What is to sin against the holy ghost?

Answer 1

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is also know as the sin against the Holy Spirit and the unforgiveable sin. To understand what the sin against the Holy Spirit is, we need to look at the circumstances and setting of Jesus' warning against this sin.

In the twelfth chapter of Matthew's Gospel we hear Jesus warn a group of Pharisees not to commit the sin against the Holy Spirit. Jesus had just performed a miracle. A man who was possessed by a demon had been brought to him. The demon had made the man blind and mute. When Jesus drove the demon from him the man was able to see and speak. The crowds were amazed. No one could deny that Jesus had performed a miracle. But the Pharisees said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons" (Matthew 12:24)

Jesus pointed out the foolishness of their accusation by saying, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?" . . . But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (vs. 25-26, 28).

Jesus' miracle testified to his divinity and gave God's stamp of approval to his message. The Holy Spirit was knocking at the door of the hearts of the Pharisees who had witnessed this miracle. But they were rejecting this work of the Holy Spirit in a most blasphemous way. Jesus therefore warned, "And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks 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" (vs 31-32).

The sin against the Holy Spirit involves a blasphemous rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit against better knowledge. One Lutheran theologian defines this sin as "the malicious and blasphemous rejection of the Gospel by a hardened sinner, who through the gracious illumination of the Holy Ghost has been fully convinced of its divine truth."

This sin is not unforgivable because Jesus did not die for it. Jesus died for all sins of all people of all time. This sin is unforgivable because the person who has committed it cuts off the only way that anyone can receive forgiveness. Such a person has blasphemously rejected the work of the Holy Spirit in his heart. When that happens God precludes the possibility of repentance.

Jesus did not say that the Pharisees had already committed the sin against the Holy Spirit. He gave them a warning because they were in danger of committing it. His warning was meant to turn them from the grave danger they were putting themselves in.

Sometimes Christians worry that they may have committed the sin against the Holy Spirit because of something that they have said or done. It is certain, however, that anyone who is worried about having committed the sin against the Holy Spirit has not committed it. A person who has committed this sin would not be concerned about it or care about his condition.

Answer 2

The Holy Ghost teaches and testifies of the Truth of the Gospel.
If someone has received the gift of the Holy Ghost and then rejected Him, there is no forgiveness. This would be a hard sin to demonstrate, since you could question if the person had truely received Him.

Such people "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" would have received a testimony then apostatize and then go out of their way to work against the Truth.

Answer 3

When Jesus was here on earth that meant to reject Him as God's Son and to claim that the power behind his miracles was from the Devil and not from God's Holy Spirit.

Nowadays it means to continually reject the conviction of the Holy Spirit that leads people to repentance and salvation through faith in Christ. If a person constantly rebells against the Spirit and says that the Bible isn't inspired by God and all of that religious stuff is just a bunch of hogwash and I don't need Jesus, then their sins will not be forgiven and they will end up in hell.

Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it."

54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Answer 4

Good question.
It is also the unforgivable sin.

In the last days, some will be brought before the anti-Christ to answer.
They are to open their mouths and let the Holy Spirit speak.
To not do this is to commit the unpardonable sin.

Answer 5

The unpardonable sin is called blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

What is blasphemy? The religious leaders accused Jesus Christ of blasphemy, because he made himself equal with God.

So blasphemy is being equal or greater than God.

If the Holy Spirit is God Almighty, then he should have his rightful place as God in your life. If you reject the Holy Spirit, you are making yourself equal or greater than God.

To speak plainly, if you reject Jesus Christ as your Savior (He sends the Holy Spirit to you) and die in your sins, you have made yourself above the authority of God and you have rejected God's Holy Spirit.

You are your own God. You have placed yourself equal to or above God. To be really plain, you said no to God.

The rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior is the unpardonable sin. It is the only sin for which there is no forgiveness either in this life or the next. Period.

Answer 6

I believe that is when you have had the holy ghost and then you backslide and talk against it. I believe that is blasphemy and the only unpardonable sin.

Answer 7

Just don't say bad things about the holy ghost. God gets really pissed and he won't every forgive you. EVER! JUST DON'T DO IT!

Answer 8

Not listen to Him, reject His counsel to the point that you do not even feel the need of Him any more. Making claims that you have the power that only He has and setting yourself up as God.

Answer 9

You probably would have to known God and then completely deny that experience,or some where close to this.

Answer 10

To reject Christ from your life by refusing salvation.