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by Mark Horne
(What follows is adapted from my forthcoming commentary on the Gospel of Mark)
In Mark’s Gospel we read: “And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul,’ and ‘He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons’” (3.22).
Jesus replied in part, “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” (3.28, 29).
What did Jesus mean? If we say ascribe the work of the Spirit to the work of the Devil are we automatically beyond hope of forgiveness.
Looking at the background to this story in Mark’s gospel we see that John prophesied that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and at John’s baptism the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus. Jesus received his Pentecost at the Jordan so that he would be able to accomplish his mission and arrange a Pentecost in Jerusalem for his followers. Thus, we have two stages set forth for us in Mark’s Gospel: The ministry of the Son and then the ministry of the Spirit. Though the Spirit is unquestionably present in Jesus, it has not yet flowed out of Jesus to others, as it will on the day of Pentecost.
The Scribes from Jerusalem are rejecting the witness of Jesus, but that does not bring immediate judgment. Indeed, they go on rejecting Jesus during his years of ministry. What the scribes from Jerusalem reject in Galilee will be offered again in Jerusalem by disciples from Galilee (see Acts 2). The Holy Spirit will come upon the disciples and they will witness to the scribes. At that point, everything will still be forgivable. The great day of vengeance will still not fall on Israel if they repent. But if this second witness—the witness of the Spirit—is spoken against, then time will run out and the wrath of God will fall. Because Israel rejected the witness of the Spirit during the forty years of the early Church, they were eventually judged by God (c.f. Luke 19.41-45).
Luke clearly spells this out by recording Jesus’ exhortation to his disciples to bear witness for him when his time comes:
And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man shall confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who will speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not become anxious about how or what you should speak in your defense, or what you should say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say (Luke 12:9-12).
The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit here is the rejection of the Spirit-taught witnesses who confess the Son of Man before men. Bear in mind that in the Bible, a prosecution requires no less than two witness (Deut 19.15; Matt 18.16; John 8.17; 2 Cor 13.1; 1 Tim 5.19; Heb 10.28).
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, then, is not to be explained in terms of some difference in being or eternal status between the Son and the Holy Spirit so that curse words involving Jesus’ name are forgivable, but not expletives involving the Spirit. Rather, it refers to the historical framework of Jesus’ work in his own generation. The rejection of Jesus, as serious as that is, does not bring immediate condemnation. Forgiveness is still available. But after rejecting the second witness of the Spirit after Pentecost, time runs out for that generation of Israel. There is no forgiveness for blasphemy against the Spirit—the rejection of the second witness.
If I met someone who thought they had said something about the Spirit that damned him without hope, I would tell him to repent and believe. The general application of Jesus’ warning against blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is to not reject repeated warning: “A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken and there is no remedy” (Proverbs 29:1).
God sends us different witnesses and warnings via the ministry of the Church both official and unofficial, as well as through providence. He is patient and slow to anger. But if we continue in sin we will be judged.
Jesus’ warning against blasphemy against the Holy Spirit means we should to repent the first time.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
I appreciate the clarification…I had just spoke with a co-worker about this very point and wanted to make sure that I was speaking in the right context. Now I can speak more clearly about this topic and appreciate the explanation. Stay blessed.
Larry
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:46 am
I am a Christian who turned devil worshiper turned back to christian.I’m afraid that GOD might send me to hell.I grew up a christian, but i turned my back on GOD out of anger for circumstances in my life. I started to read the satanic “bible” and I cursed GOD I also walked in public preaching half heartdly, satanic worship. I even met a certain celebrity and made a remark that went somthing like
“worship satan” or something to that extent. I have recently begged GOD for forgiveness, but I still sin. I hope to one day live as perfect as CHRIST, but for now I’m afraid that I might go to hell. I did what I did trying to be rebellious, and I knew what I was doing. I was just frustrated.
I knew that I would eventualy have to return to GOD.I don’t remember selling my soul but I still hope that it’s not to late. In the name of JESUS CHRIST satan I rebuke you!!!
Forgive me FATHER for I have sinned. In the name of JESUS CHRIST i pray amen.
October 13th, 2007 at 8:59 am
I don’t know……… It is very complicated issue….. I never warshipped Satan but I said things about selling my soul (not spirit).. (before I was saved)
I fear it might be too late for me to be saved… But then why do I feel holy spirit in me?
