A Warning We Cannot Ignore | The Book of Matthew: The King and His Kingdom | Matthew 12:31-32 | Pastor J. M. Lee

If you would — please join me in turning to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 12. If you’re visiting with us, we’ve been working our way through the Gospel of Matthew, and today we’ve reached chapter 12. This morning, we’ll be focusing on just two verses—verses 31 and 32. These two verses, however, are weighty and require much thought and prayer to both understand and apply. Matthew 12:31-32 — when you find it and if you’re able to — I invite you to stand for the reading of God’s Word.

Hear the Word of the Lord from Matthew 12 — and let’s begin our reading at verse 22

Matthew 12:22–32 CSB

22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to him. He healed him, so that the man could both speak and see. 23 All the crowds were astounded and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. 30 Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.

This is the Word of the Lord. Praise be to God.

Pray

Have you ever ignored a warning and deeply regretted it? Maybe it was something small — like the check engine light on your car’s dashboard — and you thought, “It can wait,” — maybe you even put a small piece of black electrical tape over the light so that you could ignore it —but — ignoring it only left you stranded on the side of the road with a smoking engine. Or perhaps it was a weather alert you dismissed—until the storm hit, leaving you soaked and unprepared.

Sometimes ignoring warnings leads to minor inconveniences. But other times, the stakes are far higher. For example — ignoring a doctor’s warning about your health could alter your life forever. You see — warnings are meant to grab our attention and protect us before it’s too late.

In today’s passage, Jesus gives us a warning that is far more urgent than a check engine light or even a doctor’s caution. For — He warns us about the eternal danger of rejecting the Spirit’s testimony about Christ. And friends, this isn’t a warning we can afford to ignore. It’s a call to examine our hearts and respond with repentance and faith while there’s still time.

Now — why does Christ’s warning to the Pharisees matter to us today? Well — because the danger Jesus describes isn’t unique to the Pharisees. Yes, we might not be standing in a crowd accusing Jesus of working by Satan’s power — but— the truth is — like the Pharisee’s — we too are prone to resisting the Spirit’s work in our lives. Maybe it’s pride that holds us back. Maybe it’s spiritual blindness. Maybe it’s a heart that has been hardened by sin. Whatever the reason — ignoring God’s work in our lives puts us in grave danger of rejecting the very grace that can save us.

But here’s the good news — that danger can be avoided. You see — when the Spirit of God reveals Jesus as the only way to salvation — we’re invited to respond to the Spirit’s invitation with repentance and faith. So — today’s passage is both a sobering warning and a merciful invitation.

—

Now — let’s take a step back and consider what led to Jesus’ warning in verses 31-32.

Remember — Jesus was in the midst of His public ministry, and people from all over Galilee—hurting people, sick people, weary people—they were all following Him. And Matthew tells us that Jesus had compassion on them and healed all of them!

Now — among those healed that day was a man who couldn’t come to Jesus on his own — he had to be brought to Him. Why? Well — it’s because this man had so given himself over to evil that he was possessed by a demon. And this demon had completely bound him, leaving him blind, deaf, and mute. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t hear. He couldn’t even ask for help.

But when Jesus saw this man — He acted. Jesus — in His compassion and by the power of the Holy Spirit, He supernaturally and miraculously healed him. With just a word, and in an instant, the demon was expelled, and the man was completely restored. He could see! He could hear! He could speak! And the people who witnessed this amazing miracle were astonished. Can you imagine? They had just seen the power of God on display right before their eyes! And they began to wonder: “Could Jesus be the Son of David? Could He be the Messiah?”

But not everyone shared their amazement. The Pharisees—these religious leaders—saw their own influence slipping away as more people began to follow Jesus. They couldn’t deny what had happened—it was obvious. Everyone in the crowd knew the man who had been healed. It was a small town, and the man’s condition was well-known. And so — since the Pharisees couldn’t deny the miracle — they decided to explain it away. They said, “Sure, Jesus performed a miracle, but let us tell you how He did it. He casted out that demon by the power of Beelzebul—the prince of demons, Satan himself.”

