Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

As a new Christian and for a several years afterward, this is something that frightened me. I was scared that one day I would accidently commit this unforgivable sin and thereby cut off all ties to God for evermore. I have heard many ‘theories’ as to what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit meant ranging from bad language, using the word ‘damn’ improperly or even someone who said “oh my God” in fright. I don’t know about anyone else who misunderstands this sin or misunderstood this sin, but it sure put a damper on my enjoyment of my God. Whatever else I may have done, this is one sin that I guarded myself against. I heard a sermon one day that mentioned this sin in passing that shed some light as to the real meaning. This sent me back to the scriptures to understand the meaning behind ‘blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.”

• What is the Unforgiveable Sin? Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. (Mat 12:31 ESV)

Of all the sins covered in the bible, this is the one sin that God has declared He will not forgive. Once committed, there is no return and all chances of forgiveness have been eliminated. Christians have questioned this command for they want to ensure that they do not commit this insidious sin.

• “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”– (Mar 3:28-29 ESV)

In Mark 3:28, scripture states that whatever blasphemies are uttered will be forgiven except for the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. A person who commits the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is guilty of an eternal sin and will not receive forgiveness.

What is this sin that once committed will secure a person to eternal damnation?

To set the stage, we see what led up to Jesus making this pronouncement. Jesus had performed miracles. The Pharisees & the Sadducees who were against Him, knowing that Jesus performed these miracles by the Spirit of God, for the Pharisees knew that these miracles could not be performed except by God. As Jews, they knew that only God could perform miracles. Knowing that it was of God that these miracles were performed, they attributed the miracles to Satan.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is willfully and knowingly crediting God’s act or miracle to Satan. It is not a misunderstanding, it is a purposeful act.

To understand this in a worldly or layman’s terms it is, in essence, to attribute something that belongs to one person, to another. For instance, if someone attributes something that they read in a magazine and in their footnotes, give credit to the wrong magazine unknowingly and by mistake, this is not ‘blasphemy.’ However, if they give credit to the wrong magazine knowingly and with knowledge that the credit is incorrect for whatever reason they may do such a thing, this is ‘blasphemy.’ (Please note that blasphemy in my example is simply an illustration and in no way mean to compare God and our world).

To attribute credit to Satan when it is known that the credit is really due God is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and will not be forgiven.

This is not a sin that one can mistakenly commit. One must have knowledge that they are doing it such as the knowledge that one is purposely giving credit to the wrong magazine.

To be in danger of the unforgiveable eternal sin, one must recognize and believe that God is the performer of an act or miracle and with that comprehension, attribute credit to Satan.

Knowledge of His Word really does set free.

Related Posts

~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

[tweetmeme http://fruitoftheword.com/2009/02/21/blasphemy-against-the-holy-spirit/]

No related posts.