May be the blasphamy against the holy spirit is continuous rejection of what the spirit tells you to do.. I don’t know… I fought hard against my sins and won… I try follow 10 commandments.
Who knows… Immediately after saying about blasphemy against the holy spirit Jesus says to watch your words…
Even if I am going to Hell I will never succumb to the devil.. I will tear as many people from his hands as possible.
Forgive me Father for I have sinned. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray amen.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:04 am
I have never worshiped Satan, but I have called myself a God, and proclaimed that I am above all other deities. I am so afraid that I have cursed myself for eternity. I am at a point of serious attonement, and I am afraid that it is too late for me, and that by peoclaiming myself a god, I hve forfeited his blessing and my soul.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:17 am
God is so gracious, I am a third year theology student studying Luke 12:8-12, Blasphemy against the Spirit according to most scholars is harddening your heart to teh point of no return, but If you feel God’s Spirit when you pray, then it is enough to know that you will be saved. Worshipping Satan has to be displeasing to God, but he made us and understands us. His grace is greater than our sin, especially if we are repentant, see parable of the lost sheep, 99 rightiouss but 1 who turns back= great rejoiceing in heaven, prodigal son= turns his back on his father, his father loves him #ETC God is awesome, at the end of the age we can marvel with teh angels at God’s grace and worship him. See you there. : )
November 1st, 2007 at 8:15 am
One might have cursed the Holy Spirit. The latter part of I Corinthians 12:3 lets one know that one will be saved.
November 1st, 2007 at 10:07 am
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the act of calling the Holy Spirit a liar when he (God speaking, through his witness) presents as truth that the only way to the Father is through his son, Jesus Christ, which I believe is pretty much what you have said, though perhaps in different words. Jesus Christ is the word of God (see John 1), the Holy Spirit God’s voice.
November 28th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
If someone is truly “saved” and Jesus is Lord then they would not speak against the Holy Spirit. So, if someone were to ask…”Can someone be forgiven although they did this act.”…ulimately the answer would have to be “yes” for the “unsaved” person. Correct? Because according to 1 Corinthians 12:3…they wouldn’t have known what they were doing had they been truly “saved” and filed with the Holy Spirit.
December 17th, 2007 at 6:06 am
Blaspeming the Holy spirit is clearly denying His existence as the third person of the Holy trinity and the power of God, the evidence of our eternal salvation and the sanctifier. The pharisees met these requirements. They publicly denied the existence of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus and attributed him to Belzeebub the prince of demons; they also doubted the evidence of their eternal salvation, since He is the proof of God to the world as being His eternal power. When one does this, he has no chance for eternal salvation but lies under eternal damnation. This means blaspheming the Holy spirit is an eternal sin, since it leads to eternal separation from God, and this act does not lead one to ask God for forgiveness.
December 18th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Hello,
I looked for information about the unpardonable sin today and came across your article. The Lord found me in Feb 2006, so I am a young child Christian (God willing I still am a child of God).
Despite the downsides of my Walk, I fervantly seek the Lord and am willing to get my relationship back in right standing, but it seems to me that there is a blockage somewhere. I have prayed that God would show me my sins, wrongdoings… just everything in my life that is not according to His will.
This morning during my quiet time with the Lord while reading the Bible, I was reading the book of Mark chapter 3. When I read verse 29 “But whoever speaks abusively against or maliciously misrepresents the Holy Spirit can never get forgiveness, but is guilty of and is in the grasp of an everlasting tresspass.” (Amplified). I felt convicted as if memories took me back to few months ago, I was deceived by believing that the Rapture would happen in Rosh Hoshanna 2007. I believed it with all my heart thinking it was the Truth, so I went around claiming that the Holy Spirit revealed me that the Rapture would happen this year 2007 to people around me.
Then I realized that I had been deceived, confessed my sins and repented of them. But, I honestly believe that I have blasphemed the Holy Spirit because I misrepresented Him as a liar in front of saved and unsaved people. The word ‘blaspheme’ in Mark 3:29 in Greek means
1) to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate (2 meanings in Merriam Webster a: to utter maliciously false statements, charges, or imputations about b: to injure the reputation of by calumny), blaspheme.
2) to be evil spoken of, reviled, railed at.