And Jesus? Well, He wasn’t about to let that slide. And — it was in response to the Pharisees’ outrageous accusation that Jesus began to teach. And the lesson He gave that day revealed the great wickedness of the Pharisees’ sin. In fact, Jesus exposes three specific facets of their sin that we’ll unpack together.

First, consider how The Pharisees Rejected Redemption. They rejected redemption

They resisted —they refused — and they dismissed God’s grace and the saving work of Jesus. In the battle between the Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of darkness — here was Jesus working against Satan. Here was Jesus delivering a man who had been afflicted by demons. Here was redeeming love on display as Jesus opened blinded eyes and loosened mute tongues. You see — not only was God’s great mastery over Satan on public display but so was the amazing grace and redeeming love of God— and well — the Pharisees rejected God’s redemption.

But not only did they reject redemption but — secondly — The Pharisees Rejected Reason. They rejected reason. Look at verses 24-26

Matthew 12:24–26 CSB

24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

In other words — Jesus is telling these guys, “Look, what you’re saying doesn’t make sense — it’s absurd! Common sense will tell you that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. If Satan were driving out his own demons, his kingdom would collapse. How does Satan cast out Satan!?!” Understand — the Pharisees were intellectuals — these guys were smart dudes — but still — they rejected reason. Why? Well — they rejected reason so that they could reject Jesus and reject the truth that Jesus is who He said He was — the Son of David— the Messiah. You see— the evidence was undeniable — that is — unless of course — you reject redemption and you reject reason.

And you know what? The Pharisees aren’t the only ones who reject reason. The truth is — some of us here this morning are doing the same thing. You’ve seen the evidence. You’ve heard the truth. You know who Jesus is and what He has done. And yet — you reject reason to avoid submitting to Him. Let’s be honest—how many people today have trampled reason to death just to have their own way? How many ignore what’s plainly true because they want to hold onto their pride, their comfort, or their control?

Imagine you’re driving down the highway, and you see a giant sign that reads, “Bridge Out Ahead.” The message is clear, the sign is obvious, and there’s even a detour provided. But instead of using the detour, you convince yourself, “That can’t be right. I’m sure the bridge is still there. I’ve driven this road before, and I don’t want to take the detour—it’s inconvenient.” So, you keep going, ignoring the warning signs, until you find yourself stranded at the edge of a collapsed bridge, with nowhere to go. Friends — this is what it looks like to reject reason — to see the signs, to hear the truth, and to willfully ignore it because it doesn’t fit your plans, your comfort, or your pride.

And isn’t that exactly what we do with Jesus? The Pharisees had every sign in front of them. They had the Scriptures, they saw the miracles, and they heard His teaching. But they rejected reason because it meant surrendering their power and admitting they were wrong.

And some of us are doing the same thing. We’ve seen the evidence of Jesus’ power. We’ve experienced His goodness in our lives. We’ve heard His truth proclaimed week after week. But we still ignore the signs because submitting to Jesus means giving up control. It means admitting we are sinners. It means confessing our sin. And it means stepping out of our comfort zone.

Friend, let me ask you: Are you driving toward a bridge that’s out? Are you rejecting reason, refusing to follow the signs, just to have your own way?

Now—not only did the Pharisees reject redemption and reason, but the third and most devastating aspect of their sin was their Rejection of Truth. The Pharisees Rejected the Truth. Look at verse 28:

Matthew 12:28 CSB

28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Jesus made it clear — He drove out that demon by the power of the Holy Spirit. Right there — in their midst — stood the King of kings and the Lord of lords—God’s promised Messiah. The Kingdom of God had arrived. Yet — the Pharisees still rejected the truth that was right in front if their eyes. And here’s the tragedy — and don’t miss this — the Pharisees’ real issue wasn’t just with Jesus — it was with the Holy Spirit. Remember, everything that Jesus did—every healing, every exorcism, every act of compassion—was done by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, instead of recognizing and responding to the evidence and display of divine power, the Pharisees hardened their hearts. They rejected the very Spirit of God who was revealing the truth about who Jesus is.

And take note — this wasn’t just a misunderstanding. They weren’t simply confused. No! This was a willful and deliberate rejection of the clearest revelation of God they could possibly receive. They weren’t just opposing a man—they were opposing the Holy Spirit Himself. They were rejecting the Light. They were rejecting revelation.

