In his teachings, Jesus Christ noted that all sins could be forgiven except the sin of blaspheme. This has ignited a lot of questions among Christians, with the most common one being what it means to commit the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Knowing the context of Jesus’ teaching before he taught about the sin of blasphemy is key to determining what it really is. So, what is the sin of blasphemy?
Bible scholars agree that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is when a person gives Satan credit for God’s work and calls good evil. The Pharisees ascribed the work of Jesus to the prince of demons, Beelzebul, hence why Jesus told them that the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. The sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable because it does not only destroy the work of the Holy Spirit but also because it is committed intentionally.
So, how do you know if you have committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? What did Jesus teach about blasphemy? Why is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit unforgivable? Continue reading to get the answers to these questions and more.
How do you know if you have committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
Blasphemy is always associated with sins like intentionally degrading God’s work and even cursing God. Blaspheming also involves what the Pharisees did, attributing the good works of God to evil. The particular kind of blasphemy that Jesus taught about and said it was unforgivable is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
The primary reason why Christians research a lot about the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is that this is the sin that Christ notes it cannot be forgiven. Mathew 12:31 says, “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” In the book of mark 3:30, Jesus is specific and certain of what the sin of blasphemy is, “He said this because they were saying he has an impure spirit.” This means they were referring to the Spirit operating in Christ as impure.
Most scholars agree that blaspheming the Holy Spirit is linking His good works to evil. This can be seen when Jesus warns the Pharisees against this unforgiving sin. Additionally, blasphemy of the Spirit is a constant state of not believing in the works of the Holy Spirit.
God gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us and convict us of our sins. Jesus tells us in the book of John 14:16-17 that when he goes to heaven, he will ask God the Father to send us a helper who will guide and be with us forever. The Holy Spirit is meant to be our helper, protector, and guide. We are supposed to listen to His voice and not grieve him because he relays God’s message to us. Therefore, if you find yourself talking evil of the works of the Holy Spirit or associating the works of the Holy Spirit with evil, then you will be committing the unforgivable sin of blasphemy.
What did Jesus teach about blasphemy?
Jesus taught about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in Mathew 12:22-32. Jesus was in his daily teachings with the disciples when a demon-possessed man who was blind was brought to him. While healing the man, Jesus heard the Pharisees accusing him that he was using the Spirit of Beelzebul to cast demons from the man.
That is when Jesus taught about blasphemy and said that whoever speaks of the Son of man can be forgiven, but talking ill about the Holy Spirit is blasphemy and is unforgivable. This makes us wonder why then Jesus termed blasphemy as an unforgivable sin. The New Testament records that the Spirit of God only said what God had instructed him and not his own words. Therefore, blaspheming the Holy Spirit is doubting his works, which means doubting the work of God, hence why Jesus said that it could not be forgiven.
The Pharisees were linking the work of the Holy Spirit to the works of evil, a sin that Jesus noted that it could not be forgiven. The same book of Mathew 12:30-32 goes on and reads, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
Additionally, the teachings of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit are recorded in the gospel of Mark. The book of Mark 3:22-30 records Jesus teaching in parables about blasphemy. He starts by asking, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand.” Jesus goes ahead and emphasizes that all sins can be forgiven, but slander against the Holy Spirit is regarded as blasphemy, and it is an eternal sin.
Therefore, from Jesus’ teaching on what is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, we understand how grievous it is to doubt the works of the Spirit or associate them with the works of the devil. That calls us to move with faith in God and never be caught in the act of eternal sin (blaspheming the Holy Spirit).
The book of John 14:26 says, “But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all the things and bring your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Therefore, as Christians, the Holy Spirit is supposed to be our guide, and if we reject Him, then we are rejecting God and his guidance.
Why is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit unforgivable?
Jesus says in the book of Mathew 12:31 that the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. However, though this is clear, Christians often want to know why this sin cannot be forgiven. To understand why this sin cannot be forgiven, you need to understand how the Holy Spirit works. The book of John 16:8-9 says, “When he comes, he will prove to the world to be in wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me.”
Jesus said these words when he was teaching about the coming of the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict people of sin and lead them to Christ. John 6:44 says, “No man can come to me, except the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Therefore, those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit are those who constantly reject the work of the Holy Spirit and speak evil of him. A key takeaway from the book of Mathew 12:31-32 is that Jesus says that those who deliberately and persistently slander the Holy Spirit are repudiating God the Father, the very one who forgives. Therefore, blasphemy is unforgivable because it is like slandering God himself. Jesus was clear that if you reject him, the Son of God, you can be forgiven, but rejecting the Holy Spirit is an eternal sin because you have rejected the one who is supposed to forgive you.
Bible scholars and theologians argue that blaspheming against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable because once you reject the Holy Spirit, he leaves you hence no conviction. Though all sins can be forgiven, you must repent of being forgiven, and you cannot repent unless the Holy Spirit has convicted you. Therefore, if you slander and reject the work of the Holy Spirit, then you lose connection with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, this way, you cannot be forgiven because there will be no conviction and hence no repentance.
The book of Acts 7:50-52 says, “Has not my hand made all these things? You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him.” Rejecting the Holy Spirit means rejecting the work of God.
References
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and the Unforgivable Sin
What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
What is Blasphemy? Unforgivable Sin Against the Holy Spirit
What Is the Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
What Is Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