At the time of my false proclamations, my consciousness failed to recognize that I had taken as confirmations some false statements or lies from some people on a website. Those so-called Christians told about their supernatural experiences, along with confirmations from God about the Rapture in 2007, so I got entangled in it somehow, though nonetheless of my own will. (Not trying to blame others for my faults. I just hope with all my heart the Lord will forgive all of us, sinners).
Altogether, I truly think I have blasphemed the HS by calumniating, in simpler words, by injuring His reputation, representing Him as the One who told me those lies. I so regret my mistakes and am very perturbed of the gravity of the wrongs I did in relation to my Salvation and others’ as well. I would love to hear about your divine counsel if you would care to share.
Thank you for reading,
MJ
January 14th, 2008 at 5:19 am
I think satan wants to decieve us and make us believe that we have commited that sin. The fact that we want to increase in God just shows that we haven’t commited the ultimate sin. I heard that rejecting the Holy Spirit, is willfully sinning forever, and it make it unforgivable.
April 13th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
………………………………………………………………………………………
(quote)* Altogether, I truly think I have blasphemed the HS by calumniating, in simpler words, by injuring His reputation, representing Him as the One who told me those lies. I so regret my mistakes and am very perturbed of the gravity of the wrongs I did in relation to my Salvation and others’ as well. I would love to hear about your divine counsel if you would care to share.
Thank you for reading,
MJ
………………………………………………………………………………………
peace to you in jesus name.
mj dont fret you havent committed the unpardonable sin, it is very likely that these ppl are gods’ annointed, i have read that the rapture WAS supposed to have happened already, but the clock has been stopped in gods mercy, so that none are left behind.
so hurry, get as many saved as possible before time runs out.
hell is an awful place let nobody go there, not even your worst enemy.
all christians need to look at the choothomas website. she has a short vid on youtube.
i ask for help please pray for my dear husband i cant bear for him to go to hell. God has been so good to me through him, but i fear for his soul i beg for prayers in Jesus’ holy name please. i am so grieved help please pray for him in Jesus’ name.
thankyou everyone be sure to read the accounts & testimonies of hell on choos site it will scare you straight. God be with you, & i pray you recieve the Holy Spirit to help you digest the truth.
July 17th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I believe a couple years ago, I had said,” ‘blank’ the Holy Spirit”. I’ve been feeling guilty about it since reading Matthew 12:32. I agree with Terrance that satan wants to deceive me and make me believe that I commited that sin. I have asked the lord for forgiveness of my sins over the years and have faith that he has forgiven me because of his word.
Am I Unforgivable for what I said?
Thank you for reading,
CV
July 20th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Mark,
This is the best interpretation of these passages I have ever seen, and being someone who once struggled with this issue, I want to thank you for publishing it.
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:14 am
Thank you so much for your expert interpretation of these passages regarding the Unpardonable Sin.
I hope you don’t mind but I had a few questions regarding the passage:
1) In Matt 12, there seems to be a focus on the utterance. Christ goes on to say that we will be judged, even by careless words. “The word,” though revealing what is internal, will also itself, be judged. How can we incorporate this into your interpretation? It seems, to me at least, that Christ’s insistence on the mention of words is more than incidental or symbolic.
2) It seems to me that the Pharisees already stood condemned. They are called vipers three times in Matthew: once in Matt 3 by John the Baptist, again in Matt 12, and finally in Matt 23. The association here is compelling: the term being used to connect this lot directly to The Viper – the very embodiment of evil and rebellion toward God. Secondly, each time the term is used it is accompanied by language that frames them as a group faced with unescapable judgment:
In Matt 3, John the Baptist says the axe is at the root. In Matt 12 Jesus says that these men are in fact evil, cannot speak good, and that all men will be justified or condemned by their words. In Matt 23 Christ toughens the language substantially, and asks a rhetorical question: how will you (the Pharisees) escape the sentence of Hell? The answer of course is that they will not. Christ then says that He will send prophets and wise men so that they, being righteous, will be killed by the Pharisees, in order that “the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth” will fall upon them.
It seems fairly certain that the Pharisees (since John the Baptist’s ministry, if not earlier) stood irrevocably condemned. Christ implies that they are beyond forgiveness, and even says He will see to it that more blood be on their hands to ensure a harsher judgement visit them. This suggests the possibility that they had already in some sense inclined their hearts away from God that is, had already committed this Unpardonable Sin.
