Young People Ask . . .
Have I Committed the Unforgivable Sin?
“I HAD never felt so downhearted. I no longer had any self-respect, and I thought that God would
never forgive me.”—Marco.
“I was very discouraged. Guilt overshadowed my heart. I thought that I had committed some
unforgivable errors.”—Alberto.
“There is no man that does not sin,” says the Bible. (1 Kings 8:46) But sometimes a youth may
feel that he has gone beyond making a simple mistake. Like Marco and Alberto, he may be
oppressed by an unrelenting sense of guilt. He may feel that what he has done is so vile, so wicked,
that God can never forgive him.
What if feelings like this afflict you? Take heart. Your situation is far from hopeless.
Why Our Conscience Pains Us
It’s only natural to feel bad when you’ve made a foolish mistake. We are all born with the faculty
the Bible calls “conscience.” It is an inward sense of right and wrong, an internal alarm that usually
sounds when we do something bad. (Romans 2:14, 15) Consider King David, for example. He
committed adultery with another man’s wife. Later, he had her husband, Uriah, sent to a certain
death. (2 Samuel 11:2-17) The effect on David?
“Day and night [God’s] hand was heavy upon me,” admitted David. Yes, he felt the weight of
divine disapproval. David also said: “There is no peace in my bones on account of my sin. For my
own errors have passed over my head; like a heavy load they are too heavy for me. . . . All day long I
have walked about sad.” (Psalm 32:4; 38:3-6) David’s conscience continued to afflict him until he was
moved to take positive action and repent of his error.
In a similar way, if you have been educated by Christian parents and you stray from the Bible’s
standards, you will feel bad. This feeling of remorse is normal, healthy. It can induce a person to
correct himself or seek help before a wrong becomes an ingrained habit. On the other hand, a person
who persists in sin damages his conscience. In time it becomes insensitive, like seared skin.
(1 Timothy 4:2) Moral corruption is sure to follow.—Galatians 6:7, 8.
Godly Sadness
Not surprisingly, then, the Bible speaks of “a sin that does incur death.” (1 John 5:16; compare
Matthew 12:31.) Such a sin is not merely a weakness of the flesh. It is committed deliberately,
obstinately, stubbornly. It is not so much the sin itself as it is the heart condition of the sinner that
makes such a sin unforgivable.
The fact that you feel hurt and distressed over your misconduct, however, indicates that you have
not committed an unforgivable sin. The Bible says that “sadness in a godly way makes for repentance
to salvation.” (2 Corinthians 7:10) Indeed, note the exhortation given at James 4:8-10: “Cleanse your
hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you indecisive ones. Give way to misery and mourn and
weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves in
the eyes of Jehovah, and he will exalt you.”
True, the wrong may be a very serious one. Young Julie, for example, got involved in necking and
petting with a boyfriend. “I felt very guilty at first,” she confesses, “but as time went on, I got used to it.
It didn’t bother my conscience so much.” In time, unclean acts escalated to the point of sexual
intercourse. “I felt miserable,” says Julie. “My conscience weakened to the point where it happened
several times.”
Is such a situation hopeless? Not necessarily. What about Manasseh, one of the kings of Judah?
He committed extremely serious sins, including spiritism and child sacrifice. Yet, God pardoned him
on account of his sincere repentance. (2 Chronicles 33:10-13) What about King David? Having
repented of his wicked acts, he found Jehovah to be a God who is “good and ready to forgive.”—
Psalm 86:5.
Christians today have this assurance: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) To whom should one
make this confession? Primarily, to Jehovah God. “Before him pour out your heart.” (Psalm 32:5;
62:8) You may find it helpful to read David’s contrite confession in Psalm 51.
Additionally, the Bible urges Christians who have fallen into serious sin to speak with the
congregation elders. (James 5:14, 15) Their earnest counsel and prayers can help you to reestablish
your relationship with God and to regain a clean conscience. They can discern the difference
between weakness and wickedness. They should also see to it that you get the help needed in order
to avoid repeating your error. Julie, having taken this courageous step herself, recommends: “I tried
‘reproving myself’ and even thought it worked to an extent. But after a year I knew how wrong I was.
You can’t clear up serious problems without help from the elders.”
Sources of Help and Comfort
Likely, though, you will need personal assistance in doing so. God-fearing parents can often do
much to help and support their children. And the Christian congregation offers other means of
support. Marco recalls: “The thing that really helped me was a conversation with an elder. I had to
have courage to open up and tell him my most intimate thoughts. But he inspired confidence, so I
asked his advice.” Alberto, too, sought advice from an elder. “I can’t forget his encouraging counsel,”
says Alberto. “He told me that when he was young, he also had the same problem. I would never
have believed it. I listened to him with great appreciation for his honesty.” With such help and support,
Marco and Alberto overcame their problems. Both presently serve in positions of responsibility in their
respective congregations.
Fervent prayer is another aid. Like David, you can pray for “a pure heart” and “a new spirit, a
steadfast one.” (Psalm 51:10) Reading God’s Word is another source of comfort. For example, you
may find it encouraging to learn that the apostle Paul also had internal conflicts. He admitted: “When I
wish to do what is right, what is bad is present with me.” (Romans 7:21) Paul succeeded in keeping
his wrong tendencies under control. So can you. You may find it particularly comforting to read the
psalms, especially those dealing with God’s forgiveness, such as Psalms 25, 86, and 103.
In any event, avoid withdrawing into yourself and letting yourself be dominated by pessimism.
(Proverbs 18:1) Fully avail yourself of Jehovah’s mercy. Remember, he ‘forgives in a large way’ on
the basis of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. (Isaiah 55:7; Matthew 20:28) Do not minimize your errors, but do
not conclude that God cannot forgive you either. Strengthen your faith and your determination to
serve him. (Philippians 4:13) In time you will come to have peace of mind and the deep inner joy of
knowing that you have been forgiven.—Compare Psalm 32:1.