But —- here’s the incredible truth: rejecting redemption, rejecting reason, and even rejecting truth are not, in and of themselves, unforgivable sins. These rejections, as grievous as they are, only set the stage for the real danger—the unforgivable sin. You see—even after all the Pharisees did and said, there was still an opportunity for repentance. Despite their hardness of heart, God’s mercy was still extended to them.

And we see this truth clearly in Christ’s merciful invitation and sobering warning. Look with me at verse 31 — and notice first — Jesus’ merciful invitation to be forgiven.

Matthew 12:31 CSB

31 Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

“People will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy.” Do you hear the incredible hope in those words? Every sin. Every blasphemy — will be forgiven. Which means — there is no sin too great! There is no failure too deep! There is no rebel—no enemy of God’s Kingdom so spiritually blind or so dead in their sin—that they fall outside the reach of God’s forgiveness.

Friends, the truth is, rebellion is our natural state. All of us were born spiritually blind. We were all born dead in our sin. And apart from God’s intervention — none of us would be able to perceive—or even accept—the testimony of the Holy Spirit about Jesus Christ. Look at what Paul says in Ephesians 2-

Ephesians 2:1–5 CSB

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

But God. Friends — God is the one who regenerates dead hearts. He is the one who restores and reconciles. He is the one who forgives and makes dead men alive. Brothers and sisters — God’s mercy is wide, His grace is deep, and His power to forgive is limitless. And here in Matthew 12:31, Jesus is saying that for all who respond to the Spirit’s work in humility—with repentance and faith in Jesus—there is forgiveness.

The Bible is clear - we are forgiven not because we’ve earned it and not because we’re good enough— but we are forgiven because of God’s grace. As Paul says in Ephesians 2:8–9.

Ephesians 2:8–9 CSB

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast.

Forgiveness comes when we turn from our sin, acknowledge our guilt before God, and place our faith in Jesus Christ — trusting that His life, His death, and His resurrection are enough to save us. This is the beauty of the gospel: through faith in Christ, every sin can be forgiven, every stain can be washed clean. The sins we’re ashamed of, the sins we try to hide, the sins we think make us unlovable—all of them can be forgiven when we come to Jesus in repentance and faith. And when we do, we can stand before God confidently — not as rebels but as His beloved children. Think about what this means: the liar, the thief, the adulterer, the addict, the skeptic, and yes—even the blasphemer—can find forgiveness in Christ.

Yes — A man may blaspheme God the Father, saying, “There is no God.” He may blaspheme Jesus Christ, calling Him a false prophet or merely a good man. But here’s the miraculous truth: when the Holy Spirit removes the heart of stone and replaces it with a heart of flesh—when He pulls back the veil of darkness and opens the eyes of the spiritually blind—they can see the truth and receive the Spirit’s testimony about Jesus.

But the Pharisees? Well—they saw the truth and they called the truth evil. They looked at the Spirit’s work in Jesus, saw it for what it was, and attributed it to Satan. They saw the truth. They understood the truth. And they hardened their hearts against the truth.

And here’s the danger: when someone rejects the Spirit’s work—when they harden their heart to the truth of the Gospel—they’re not just resisting a moment of grace. They’re putting themselves in a position where forgiveness becomes impossible. You see, when men and women stand before God to be judged, they will be judged for their sin, but the ultimate condemnation comes from rejecting the light of God’s truth—especially the gospel of Jesus Christ. And this is why Jesus issues such a stern warning. Look back at verses 31-32

Matthew 12:31–32 CSB

31 Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.

Now—we’ve finally come to the question we’ve all been waiting for: What is the unforgivable sin? How does someone speak against the Holy Spirit? What does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit?

And let me tell you—there may not be a question that has caused more anxiety in the hearts of Christians than this one. In fact, in my 17 years of ministry, I think this is one of the most asked questions I’ve received.

“How do I know if I’ve committed the unforgivable sin? Is there something I’ve done that puts me beyond God’s forgiveness?”

And friend — If you’ve ever wrestled with this questions, you’re not alone. And if we are going to understand the answer, we need to carefully consider what Jesus is saying here in Matthew 12—and we need to look at what the Pharisees were doing in this moment.