What are your thoughts?
July 29th, 2008 at 6:23 am
I know this might sound a bit stupid,but im gonna say it anyway, so if you call the holy spirit a name (a bad name) does that mean you’ve blasphemed?
August 18th, 2008 at 9:42 am
i don’t know but i was so scared that i commited it that i started obsessing about it and started thiking bad thoughts about the holy spirit so am i doomed
August 27th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
What about attributing the works of Satan to God?
I can think of two specific cases of this, one [obviously] being Muslim terrorists, and the other being guys like Benny Hinn. I know it might sound odd to some that I would suggest guys who preach on TV are among the worst sinners in the world, but Benny Hinn specifically has been exposed as a fraud on more than one occasion, and as far as I’m concerned, making fraudulant claims about working miracles for God and using the faith of good Christians against them for your own gain is a very, very serious transgression, especially since it it something he’s done not in a moment of anger or despair, but out of a pre-meditated desire to swindle true believers out of as much money as they’re willing to give, possibly also compromising their faith when they don’t experience the miracles they’re promised.
What do you all think?
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:51 am
well i was saved at 15 but soon after i got involved with drugs iam now 21 but wheni was getting of drugs i had a satanic attack telling me F*** the holyspirit well the same satanic voice led me to curse out loud the holy spirit(is this unforgivable???) and then after reading mathew 12-31 i said that the holyspirit gets its powers from satan is this unforgivable????
now i hear day and night that the holyspirit is evil or its the devils holyspirit am i doomed for thinking like this even if it was intentional???
sincerly your lincoln cassis
October 29th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Hi,
Dito Lincoln- I still wonder because I went through the same attack at 14. I still want to follow God but I am not sure that what I am doing is really genuine. Meaning, do I really have a heart to obey the Lord? The reason I say this is because I made an even bigger mistake. I was prompted with an urge by the Holy Spirit to confront someone who had wronged me. Well I was afraid and I had a history of demonic attacks. So I was not going to allow myself to be decived again, I thought. And as a foolish “act of faith” I said that It was an attack from Satan, though deep down inside I felt diffrently and I belive the Holy Sprit tried to stop me from saying it but, I thought it was just me and at the time I did not concider what I had did the eternal sin.
The story does not end there eventualy the urge stopped a week after. Months later I was distraught I also made a vow years earlier to give God a large amount of money. Well I didn’t have it and was crying out to God for mercy. The bizarre twist is that the person I was sapposed to confront, also a Christian, prophesied that I had “A heart for God… and when you make a mistake you need to accept the grace of god.” Eventually my conscience kicked in, after much internal deliberation in the preceding months after “the urge” I eventualy confronted that person along with some other things. Not soon after, mabie hours, a spirit came on me and spoke these words “You blasphemed the Holy Sprit you’re going to Hell!!!!” (I think now as I type: Since when does god speak in the third person? Would he not have have said “You’ve blasphemed against me?” and/or explained my error while declaring judgement like he has done to so many of the damed? Do Eli, Saul, Ananias & Sapphira or Cain ring any bells and it was pretty obvious for Cain. Note he told the Pharisees exactly what they did to recive their judgement. Now, for the rest of the story.) Well, I belived what I heard (from the spirit) and became paranoid. I then, in shock and horror, broke down with what I belive is Irratible Bowel Syndrome and was in pain (get this) DAY AND NIGHT for a week! I was scrambling for an anwser. I talked to a Pastor and a Christian Psycologist and no one had a real anwser. One bright spot is while I was in pain I cried out to God for mercy, for the pain to stop and he anwsered. The pain temporarely subsided and a spirit wispered something into my ears that I could not make out. I’ve still had doubts but I’m praying for the confusion to end. This is not a stunt. Keep fighting Lincoln. Every time you have a thought like that say: Psa 34:1 “A psalm of David, regarding the time he pretended to be insane in front of Abimelech, who sent him away. I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.”
October 30th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Please do not blasheme the Holy Spirit. Do not say it is something other than Christ taught. Check out my website on the subject at http://www.kingdomofgodministry.com Blessings to those who obey Christ.
