Christians blaspheming the Holy Spirit

[ZephBonkerer]

I would consider it this way: why was blaspheming the Holy Spirit named as the unpardonable sin? Jesus referred to this offense in the context of someone attributing the works of the Spirit to the Devil.

Consider the Pharisees who committed this offense. They had no evidence to support their slander. They had demonstrated time and time again that there was no miracle that Jesus could perform that they would credit as evidence of His divinity. - not even the resurrection and ascension. They had sealed themselves off from the truth so thoroughly that nothing could save them from eternal damnation.

They also demonstrated that their positions of prestige mattered more to them than carrying out the Will of God. They sold their souls for their wealth and their positions of honor. In the end, they lost it all. No amount of wealth and prestige is worth rejecting the Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness.

 

[1Tonne]

I do agree that attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to the devil is blasphemy.
But I do wonder about those who have the Holy Spirit and deny it by not telling people of Gods great sacrifice. Many say that they are filled but then say nothing. They come along to church, and they go to Christian gatherings, and they even talk a lot about the things of God in front of believers. Some may even run home groups. They can be knowledgeable in front of believers. But, when with unbelievers, they say that they are a Christian but never give the reason for their faith. It is very hollow. Faith without works is dead.

Now some will say that the works we are to do, are serving people. Doing good deeds. Getting out there and feeding the hungry and clothing the poor. This I believe we should be doing as it is loving our neighbour. But I don't think that these are a work of faith. These are more a work of compassion. You see the poor and have empathy for them and so therefore clothe them. Even unbelievers do this. Does this mean that they have faith in Jesus? Of cause not.
James 2:14-17 says "What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."
When we read this, we need to realise that the wording is a simile. We see this when it says, "In the same way." So, a likewise simile could read, "If a fireman went to a fire but did not put the fire out, what use is that? In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." Does this mean that we should all go out and be firemen? No. What it means is that if we believe something, then we should act upon it. So, if we believe that God is real, that He will judge everyone and that there is a Heaven and Hell, and that people will perish, then we should warn others of this and tell them the Good News. Our belief should have actions.

If you were to walk along a path and I told you that there was a land mine in the middle of the path, if you believed me, then you would walk around it. And if you knew that other people would be coming down the same path, you would warn them. You wouldn't simply say, "You look cold, here is a jacket and be on your way." You will warn them of the impending danger. The reason you warn them is because of your belief. Your faith. If you do not warn, then you are not really that loving. How wrong would it be to let someone die, to be blown up. You would not want that on your conscience.
James 4:17 says, "So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin." We know the right thing we are meant to do. So, we need to do it. We do not want that on our conscience.

In 1John, it speaks a lot about practicing sin. And those that practice sin, so habitual sin, will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
If we choose not to warn people, and we do it over and over again, and it is our habit not to warn people, then as James 4:17 says, that is sin.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I would consider it this way: why was blaspheming the Holy Spirit named as the unpardonable sin? Jesus referred to this offense in the context of someone attributing the works of the Spirit to the Devil.

Consider the Pharisees who committed this offense. They had no evidence to support their slander. They had demonstrated time and time again that there was no miracle that Jesus could perform that they would credit as evidence of His divinity. - not even the resurrection and ascension. They had sealed themselves off from the truth so thoroughly that nothing could save them from eternal damnation.

They also demonstrated that their positions of prestige mattered more to them than carrying out the Will of God. They sold their souls for their wealth and their positions of honor. In the end, they lost it all. No amount of wealth and prestige is worth rejecting the Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness.

We need to remember that Jesus was speaking to unconverted religious leaders who were condemned already. There was absolutely no relation between them and born again believers. Therefore, Jesus showed that in principle, if a person blasphemes the Holy Spirit they will not be forgiven, but in practice, no genuinely converted believer will ever do that.

However, in the light of modern misuse of tongues, prophecy, uncontrolled manifestations that are attributed to the Holy Spirit, sincere believers recognising that these are not of the Holy Spirit but emanating from another spirit, should not be accused of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. This is because they are recognising that these are not from the Holy Spirit at all and showing evidence of spirits that are not of God. Perhaps those who are indulging in paganised Kundalini manifestations and saying that they are in the Spirit, may be closer to blaspheming the Holy Spirit than those who are saying that these Kundalini manifestations are of pagan occult origin.

For example, Todd White's leg lengthening parlour trick that he purports to be healing by the power of the Spirit, when in fact he is deliberately manipulating one foot to make it appear that the other is growing, could well be misrepresenting the Holy Spirit, when in fact he is committing a fraud. Could that be a case of blaspheming the Holy Spirit by attributing a fraudulent deception as the work of the Holy Spirit?

 

[ZephBonkerer]

We need to remember that Jesus was speaking to unconverted religious leaders who were condemned already. There was absolutely no relation between them and born again believers. Therefore, Jesus showed that in principle, if a person blasphemes the Holy Spirit they will not be forgiven, but in practice, no genuinely converted believer will ever do that.

However, in the light of modern misuse of tongues, prophecy, uncontrolled manifestations that are attributed to the Holy Spirit, sincere believers recognising that these are not of the Holy Spirit but emanating from another spirit, should not be accused of blaspheming the Holy Spirit...

For example, Todd White's leg lengthening parlour trick that he purports to be healing by the power of the Spirit, ...when in fact he is committing a fraud. Could that be a case of blaspheming the Holy Spirit by attributing a fraudulent deception as the work of the Holy Spirit?

I would say the unpardonable offense of blaspheming the Holy Spirit would go far deeper than garden variety trickery or charlatanism. Those who practice these things are not so much interested in genuine repentance or right living with God. The trappings of spirituality are just another path to money and power for these people. These people are certainly practicing sin, but their actions are probably not uniquely unpardonable.