First — understand that the unforgivable sin—blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—is NOT a careless word, it’s NOT a moment of doubt, or even rejecting Christ at first. We see this clearly in the life of Paul:

1 Timothy 1:13 CSB

13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief,

Remember — Paul openly opposed Christ. He persecuted the church. He admits that he was a blasphemer. Yet he received mercy because his sin was done in ignorance, not in willful, malicious rejection of the truth.

You see —the unforgivable sin goes far deeper than ignorance or unbelief.

The unforgivable sin is the conscious, willful, malicious, and persistent rejection of the Holy Spirit’s testimony about Christ.

The Unforgivable sin is conscious — meaning that this sin is not committed out of ignorance but with full knowledge of what is being rejected. The person recognizes the truth yet they choose to resist it.

The Unforgivable sin is Willful — meaning that this sin is deliberate — it’s not accidental or unintentional. The person intentionally chooses to reject the Spirit’s testimony about Christ.

The Unforgivable sin is Malicious — meaning that this sin isn’t neutral or passive — but rather — it’s filled with animosity toward God and His work

The Unforgivable sin is Persistent — meaning that this sin is not a single moment of doubt or rebellion but a settled and ongoing resistance to the Spirit’s work. And — this persistence hardens the heart to the point where repentance is no longer possible.

Now—think about the Pharisees for a moment. These men weren’t in the dark about who Jesus was. They weren’t confused or misinformed. They had seen His miracles—undeniable acts of divine power. They had heard His teaching—words filled with authority and truth. They knew the Scriptures—better than anyone—and they knew the promises of the Messiah.

Yet, with all that evidence in front of them, they made a conscious, willful, malicious, and persistent choice to reject Jesus.

Now—let’s be clear: This sin is unforgivable, but not because Christ’s blood isn’t powerful enough to forgive it. No, it’s unforgivable because it cuts off the very means by which forgiveness comes.

Think about it: Forgiveness requires repentance, and repentance is the Spirit’s work in the heart. So, when someone rejects the Spirit’s testimony, hardens their heart, and calls the truth a lie, they’re shutting the door on the only path to salvation.

We see this dynamic powerfully described in one of the most sobering and terrifying passages in Scripture—2 Thessalonians 2:11-12.

2 Thessalonians 2:11–12 CSB

11 For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie, 12 so that all will be condemned—those who did not believe the truth but delighted in unrighteousness.

Let that sink in — because unbelievers have rejected God’s offer of salvation in the gospel - as part of His righteous judgment — God sends them a strong delusion.

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I first sat with this verse while preparing for this morning, it made me deeply uncomfortable. Why would God send a delusion? Why would He allow someone to believe a lie? At first glance, it might seem random or arbitrary—like God is actively pushing people away. But that’s not what’s happening here. This “strong delusion” isn’t God being unfair. Rather — It’s part of His righteous judgment. It’s the natural and just consequence of their willful and persistent rejection of the truth.

In other words—God is essentially saying, “If this is what you want, if you insist on rejecting the truth I’ve revealed, then I will let you go your own way.” It’s not arbitrary; it’s what happens when someone repeatedly hardens their heart against God.

And this reminds me of the Pharisees — think about it — they had every reason to believe in Jesus. They saw His miracles. They heard His teaching. They knew the Scriptures—the promises of the Messiah. Everything they needed to know the truth was right in front of them. But instead of embracing the truth, they rejected it—and not out of confusion or ignorance. They rejected it with hatred.

Why!?!?! Why would they do that!?!? Why wouldn’t they believe the truth? Was it an intellectual problem? Were they confused?

No—Paul tells us why. “They did not believe the truth because they delighted in unrighteousness.”

Let’s pause and think about that. They didn’t just reject the truth—they hated it. Why? Well — because it interfered with what they loved the most: their sin.

Friends, hear this: The opposite of truth isn’t error—it’s sin.