October 30th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil. The pharisees said that He (Christ) had an unclean spirit. The stated that he casts out devils by the prince of devils, beelzebub. This is what Christ calls blasphemy of the Holy Spirit plain and simple. The texts are these Matthew 12:22-37 (KJV)
Mt 12:22 (KJV) Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
Mt 12:23 (KJV) And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
Mt 12:24 (KJV) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Mt 12:25 (KJV) And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
Mt 12:26 (KJV) And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
Mt 12:27 (KJV) And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
Mt 12:28 (KJV) But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Mt 12:29 (KJV) Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Mt 12:30 (KJV) He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Mt 12:31 (KJV) Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Mt 12:32 (KJV) And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Mt 12:33 (KJV) Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
Mt 12:34 (KJV) O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Mt 12:35 (KJV) A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Mt 12:36 (KJV) But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Mt 12:37 (KJV) For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Mark 3:20-30 (KJV)
Mk 3:20 (KJV) And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
Mk 3:21 (KJV) And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
Mk 3:22 (KJV) And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
Mk 3:23 (KJV) And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
Mk 3:24 (KJV) And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
Mk 3:25 (KJV) And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Mk 3:26 (KJV) And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
Mk 3:27 (KJV) No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
Mk 3:28 (KJV) Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
Mk 3:29 (KJV) But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Mk 3:30 (KJV) Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
Luke 11:14-28 (KJV)
Lk 11:14 (KJV) And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.
Lk 11:15 (KJV) But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
Lk 11:16 (KJV) And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
Lk 11:17 (KJV) But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
Lk 11:18 (KJV) If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.
Lk 11:19 (KJV) And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
Lk 11:20 (KJV) But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
Lk 11:21 (KJV) When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
Lk 11:22 (KJV) But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
Lk 11:23 (KJV) He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
Lk 11:24 (KJV) When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
Lk 11:25 (KJV) And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
Lk 11:26 (KJV) Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
Lk 11:27 (KJV) And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
Lk 11:28 (KJV) But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Understand that this is serious business.
November 3rd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
well it makes no sense they say this sin is imposible to duplicate b.c. they where acursing jesus the holyspirit of being devil possesed so in other words they where accusing jesus of being devil possessed but they where inuslting the holyspirit…. in my case i accidentally cursed the holyspirit several times some out of desperation that my mistake had me doomed already can this be forgiven even if you accuse the holyspirit to be satans spirit??
can curswords towards the spriit be forgiven that the only part i didnt understand
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, then, is not to be explained in terms of some difference in being or eternal status between the Son and the Holy Spirit so that curse words involving Jesus’ name are forgivable, but not expletives involving the Spirit. are you saying that curswords involving the spirit are not forgivable???
November 15th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
can some one explain to me Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, then, is not to be explained in terms of some difference in being or eternal status between the Son and the Holy Spirit so that curse words involving Jesus’ name are forgivable, but not expletives involving the Spirit. Rather, it refers to the historical framework of Jesus’ work in his own generation. The rejection of Jesus, as serious as that is, does not bring immediate condemnation. Forgiveness is still available. But after rejecting the second witness of the Spirit after Pentecost, time runs out for that generation of Israel. There is no forgiveness for blasphemy against the Spirit—the rejection of the second witness.
what are they saying that cursing the holyspirit is forgivable??
please email me if you have comment or answer at linerc@peoplepc.com
December 27th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
okay i was once very depressed about the bible not knowing if I was saved although i asked jesus into my heart as i got older i blasphemeyed the holy spirit well 1 year past and im still a little upset because of people like you making people depressed and telling them a lie. you do get forgiven for everything jesus doesnt lie and in mark it says whosoever blasphemys against the holy spirit SHALL BE IN DANGER OF ETERNAL DAMNATION. in danger so ya… but thats in the king james version and if God allowed a lt of epople to do something to help millions of people through conviction or tribulation then its the truth god wants all his children…. and i once before thought i would never be forgiven and others wouldnt either butif you ask and quit judging everything will be fine and ask jesus into your heart and you will have eternal life. the Lord wants you to look on the bright side. ALWAYS
February 28th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
This is in reference to Corinna’s comments on 27 Dec 2008. In the KJV Jesus words were (Mark 3:29) “but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation” (Matthew 12:31-32) “Therefore I say to you every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man it will be forgiven him; but however speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” The definition of Blasphemes is - 1. to treat God or sacred things disrespectfully through words or action 2. to swear in a way that insults religion. That is the truth. Having said that I do not believe that curse words is what Jesus is talking about here I would agree with Erik 15 Nov 2008, however I am not as educated on the topic as I would like and that is why I am searching for the answer. God bless!!
