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I know this title sounds harsh, but stick with me. Sometimes the best way to understand the truth is to look at what’s NOT true.
We’ve talked about how salvation is simple—confess with your mouth, believe in your heart, and you are saved. But there is something that can actually keep you from salvation. And if you’re serious about your eternity, you need to know what it is.
So let’s talk about the one thing that will keep you from being saved: pride.
That’s it. That’s the only thing.
Every other barrier to salvation—blaspheming the Holy Spirit, refusing to repent, holding onto sin—all of it is rooted in pride.
Pride is the only thing standing between you and salvation.
Pride: The Original Sin
Pride is what got Satan kicked out of Heaven. Pride is what caused Adam and Eve to fall. And pride is what will keep you from salvation.
Why? Because salvation requires humility.
You have to admit you’re a sinner. You have to acknowledge you can’t save yourself. You have to bow your knee and surrender control to Jesus.
Pride says, “I don’t need a Savior. I’m good on my own. I can figure this out myself.”
And that pride will damn you.
James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
If you’re too proud to admit you need Jesus, you won’t receive Him. It’s that simple.
Blaspheming the Holy Spirit: The Unforgivable Sin
This is the one that scares people the most. Jesus said in Matthew 12:31-32, “And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
So what does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit?
The Greek word for “blasphemy” is blasphēmia, and it literally means to speak stupidly or to slander.
But this isn’t just about saying something offensive. It’s about rejecting the truth when you know it’s true.
When God has shown you the truth over and over again and you reject it, when you call darkness light and light darkness while being informed on the facts—you have shunned the Holy Spirit.
How?
Because the Holy Spirit is the one who brings conviction and counsel. He’s the one who draws people to Christ. John 16:8 says, “When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.”
The Holy Spirit convicts you of sin. He points you to Jesus. He testifies to the truth.
To blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to repeatedly, knowingly, stubbornly reject His work in your life.
It’s not accidentally saying the wrong thing. It’s not a moment of doubt. It’s a hardened, willful rejection of God’s truth when you know better.
If you’re worried you’ve committed this sin, let me tell you something: the fact that you’re worried about it means you haven’t.
People who blaspheme the Holy Spirit don’t care. They’ve hardened their hearts so much that conviction doesn’t touch them anymore.
If you still feel conviction, the Holy Spirit is still working in you. And that means there’s hope.
Bring Everything to the Table
Here’s an analogy I use when I’m witnessing to someone:
Imagine God has invited you to a table and said, “You can put everything on it. All your sins. All your worries. Everything.”
But here’s the catch: whatever you don’t put on the table, you’ll have to answer for.
The sins we don’t bring to God are not forgiven.
A lot of Christians think, “Well, I’m saved, so all my sins are automatically forgiven.” And yes, Jesus’ blood covers all sin. But there’s a difference between being covered and walking in freedom.
If you’re holding onto secret sins—things you refuse to bring to God, things you won’t confess, things you’re justifying or hiding—you’re not walking in the fullness of what Jesus died to give you.
1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Confession is the key. Not because God doesn’t already know, but because confession is how we agree with God about our sin and receive His cleansing.
Repentance Is a Change of Mind
Repentance doesn’t mean feeling bad about your sin. It means changing your mind about it.
The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which literally means “a change of mind.”
So what does that look like practically?
You stop calling sin by cute names.
- Making love? No, that’s fornication.
- Sharing the tea? No, that’s gossip.
- Just being honest? No, that’s murder with your words.
- Checking someone out? No, that’s lust.
Repentance means you start calling things what God calls them.
And here’s the thing: if there are things in your life that you suspect are sin, go to the Holy Spirit about it.
He will counsel you. Isaiah 1:18 says, “‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the LORD.”
God made us to reason. You can talk to Him about everything. Bring your questions. Bring your doubts. Bring your confusion.
You may not always get the answer for why things are the way they are, but His will is better.
“Give Him the Holy Spirit”
A few years ago, God came to me and told me to bring this professional guy to Christ. Actually, His exact words were, “Give him the Holy Spirit.”
