Can someone help me with a very serious question about Christianity?

Question

What exactly is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?

What is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? I'm talking about Mathew 12:32 It would be best if you are already familar with this verse, and the theological implications.

Answer 1

Here's an example:

"God is a heartless bastard."

Say it with me boys and girls. Really put some feeling into it this time.

"God is a heartless bastard!"

There now, don't you feel better? I know I do.
-SD-

p.s. I do answer hate mail, so please expect a return letter if you decide to write and tell me I'm going to Hell or whatever.

Answer 2

CAN I BE FORGIVEN?
BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT
by Ra McLaughlin


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jesus taught that every kind of sin may be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10). That is, if anyone blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, that person demonstrates that he or she is not among the elect — that person will never be saved ("a tree is recognized by its fruit"; Matt. 12:33). But what exactly is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? How can we know if we have committed this unforgivable sin?

The general idea of “blasphemy” is "speaking impiously," "slandering," or "using abusive language." Jesus warned the Pharisees that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was unpardonable both in this age and in the next (Mt 12:32; Mk 3:29-30) in response to their insistence that he exorcised demons by being in league with Satan (Beelzebub). By denying that the Holy Spirit was the power behind the exorcism, attributing that power to Satan, the Pharisees spoke against the Holy Spirit. On this basis, theologians have commonly understood blasphemy of the Holy Spirit to be “attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan or other demonic forces.”

Even this definition, however, needs refining. In responding to the Pharisees, Jesus also made the point that the work he did was obviously from the Holy Spirit (according to the logic of his argument in Matt. 12:25-29 and Mark 3:23-27). There was no reasonable explanation for the exorcism other than the power of the Holy Spirit, and this should have been evident to all. The Pharisees rejection of the Holy Spirit was thus informed and willful; they had not simply made a mistake. Speaking from the evil of their hearts (Matt. 12:34-35), they had intentionally blasphemed what they knew to be the power of the Holy Spirit.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is informed and intentional, motivated by evil. Because it is unforgivable, it cannot be committed by a Christian, or even by someone who is not yet a Christian but who later will come to faith. A college professor, who, while knowing the truth about God, dedicates his career to turning away young adults from the Christian worldview, would be a modern example.

Even so, sincere Christians sometimes fear that they, in an unguarded moment, have blasphemed the Holy Spirit. Usually, these people have simply misunderstood the nature of such blasphemy, or have misjudged their own actions. In any event, since the reprobate (those who will never come to faith) cannot feel true remorse for their sin (cf. Acts 11:18), Christians who fear that they may have committed this unpardonable sin generally show by their very anxiety and remorse that they have not done so.

Answer 3

First off to sadistdave, hey man if you don't believe in God or anything, that’s your choice, people shouldn't pest you or insult you for that. They should respect your views on God. So then it'd make sense if you also show some respect to God believing Christians. Blasphemy, no matter how harmless or pointless it may seem to you, is a serious deal for Christians.
Second, chris c, I don’t know if your Catholic or not, but in the Catholic Christian tradition blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is described as the utter rejection of God’s love and His offer of salvation to you. It’s not really that the blasphemy itself against the Holy Spirit that is unforgivable ( since according to the Catholic Church God’s mercy is immeasurable. Being eloquently described as an “unfathomable ocean of mercy, as easily accessible to the greatest sinner as to the holiest person”-St.Faustina, Apostle of Divine Mercy), it’s the rejection to receive salvation, the forgiveness of your sins, and God’s unending love which is unforgivable. Basically I don’t think the divinely inspirited writers of the Bible really had to even include Mathew 12:32. That’s because if you reject all that, the saving works through the pope, priests, nuns, ministers, and the faithful that come from the guidance, strength and help of the Holy Spirit you’ll be separated from God eternally anyway (ie Hell). So if you outright reject God all your life, how can you be forgiven if you never want forgiveness? How can that be a forgivable sin?

P.S. Of course all this doesn’t take into account ignorance of divine revelation. Like the many hundreds of millions of people who still don’t even know Jesus’ name, much less His teachings or the Catholic Church. Obviously God is not cruel and would not separate these people from Himself forever. According to the Catholic Church, somehow they will be given the chance accept or deny God’s salvation and love. Furthermore there are those who’ve heard of Jesus but haven’t converted for one reason or another. The Church must always strive to bring these people to her by the ways Jesus taught and the saints have practiced for 2000 years. This is why the public condemnation of a person, is impossibly to make, since only God knows a person’s soul intimately and only He can make a judgment on the fate of that soul. That’s why the Catholic Church can’t condemn anyone. The circumstances of peoples lives and their mentalities, the times they live in, their emotions, etc… all these are too complex to simply state a person’s condemnation of their soul by another human being.

