Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. (The Eternal Sin)
Matt 12:31. Mark 3:29
Matthew 12:31, “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.”
Mar 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
As Christians we have probably heard or read these scriptures many times, without understanding exactly what is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit or what is the Eternal sin.
A Christian may wonder if they are guilty of this sin.
Well, the context of a verse is very important, we cannot lift a scripture out of its context and try to understand the meaning, without the context it was quoted in.
First you will notice that Jesus said every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, never has forgiveness.
So, there are many sins, sins such as lying, cheating, violence, murder, sexual sins, pride. Also many blasphemy’s. Taking the name of the Lord our God in vain, using blasphemous phrases about Jesus.
Mat 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him:
According to the words of Jesus all these sins are forgivable through confession and repentance.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.
Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life”.
1 Timothy 2:5,6 “The only mediator between God and man is Jesus Christ” .
According to Jesus words in the text, there is one sin that is unforgivable.
So first, what is this sin?
Well, we are told, it is an unforgivable sin. Also it is an eternal sin.
We believe in a Triune God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Each person of the Godhead has a function. God the Father is Sovereign, He is Omnicient (All knowing), Omnipresent (Everywhere, in all and through all), and Omnipotent, (Almighty).
God the Father was manifest in the flesh in Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Matt 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
God sent His Son into the world to pay the price of sin, that through Jesus Christ we could have forgiveness of sin.
Forgiveness can only come through Jesus Christ.
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
The question here is, how do we come to know this love of God, how do we come to understand that Jesus died for our sins?
Well, this is where the Holy Spirit comes in, the third person of the Godhead.
Jesus said,
John 6:18 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Other translations say He will convict the world.
The role of the Holy Spirit in the work of salvation is to testify to Christ.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
John 15:26, 27 When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also testify because are with me from the beginning.
Going back to our text, let’s look at what caused Jesus to say these words.
Mar 3:22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
Mar 3:23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
Mar 3:24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
Mar 3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Mar 3:26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
Mar 3:27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
Mar 3:28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
Mar 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Mar 3:30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
We see in this passage that the Holy Spirit was testifying to Jesus authenticity, that He was indeed the Christ and the works that He was doing was by the power of the Holy Spirit.
However, the scribes responded with unbelief and blasphemed the Holy Spirit.
Blapheme - blasphēmeō - blas-fay-meh'-o
From G989; to vilify; specifically to speak impiously: - (speak) blaspheme (-er, -mously, -my), defame, rail on, revile, speak evil.
They vilified, they spoke impiously, they defamed, they reviled, they spoke evil of the Holy Spirit.
Mar 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Mar 3:30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is continued unbelief.
He that believes and repents shall be forgiven, he that believes not and remains unrepentant shall not be forgiven.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
If one continues in unbelief to his dying day, he will never be forgiven.
One may say that never does not mean never.
Well, that may be the case with human beings.
How many times has it been said “I will never forgive you for that” but very often things change and times change and we do find ourselves forgiving those that sinned against us.
However, these words of Jesus here in our text are very serious.
With God never means never.
Blaspheming God or Jesus can be forgiven but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot, because blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is to deny the testimony of the Holy Spirit concerning Christ, it is disbelief.
Mat 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Anyone who says that, even if they are not forgiven in this age, they can be forgiven in the age to come. According to scripture this is not correct. Anyone who dies in their sin, will suffer the consequences of that sin. There is no second chance.
Mat 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
John Piper quote:
If God says to you, “Never will I forgive you,” then a million ages from now his verdict will be like granite. His sentences are as unbreakable as his pardons.
2 Cor 6:2 For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
When Mark 3:29 calls blasphemy against the Holy Spirit an “eternal sin,” it means a sin that God will not forgive to all eternity.
This is one of the clearest passages in the Bible to the effect that there will be those shut out of forgiveness, bearing their guilt forever. And it is the teaching of Jesus, who loved us and gave himself for us!
So, what is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
It is denial and disbelief of the testimony the Holy Spirit concerning Jesus Christ.
Why is it called an Eternal sin?
It is an unforgivable sin. Jesus calls it an eternal sin, one that never has forgiveness, one that sends a person into eternity to bear his guilt
under God’s wrath forever.
Finally.
Can a Christian be guilty of this eternal sin, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
The simple answer is no.
Because a person who has heard the Gospel of Jesus and by the regenerative power of the Holy Ghost has been brought to repentance and faith in Christ and therefore is born again. They have received the testimony of the Holy Spirit and therefore are not guilty of this eternal sin. They have believed the Holy Spirits witness and received forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Hebrews 3:15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
The scribes in our text, had hardened their hearts and attributed what Christ was doing to Satan, (Beelzebub).
So Jesus saw this as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and declared this an unforgivable sin.
Should any one continue in their unbelief and deny that Jesus is the Christ shall die in their sins and is in danger of damnation.
Mar 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
What must we do?
Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