After I got over the fact that God and I were now on real-life speaking terms, I called the guy and told him to meet me at a library.
He didn’t want to do a Bible study. He wanted nothing to do with God. But after twisting his arm, he agreed to 15 minutes—but only 15 minutes because some game was going to come on TV later.
Whatever.
So we met at the library, and I asked him to tell me who God was. He started talking, and then he said one thing he couldn’t understand: “Why would God create sex and then tell me I can’t do it unless I get married?”
We talked. I listened. I answered. I showed him Scripture.
Two hours later—well past his 15-minute mark—he said, “I don’t even want to sin anymore.”
And he gave his life to Christ just as the library was closing.
That conviction in that moment was the presence of the Holy Spirit in him.
Did he continue to struggle after our conversation? Absolutely! But now he was witnessing to friends and family about Jesus. He was reading his Bible more. He was talking about going to Bible school.
That’s what the Holy Spirit does. He convicts, He transforms, and He empowers.
Peter vs. Judas: The Difference Is Heart Posture
We always shine a light on Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, but we forget that all of the disciples except John betrayed Him.
Peter denied Him three times. The others vanished while Jesus hung on the cross.
So what was the difference between Peter and Judas?
It wasn’t that one of them was paid.
It was heart posture.
Peter ran to Jesus, believing Jesus to be his deliverer. When Peter realized what he’d done, he wept bitterly and eventually returned to the Lord. Jesus restored him by the Sea of Galilee and said, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17).
But Judas? Judas did not believe Jesus could save him.
Matthew 27:3-5 says, “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’ ‘What is that to us?’ they replied. ‘That’s your responsibility.’ So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.”
Judas went to the earthly high priest and heard there was no absolution for his actions. He didn’t believe Jesus could forgive him, so he never asked.
This goes back to belief and faith.
Do you believe Jesus is your Lord and Savior? Then take all your sins to Him. Repent and mean it.
Don’t make the mistake Judas made. Don’t assume you’re beyond forgiveness. Don’t run to the world for absolution when Jesus is standing right there with open arms.
How to Not Be Saved (Summary)
So here it is. The only ways to not be saved:
- Pride – Refusing to admit you need Jesus.
- Blaspheming the Holy Spirit – Hardening your heart and rejecting God’s truth when you know it’s true.
- Refusing to bring your sins to God – Holding onto secret sins and refusing to confess them.
- Not repenting – Continuing to call sin something else and refusing to change your mind about it.
- Believing you’re beyond forgiveness – Making the same mistake Judas made.
If you’re still reading this, if you’re still feeling conviction, if you’re still wondering if you’re saved—that’s proof the Holy Spirit is working in you.
You’re not too far gone. You’re not beyond hope. You’re not unforgivable.
Romans 10:13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Everyone.
That includes you.
Activation: Speak These Truths Over Yourself
Right now, declare these truths out loud:
“I humble myself before God. I admit I need Jesus.” (James 4:10)
“I bring all my sins to God. I confess them and receive His forgiveness.” (1 John 1:9)
“I repent. I change my mind about sin and call it what God calls it.” (Acts 3:19)
“The Holy Spirit convicts me, counsels me, and leads me to Christ.” (John 16:13)
“I am not beyond forgiveness. Jesus’ blood covers all my sin.” (1 John 1:7)
“I believe Jesus is my Lord and Savior, and I take all my sins to Him.” (Romans 10:9)
“I am saved by grace through faith, and nothing can separate me from God’s love.” (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 8:39)
Now say it one more time:
“I am saved. I am forgiven. I am His.”
The Truth Sets You Free
If you’ve been holding onto secret sins, bring them to the table. If you’ve been justifying something God calls sin, repent and change your mind about it. If you’ve been too proud to admit you need Jesus, humble yourself right now.
The only way to not be saved is to refuse to come to Jesus.
But if you’re reading this, if you’re feeling convicted, if you’re ready to surrender—He’s waiting for you with open arms.
Don’t be like Judas. Be like Peter. Run to Jesus. Believe He can save you. Because He can, and He will.