Answer 4

As to Christ's teaching concerning "blasphemy" against the Holy Spirit, e.g., Mat_12:32, that anyone, with the evidence of the Lord's power before His eyes, should declare it to be Satanic, exhibited a condition of heart beyond Divine illumination and therefore hopeless. Divine forgiveness would be inconsistent with the moral nature of God. As to the Son of Man, in his state of humiliation, there might be misunderstanding, but not so with the Holy Spirit's power demonstrated.

Answer 5

It refers to the act of someone attributing an act of God to someone or something other than God Himself.

To say that Satan held back the waters of the Reed Sea, of that a man had the power to bring life to the dead -- these would be blasphemy against God.

The Holy Spirit in hebrew is the Ruach haKodesh, meaning the Holy Breath. Breath is translated 'pneuma' in Greek, and translated again into Old English as "spirit".

So to speak blasphemy against the Holy Breath of God would be to state anything that is opposed to what God has spoken. The first thing we have that is God's Word is the Torah, the five books of Moses. Second we have the books of the Prophets. To speak blasphemy against God is to speak and teach things that are against God's Torah and His Prophets.

Answer 6

It is a sin which can not be committed in this day and age. Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost firstly had to involve a twofold Heavenly witness as was the case when Jesus was casting out demons.Firstly he said that he was the Son of God, secondly he said that the works he was performing were the works of his Father. Now the stage was set for the unpardonable sin to be committed.When they both saw it and heard it they said that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Satan. The difference here was that they knew in their hearts that he was the Son of God and they knew that he was performing miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus then said that if he had not done amongst them the works that no one else had done then they had not have sin and he went on to say that now they have seen both me and my Father and have hated both me and my Father and now they have no cloak for their sin. (here cloak means covering which the Lord provides to the believer) I know that many Christians have worried about this sin but thankfully the only sin which will condemn any one to hell today is the sin of unbelief i.e. refusing to accept Jesus as their savior. Hope this helps!

Answer 7

Blasphemy is the act of showing contempt, insulting, or expressing a lack of reverence for God; the act of claiming the attributes of deity; defiant irreverence toward something considered sacred. According to Christ blasphemy against the holy spirit is unforgivable sin. Jules, Australia.

Answer 8

Good Question..
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit refers to speaking against the Holy Spirit..

Matthew 12:30-32 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society



30"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 31And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Anyone 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.

In other words claiming something against the holy spirit not giving credit where its due... "Speaking against the Holy Spirit"

Answer 9

In Mark 3:23-29, So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "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; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." I sincerely hope this helps you and answers your questions. Maggie

Answer 10

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is, of course, the only unforgivable sin. What sin can not be forgiven but a sin never confessed?

Answer 11

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is deny and degrading the existence of the Holy Spirit. Deity/God is spirit... there is a spiritual world. We are physical... we live in a physical world of matter... the spiritual world is a higher realm of existence than the physical material world... There are natural laws that govern our physical material world and there is a set of different laws that govern the spiritual world... We are part spiritual, God has given us a bit of his essence to blend with our physical bodies to for our ETERNAL SOUL... TO deny the Holy Spirit is to deny Deity/God as they exist in the Spiritual world... and it is the Holy Spirit that gives unity to God the Father and Jesus Christ... as Jesus is both physical and spiritual...
We have a physical body, we have an eternal soul, and we have a mind, intellect that binds the body and soul into a working unit of one person... To deny the Holy Spirit is to deny God and Jesus Christ... it is to deny the TRINITY as the GODHEAD/DEITY. To deny God is an unforgivable sin... because when you deny the Holy Spirit it is as if someone denys your mind and intellect... and in that denial... you really don't exist... you are nothing but a robot!
We give honor to the Holy Spirit, God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ... Don't try to understand this mystery... it is something that will be given to you to understand in the next life, provided you get there. Some things God makes us wait for... I am content to wait to learn about this and in the meantime... I believe on FAITH...