Blasphemy
Blasphemy is speaking evil of God or denying Him some good which we should attribute to Him. It could also be understood to be acting in any impious, mocking or contemptuous way toward any member of the Trinity.1 The word blasphemy comes from the Greek word , blasphemia, meaning "curse" or "vilifying." 2 Blasphemy arises out of pride (Psalm 73:9,11), hatred (Psalm 74:18), injustice (Isaiah 52:5), etc. Christ was often mistakenly accused of blasphemy by Jewish leaders (John 10:30-33).
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is understood within its biblical context as stating or believing that Jesus did his miracles by the power of the devil (Matt. 12:22-32) and is an unforgivable sin (Mark 3:28-30). Some people assert that that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit or the unforgivable sin is rejecting Christ's death on the cross for the forgiveness of sin and the Holy Spirits offer of salvation.
- carm.org
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit:
ReplyDeleteI've come to actually view this slightly differently although I think what you write here is Biblical. I've often thought about how blasphemy against the Holy Spirit could be an unforgivable sin. It seems like many theologians have taken the route of linking it to any denial of the Gospel. However I now feel that it may be even more devious than that. It has become my belief that to reject the Holy Spirit means to know it to be true and to still deny it, to reject it.
Let's say you have a man from far away who has never heard about Jesus, he has never heard the Gospel and he lives a life apart from Jesus because he doesn't know. He believes in a God but doesn't know Him. He dies. Where does he go? Many would say that His sin separates him from God, but Jesus forgave His sin, the only sin that can't be forgiven is a full blown rejection of that gift. To see it, and not want it.
Then you have another man, well educated and has been raised in the Church. One day he decides in his heart that he doesn't care much for this God that he has believed in all his life so he decides not to. He goes and picks up a bunch of books on how faith is evil and all that. He rejects the gift of God, rejects the Holy Spirit.
This is obviously the stance of Satan, who knew God, has seen God and yet rejects Him.
People do it all the time.
But what if someone receives a bad Gospel? (get the irony?) What if the message they are presented with isn't the whole picture? Are they still accountable? What if it's a prosperity Gospel? What if they don't know about the Holy Spirit? What if they are willing to have the good news, but the news they receive is false?
This is why Biblical preaching and teaching like what Ronn is doing is so vital because it sifts through all the muck so the gold (the pure truth) can rise to the top.
Another great post Ronn!