They didn’t reject the truth because it didn’t make sense. They rejected it because they didn’t want it. God’s truth confronted their pride. It challenged their need for power and control. And instead of surrendering, they chose to hold on to their sin. And here’s the hard reality: You cannot hold on to God’s truth and your sin at the same time. They’re incompatible. And the Pharisees? They made their choice. They chose their self-righteousness, their influence, their status. And in doing so, they rejected God’s grace—because accepting it would mean admitting they needed it.

And here’s why this matters for us. When we resist the Spirit’s testimony—when we harden our hearts to the truth of God’s Word—when we persistently ignore the Spirit’s conviction of our sin, we’re not just brushing off a fleeting moment of grace. No, we’re putting ourselves in a dangerous position where we risk silencing the Spirit’s voice altogether.

Listen closely: Persistent rejection of the truth doesn’t just leave us where we started—it leads us further down a path of spiritual hardening. It results in a heart that’s calloused, a conscience that’s seared, and, ultimately, a delusion where the truth no longer penetrates.

—

Now — as I wrestled with this passage, I couldn’t help but think of an unforgettable scene from John Bunyan’s classic, Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan tells the story of Christian, a man on a journey toward the Celestial City. Along the way, Christian is taken to a small room in the Interpreter’s House, where he sees something that stops him in his tracks—a man sitting in an iron cage.

This man looks utterly broken. His shoulders are slumped, his face pale, and his eyes filled with despair. He sits there, hopeless and defeated.

The man begins to speak, his voice heavy with sorrow: “I am now in despair. I cannot get out. Oh, how I have brought myself into this miserable condition!”

Christian, confused, asks the man, “How did you come to be in this cage?”

The man takes a deep breath and begins to explain:

"I was once a flourishing professor, both in my own eyes and in the eyes of others. I thought myself on the way to the Celestial City and had joy at the thought of getting there. But I sinned against the light of the Word and the goodness of God. I grieved the Spirit, and He is gone. I tempted the devil, and he has come to me. I provoked God to anger, and He has left me. I have so hardened my heart that I cannot repent."

Desperate to understand, Christian presses further: “But can’t you repent now? Isn’t God’s mercy still available?”

The man shakes his head, his voice trembling as he responds: "God has denied me repentance. His Word gives me no encouragement to believe. He has shut me up in this cage, and I cannot escape. My heart is so hard that I can no longer turn to Him."

This haunting scene from Bunyan’s allegory is a vivid picture of what happens when someone consciously, willfully, maliciously, and persistently rejects the Spirit’s testimony, hardens their heart, and delights in their sin.

And here’s the sobering truth—the man in the iron cage didn’t start there. He had once experienced joy, assurance, and hope. But through persistent rejection of God’s grace and delighting in sin, he ended up in despair, locked in a prison of his own making.

Friends, this is the danger Jesus warns us about in today’s passage. The danger of hardening your heart against the Spirit. It doesn’t happen all at once. It’s a process—each rejection, each act of resistance, each choice to delight in sin builds upon the last. And before you know it, you’re no longer able to respond to God’s grace.

But listen — this scene isn’t meant to say that God’s mercy is insufficient. God’s mercy is always sufficient. And it’s not saying that anyone who has ever sinned is beyond hope. Bunyan included this as a warning, a call to examine our hearts and ask:

Are you resisting the Spirit’s testimony?

Are you holding onto sin instead of surrendering to God’s truth?

Here’s the good news: If you’re hearing this warning and feeling the Spirit’s conviction right now, take heart. That’s evidence that you’re not in the iron cage! That the Spirit is still at work in your heart. The door of grace is still open. But don’t wait. Don’t ignore His voice. Respond to the Spirit today—while there’s still time.

Friend, if you feel even the smallest desire to come to Jesus, don’t hesitate. Come to Him today. Don’t be like the man in the cage. Don’t be like those to whom God sent a strong delusion. Don’t reject the truth—that God loves you, that Christ died for you, and that He invites you to repent of your sin and trust in Him. By grace through faith, you can be saved!

And listen—if you’re worried that you’ve committed the unforgivable sin, hear this: if you want to be saved, you haven’t committed it. Anyone who wants to come to Jesus can come to Jesus. Jesus Himself said, “Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out.” (John 6:37)

So don’t wait. Come to Jesus today. The door of grace is open.

Lets pray