieving, like, okay, good, then I always have an out. I always have a way forward. I always have hope. But also devastating in the sense that you mean that I could be so intent on holding on to my sin that I could let that sin pull me all the way to hell, no matter what it is. And the answer is yes. Why? Because God is for you. And if God is for us, who can be against us? Well, I know I can choose my sin, and I can choose to not let God forgive me in the midst of my sin. And God, who loves you and is for you and has given all of us free will, will never force anyone into heaven. You know, I don't know if you've ever. With a little kid who's like, wants something and you're like, no, you have to give that back to me. And you try to, like, pry it out of their hand because you don't want to hurt anybody, but you're trying to pry it out of their hand. You're like, wow, you're really holding on to this thing. God is never going to pry something out of our hand. He's never going to. If we're holding on to our sin, he's never going to pry open our hand and take it away from us. If we want it, he gives us what we want. If I want hell, God gives us what we've chosen. And if I say I have this sin, but I'm not going to let God have it, I have this sin, but I'm not going to let God forgive it. I have this sin, and I'm not going to let it go. And we die in that. That is the only unforgivable sin, because God will never overrule your free will again. It's devastating news, but also encouraging news. This is the last thing here. Here's something I think is phenomenal, though. Shoot. What is it? Oh, yeah. Because of Jesus, we get what we've chosen. What I mean by that is, before Jesus, if we chose hell, we got hell. But if we chose heaven, we couldn't get heaven because Jesus hadn't opened the doors of heaven yet because of God's grace in Jesus Christ. If you want heaven, you can have heaven. If you want hell, you can have hell. But if you want forgiveness, if you want mercy, no matter what it is that you've done or how broken you feel, you can have mercy, you can have healing, you can have restoration, you can have heaven. And above everything else, no matter what it is that you or I have done or the brokenness that you or I experience. If you want him, you can have him. It's amazing. So are there any parts of your heart or my heart that are hardened to the Lord? Are there any things I refuse to allow him to forgive? Are there any sins that I'd rather go to hell holding onto than let him forgive and bring me to heaven? If so, go to confession, let him take them, and let the God of mercy show you what real mercy is like. Anyways, from all those here at Ascension presents, My name's Father Mike. God bless. Hello. Hello, little boys and girls. When I was growing up, there was Paul Bunyan, the world's largest talking animated man. He'd know your name when you came in and he'd know your age, where you're from. And so he'd greet everybody. And I wanted to be the voice of Paul Bunyan. Hello, Joseph from Hibbing, Minnesota, who's seven years old. Hello.