The Pharisees in the days of Jesus had myriad evidence available to them that Jesus was who He claimed to be. And with that, they not only rejected Him, but they denied His miracles - they even attempted to covered up His resurrection! What kind of person would willfully and recklessly deny the plain Truth!?

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I would say the unpardonable offense of blaspheming the Holy Spirit would go far deeper than garden variety trickery or charlatanism. Those who practice these things are not so much interested in genuine repentance or right living with God. The trappings of spirituality are just another path to money and power for these people. These people are certainly practicing sin, but their actions are probably not uniquely unpardonable.

The Pharisees in the days of Jesus had myriad evidence available to them that Jesus was who He claimed to be. And with that, they not only rejected Him, but they denied His miracles - they even attempted to covered up His resurrection! What kind of person would willfully and recklessly deny the plain Truth!?

Good points!

 

[rdclmn72]

The original context is that of attributing God's miracles to Satan.
The religious leaders saw the evidence of grace backing the spoken word, and in their minds to accept the miracles as signs was unthinkable.
They then attributed the miracles to Beelzebub.
In Genesis God said that the Spirit would not always strive with Mankind.
In Acts, Steven accused the Sanhedrin of resisting the Spirit.
Paul said to not prohibit tongues or prophecies.
So, whether you reject the message, resist the Spirit or prohibit tongues, prophecies or you quench the Spirit, its all bad.

 

[Kees Boer]

Another verse that also made me think that we need to spread the Gospel was James 2:24
"You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone."
This can be confusing because in Galatians 2:16 it says that we are not justified by any works of the law. So then, what works are we justified by? It can't be by being a good person or keeping the 10 Commandments. So what other works are there that we are justified by?

I believe that there are works of faith. If you believe something, then you are going to act in accordance with your belief. So, if you were walking along a path and I was to say to you, "Watch out for that land mine right there". If you believed me, you would walk around it. Your actions were a result of your belief. And, if you knew other people were going down the same path, you would warn them too. It would be wrong not to. So, our actions substantiate our belief.

A quote from Jordan Peterson goes.
“Is what you believe, what you say, or, what you act out? In truth, what you believe, is what you act out.……So, belief is substantiated in action.”

 

[Kees Boer]

The Bible is taken out of context all over the place. Just recently I heard of a State Governor that used the Bible, specifically Jesus' Words to prove that women could get abortions. It was totally out of context. Of course 1Tonne pointed out, James 2 is also ripped out of context. One thing we need to learn is that the Bible does not have chapters and verses. It's not written that way. It's very handy in referring to certain parts, but it creates proof texts. Anything can be proven. We need to read the Bible within Its context.

In this video I discuss some common mistakes in reading the Bible.

 

[YorkieGal]

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No absolutely not, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit also know as the unforgivable sin. Is found in only in the context of Mathew 12. Where Jesus is presenting to the nation of Israel, that He is the promised Messiah. And that Israel must come to a decision are they going to accept Jesus as the promised Messiah and bring in the kingdom of God.

It is seen in Matthew that the nation rejected Jesus as the promised Messiah. Based on the miracles Jesus did, the rulers of Israel attributed Jesus miracles He did to the prince of the demons and not to the power of God and The Holy Spirit.

The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit was a national sin committed by the nation of Israel. It was never an individual sin committed by individual people. And it can not be committed now by an individual person.

This is my understanding, too, but I can't remember where I learned it as it was recently and not in line with how I grew up thinking blasphemy worked.

Originally, I thought blasphemy was mocking or denying the existence of God.

Interesting how it's the only unforgiveable sin, as far as I learned, but then it is the most misunderstood as far as what we're taught/assume etc.

 

[Ceallaigh]

The Bible is taken out of context all over the place. Just recently I heard of a State Governor that used the Bible, specifically Jesus' Words to prove that women could get abortions. It was totally out of context. Of course 1Tonne pointed out, James 2 is also ripped out of context. One thing we need to learn is that the Bible does not have chapters and verses. It's not written that way. It's very handy in referring to certain parts, but it creates proof texts. Anything can be proven. We need to read the Bible within Its context.

In this video I discuss some common mistakes in reading the Bible.

I really appreciate how full of information yet concise your videos are.

 

[Ceallaigh]

What Jesus was talking about regarding blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is clearly explained in Mark 3:30

"He said this because they [the Pharisees] were saying, “He [Jesus] has an impure spirit.”" Mark 3:30

 

[d taylor]

This is my understanding, too, but I can't remember where I learned it as it was recently and not in line with how I grew up thinking blasphemy worked.

Originally, I thought blasphemy was mocking or denying the existence of God.

Interesting how it's the only unforgiveable sin, as far as I learned, but then it is the most misunderstood as far as what we're taught/assume etc.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum, in his book Footsteps of The Messiah, was where i first learned the correct teaching of Matthew 12 and the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit also know as the unforgivable sin.

 

[Ceallaigh]

There have been endless first posts to CF where someone is terrified that they had committed the unforgivable sin.

 

[Ceallaigh]

Replying to only this one statement, the only one I've read in this thread / visiting thread from summary , focused on this ....
Note that it is a habit of students to claim that they learned the truth, or the right way, or the one way, the "true teaching" in some way from some man,
and they might or might not have seen or heard the truth.

i.e. subjective, not objective; so it is usually not correct.

Everything , as written in Scripture, before believing something, must be proven truth in line with all Torah/ Scripture.

Teachers like Dr. Fruchtenbaum (a Messianic theologian) have proven that they are very good at interpreting scripture. The New Testament mentions there being several revered teachers who never wrote a single line of scripture.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit was a national sin committed by the nation of Israel. It was never an individual sin committed by individual people. And it can not be committed now by an individual person.

Not true