Okay, so the unforgiveable sin is blasphemy of the holy spirit, right?

Question

At least, that's what Mark 3:29 says. Here's what I don't get: to blaspheme the holy spirit is basically to doubt its existence. Given that the christian god is supposed to be a trinity (jesus is god, god is the holy spirit, the holy spirit is jesus), doesn't that mean that the unforgiveable sin is to doubt god? If you doubt the holy spirit, you are by extension doubting god, and vice versa. Right? Or have I missed something?

Answer 1

Chris,

Well you've helped me on evolution, let me help you on theology (since that's one of my degrees):

Here's the context of the passage:

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.

21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."

23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan?

24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.

27 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.

28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them.

29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."

30 He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."

So from that context, we understand a few things: Blasphemy in general is something you say. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is attributing the works of God with the works of the devil in the overt way you see described above. It is not unbelief, or doubt. It is also something that was likely restricted to the time when Christ was physically on the earth performing his miracles. There are some that will disagree with me, but I feel pretty good about the answer from a Christian perspective.

Answer 2

Yes, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are God, but each person has His role in the plan of salvation. The Father is the one that we will answer to for our sins. The Son Jesus Christ is the mediator between the Father and mankind, and He shed His blood on the cross as payment for our sins.

However, the Holy Spirit is the one here on earth that reveals Christ and the gospel to us (remember, the Father and Jesus are in heaven now). If you offend the Father, well, we've all done that (Romans 3.23). If you offend Jesus, He's the one that died to forgive our offenses. But if you offend the Spirit, who is left on the earth to reveal the gospel to you? No one. If you sin against the Holy Spirit, He will leave you alone, and without His work, you cannot have Jesus' remedy for sin applied to your life.

But what is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? Verse 22 gives the answer. The pharisees ascribed an obvious work of the Holy Spirit (the casting out of demon spirits) to Satan. No other act or sin can be called blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

One other note... many Christians fear that they have committed this sin. The only one that can convict of sin (see John 8.7-11) is the Spirit Himself. If you commit this sin, you will not feel remorse nor a desire to repent. Thus, any fear that you might have committed it proves that you did not in fact commit it. In any case, the man that does commit this sin does so purposely, and not by accident.

Answer 3

A big mistake that most people make with reading the bible is that they don't understand that everything needs to be read in context. That means that one must ask the questions, Who was being spoken to here, Why was this being said, How does this apply to me. Also single scriptures need to be read along with those before and directly preceding the line in question. When Jesus was talking about the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, He was talking to the Pharisees (religious leaders of the day) Who had said that He was possessed and by the power of the Devil, He was casting out Demons. These people were so hardened in their own hearts that they called a direct manifestation of the Holy Spirit the work of the devil. The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is very hard to do. One must repeatedly reject the work of the Holy Spirit as the work of the Devil. Hope this helps with your questions.

Answer 4

No one really knows what blaspheming the Holy Spirit is. Some claim that it is unbelief to the point of never receiving Christ as savior. Others say that it is attributing a work of the Holy Spirit to the devil.

Answer 5

My pal. If Jesus did the miracles of the devil, why have been the human beings saved? If it became evil, why have been the human beings happy. you're a stable individual yet doubt took administration of you and it fairly is not from you yet from the devil who confuses human beings. you ought to desire to God to grant you the perception. God is a loving God - Exodus 34:5-9. Psalm 103:11-14. a million John 4:8-10. 2 Peter 3:9. a million John a million:9. All sins are forgiveable different than one and you're no longer in that type. do no longer provide up my pal purely confess your sins - Acts 2:38, 3:18. GOD BLESS.

Answer 6

It means you mock or do not believe the Holy Spirit, thus rejecting His message of salvation through Jesus Christ. The reason it is the only unforgiveable sin is because the Holy Spirit brings you the only way to have salvation........if you reject that one way, you have no forgiveness. If you accept that one way, then all sins are forgiven.

Answer 7

I guess it is a simple way to stop people from asking questions about the foundation of their religion.

That doesn't work. Having an idea hold in a debate only makes it stronger. Questioning (a form of doubt) is only dangerous if trying to control others.

Answer 8

Here is part of a commentary I often use describes this.

it shall not be forgiven him: not because the Holy Ghost is greater than Christ; or for want of efficacy in the blood of Christ; or because God cannot pardon it; but because such persons wilfully, maliciously, and obstinately oppose the Spirit of God, without whom there can be no application of pardon made; and remain in hardness of heart, are given up to a reprobate mind, and die in impenitence and unbelief, and so there is no forgiveness for them

Answer 9

Is denying the existence of the Abraham god not enough for me to get my ticket to the Abraham hell? Which is kind of silly since I stopped believing in hell and I believe in the continuance of all energy in our universe towards new life. I deny The existence of the God Abraham worshiped. Is it not a paradox that I cannot blaspheme a God or spirit I no longer believe exist?

Answer 10

It's not about doubt but saying "good is bad" and "bad is good." The people (Pharisees-Jewish leaders) who said these things about Jesus doing them through the power of Satan also believed in God.