May 18th, 2009 at 6:07 am
I’m brazilian, but I guess my english it’s clear. I’m really thinking that I commited a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. I’ve been thinking and studying this question a long ago, and the consequences are really bad. I feel a lot of confusion (and I already thought about suicide), can’t sleep (but using medicines now). Nobody belives me, I understand. However, I’m looking to solve this problem, just can’t see the way.I would like to be better in english, because the researchs I’ve found in portuguese it’s not so clear as it is in english. I feel this situation 24 hours a day. It’s a very complex situation. Medicines, doctors , priest , nothing has solved my problems. What do they say? ” Oh, forget this, you are just omplicating yourself with these kinds of thinkings”. They just try to get up me, but not works on me, everything are stil on me. And what the worst? Nobody can help me, neither I’m. As the Bible says , “there’s no forgiveness for whom blasphemed against the holy spirit”. But I can’t commit suicide. I think about this, but I just can’t. I have to find someone to believe that I really blasphemed against Holy Spirit and give me some advices to change something, cause I’m really not seeing any solution.
June 12th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Artur, Do NOT THINK ABOUT SUICIDE. Suicide is a sure way to hell, and you don’t have anyway out of your misery through these means. I have also been scared of the unpardonable sin. my problem, is that I always took the bible literally and never viewed God as being merciful. So one day in my anxiety, I said a word that I felt my constitute for blasphemy. Although the devil tries to deceive me from time to time, I have peace in realizing that the bible mentions a key word, “against.” Jesus looks at the heart when things are being said. If you said awful words, while hating Jesus (like the pharisees) then I would wonder if you committed this sin. But judging by your post, you haven’t. Jesus looks at the heart, not just the words. Again the keyword is “against.” Do you think you said the awful word to harm Him?
June 17th, 2009 at 6:06 am
Ok guys here is the truth. The context of Christ’s remark about the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was directed at the blasphemy of the Scribes who called Jesus’s miracle a work of demonic nature. This was a blasphemy against the goodness of the Holy Spirit by declaring it’s action to be evil. So the point is not simply that one can use profanity in an angry attempt to hurt the holy spirit but one must actually conflate all that is good with that which is evil. If one honestly turns against the holy spirit and for some completely selfish reason declares it’s nature of evil then he has committed blasphemy. This is liken to say that one must “really” mean it when they curse the Holy Spirit.
Now the second thing to keep in mind is that Jesus was performing a miracle right in front of the scribes and this was proof to them of the divinity and goodness of the spirit- that is why Jesus says to them “a kingdom divided cannot stand” his point being that if he was demonically possessed there would be no good reason for him to cast out demons when he could perform other miracles.
Lastly I want to reflect on the nature of language and how that relates to mind and spirit. If I was to quote someone who cursed the Holy Spirit only for the sake of keeping a record like for example
Joe said: “____ the Holy Spirit!”
I would have uttered the phase but in no way does that necessitate that I was directing that utterence of blasphemey towards the Holy Ghost itself.
Context is everything- language has no absolute form outside of the context from which it exists, spiritually, mentally and physically.
Blasphemy does indeed come in the form of a sin of the toungue but it is not limited sounds or words- there must be in inherent desire for the meaning of those words to be taken and used for the purpose that one deeply means of them.
So to go back to the example of the Jesus’s miracles one sees that the Scribes had direct evidence of the Holy Spirit and were bordering on direct blasphemy of the Holy spirit.
So the question we must ask ourselves who question whether we have comitted the unpardonable sin is this
“DId I really mean to defamate the “nature” of the Holy Ghost?
So to defame the nature of the Holy Spirit one must “know” of the reality of that spirit. If one doubts the reality of the spirit in their own mind or does not mean the sin wholeheartedly then they are not fully committing the sin. Blasphemy is not just a sin of the tongue but also of language in general like written language- but it is for most a sin of the spirit and against the spirit. This means that what a person means deep down counts for everything. This does not mean you are not sinning if you curse the Holy Spirit but do not wholeheartedly mean it. This is absolutely a serious sin and puts you in jeopardy of slipping into actually meaning it later one. This is why prayer is so important so that we stay in and build upon our state of grace.
If so, I believe you have committed the unpardonable sin.
SO once again we must ask ourselves if what we really meant was to say that “the Holy Spirit is Evil.” If not you have not committed it.
It is a good sign if you are here and looking for hope as to how you can reach salvation- if you are scared because of your sin. Make no mistake it is a sin any time one sins of the tounge against any of the Trinity but for it to be unpardonable it must be more than a verbal sin but a sin of the soul meant wholeheartedly.
Most people however if they have defamed the Holy Ghost did mean it in part. This means those who have slipped into a state whereby they would even consider committing the unpardonable sin need spiritual help immediately. I would recommend serious deep prayer and repentance to the trinity especially the Holy Ghost- pray that you did not mean this wholeheartedly, Pray to Mary the Virgin for forgiveness and defense against the evil spirits which will try to remind you of what you said for at least the rest of your time here on earth so as to corrupt you break your still remaining hope of salvation.
This is a serious situation and requires deep repentance and a declaration that the sin was not against the Holy Spirit because the true nature of the Holy Spirit is too good for you to have actually meant defamation of it.
You must pray until you are fully convinced that you did not commit the unpardonable sin- that what you meant was only to sin against yourself- to seal your own damnation out of anger over earthly issues and that the blasphemy could not have been against the ultimate goodness of the Holy Spirit.
There is still time to renew your faith and soul- judgment comes after we leave the earthly life so that we have time to get ourselves and our souls straight. Time is short though.
You have got to know that what you did and meant was not legitimately the unpardonable sin- that what you were actual meaning to do was blaspheming yourself out of self hatred as you knew that by blaspheming the Holy Spirit it would lead to your damnation. If you have doubt that doubt will corrode your faith. The only way to know that you have not committed the sin is to admit and know deep down that you did not mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit for it is too good for you to have meant what you said. This requires repentance of the action and rejection of the idea that you personally meant what was uttered.
once again this is a very serious situation which requires very serious prayer.
If however you are still not sure of whether you have committed the sin, or even worse if you are convinced that you have then you will have to stand before God’s judgment after this world and hope for his mercy.
It is better that you pray about it now and realize deep in your heart that you were not demonizing the Holy Spirit and that what you said was directed either at yourself or out of ignorance of the nature of what the unpardonable sin is.
You must pray that your words are forgiven as they were not meant in true blasphemy and that you love the Lord, the Son and the Holy Spirit with all of you heart, mind and soul. Pray that the lord will not take what you said, wrote or thought literally and that you will never ever again utter anything even close to resembling blaspheme of the Holy Spirit because the spirit is perfect and beyond reproach.
Sometimes our greatest sins bring us closer to God - but if so happens it is probably because the Holy Ghost is still within us and guiding us to the truth that we need for salvation.
Listen to the Holy Ghost and let it know that you did not really mean what you said, promise to never say it again and out it behind you. The Holy Ghost leads us to all truth. So if you are here seeking truth then listen! If you are only here seeking freedom from guilt or worry then you are not being lead by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit may call on you to do certain spiritually good acts in order to repent for what you tried to do. If the Holy Spirit guides you to such remedies than listen and obey.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Mathew 7:7
You must deny the Devil’s lies. God knows all and if you did not really really mean it then you can be forgiven.
June 17th, 2009 at 6:26 am
In order for one to commit the unpardonable sin they must hold two notions simultaneously.
One, they must know who and what the Holy Spirit really is, in it’s true nature, and two, they must openly blaspheme it.
If you have uttered what you think might be the unpardonable blaspheme against the Holy Spirit you must hope and believe that either you did not really mean to demonize it when you said it or that when you said it you did not really know what the Holy Spirit really was, or a combination of the two.
Promise the you will never utter this again and repent long and hard. Let the Holy Spirit, the Son and the Father know that you did not really mean to commit the unpardonable sin. That either you were ignorant of the sin or that what you really meant was not to demonize the Holy Spirit but to demonize yourself - that is though self hate you sought to confine yourself to hell.
*Admit, know and believe that the Holy Spirit is far too good for you to have ever truly meant what you tried to utter- that now you realize what the Holy spirit actually is and that you would never blaspheme it- and you will be saved from committing this sin.
But prove to the Holy Spirit that you mean what you have realized and never utter that sin again.