Sins against the Holy Spirit?

luvnlife · Lion King Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 1133 Location: US

When I read about the BTK killer, I was mortified. When I read about the work he (Dennis Rader) had done in his church and how everyone was shocked and no one could believe that he could have done these crimes, I too was shocked and saddened. Right after I read about these crimes, I picked up my bible and started reading. I came across the following scriptures:

Matthew 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.

Matthew 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.

I immediately thought of Dennis Rader and wondered if these scriptures and the one in Mark might apply to him and people like him. People who profess to know God and Christ but who lead a secret double life and use the holy names of God and Jesus to get away with crimes and, in the process, hurt the spirits of people who truly do love and believe in God and Jesus.

(Mark 3:29
But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation).

Are these scriptures referring to blatant hypocrisy?

What other sins besides blasphemy are considered sins against the Holy Spirit? What does Mark 3:29 mean when it says 'in danger of eternal damnation? If a sin against the Holy Spirit is something that is 'never forgiven,' isn't eternal damnation a given or am I reading this scripture wrong?

Question

Love, Luv

Steven3 · Lion King Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 1205 Location: UK

Hi Luvnlife

luvnlife · Lion King Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 1133 Location: US

OK... So help me here. Is blasphemy the only sin against the Holy Spirit that will not be forgiven?

And what is considered blasphemy? Let's lay out a scenario: A man goes to church and is in a position of authority in the church and in the community. He is well-respected and admired within this community. But all the while, he is doing things that go against the teachings of God. Serious things like raping women or murder. You fill in the blank(s) on that point.

My question now becomes is whatever it is he is doing considered a blasphemous act since it is a contemptuous and profane act? It does concern God because this person is in a position of respect in a church that represents God but doing things that are directly opposed to Gods teachings.

Thanks, I hope I explained my question a little more clearly this time.

Love, Luv Very Happy

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 6844 Location: USA

Blaspheme
BLASPHE'ME, v.t. [Gr. The first syllable is the same as in blame, blasme, denoting injury; L. loedo, loesus; The last syllable is the Gr.,to speak.]

1. To speak of the Supreme Being in terms of impious irreverence; to revile or speak reproachfully of God, or the Holy Spirit. 1 Ki 21. Mark 3.

2. To speak evil of; to utter abuse or calumny against; to speak reproachfully of.

The bottom line of blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is the denial of God's saving grace. Man can sin against God and still be redeemed, man can sin against man, and still be redeemed. Man cannot deny God and His sovereign saving grace, and be redeemed.

Steven3 · Lion King Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 1205 Location: UK

RevJP

luvnlife · Lion King Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 1133 Location: US

blas·phe·my (blăs'fə-mē)
n., pl. -mies.

A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity.
The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.
An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.

So according to the definition of blasphemy, the answer is really broader than the scriptures Steven introduced in his post.

Steven said:

MoJo · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 9:07 am Post subject:

if you go by examples of blasphemy in the OT, at least part of the definition would be claiming to be God's people, but behaving contrary to his teachings in the sight of others.

So I don't think it's possible to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit without the element of first claiming to be of God. It may therefore be impossible for atheists to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.

thus, the statement Jesus made about saying things against him was forgiveable.

It also requires looking very closely at the circumstances in which he said this. The Pharisees were accusing him (who was the word of the Holy Spirit) of casting out demons by a demon. IOW, they were blaspheming the works of God, by saying these works were of the devil.

I would say that your example sounds like blasphemy because this person claimed to be of God. Unbelievers would use this as another excuse to accuse Christianity and Christians in general and thus God's name is blasphemed among the heathen. We can see that if this is true that there's been, and is, a lot of blasphemy going on, however it's amongst those who profess to be Christians, but do evil works.

To me, it also suggests that one has to be very careful about what we say to fellow believers. Not accusing each other of evil, for if that person has the Holy Spirit, you are blaspheming the Spirit as the Pharisees blasphemed the Spirit.

Very Happy

luvnlife · Lion King Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 1133 Location: US

Thanks, MoJo; I appreciate your response and insight. You stated much of what I was thinking but was unable to present as eloquently as you have.

The way you have explained it is very clear and I think you are spot-on.

Thanks again,

Luv Very Happy

MoJo · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 7:12 pm Post subject:

You're welcome

Luv Very Happy

luvnlife · Lion King Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 1133 Location: US

I don't mean to beat a dead horse but I still have one other question on this topic concerning the following verse: Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.

If someone blasphemes against the Holy Ghost and is never forgiven, how can they be in danger of eternal damnation? Are they eternally damned or not?

If they change their ways, can they still be saved and how can they be saved if they are never forgiven? Will what happened in the past always be held against them for eternity? How does that idea jive with living in a perfect sin-free paradise environment?

I'm slightly confused on this one.

Thanks, Luv Question

Steven3 · Lion King Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 1205 Location: UK

Hi Luv

luvnlife · Lion King Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 1133 Location: US

Here are more examples of the same scripture from other translations:

Mark 3:29 (New American Standard Bible) but (A)whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"--

Mark 3:29 (New International Version) But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."

Mark 3:29 (Amplified Bible) But whoever speaks abusively against or maliciously misrepresents the Holy Spirit can never get forgiveness, but is guilty of and is in the grasp of [a]an everlasting trespass.

Mark 3:29 (New World Translation): 29 However, whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit has no forgiveness forever, but is guilty of everlasting sin.”

Mark 3:29 (Darby Translation)
but whosoever shall speak injuriously against the Holy Spirit, to eternity has no forgiveness; but lies under the guilt of an everlasting sin;

Mark 3:29 (Holman Christian Standard Bible) But whoever blasphemes (A) against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, (B) but is guilty (C) of an eternal sin" (D) [a] —

So... if one is not forgiven, are they forever condemned? Is it a condemnation to death or of being in Gods sight but never in his favor?

Question

Luv

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 6844 Location: USA

luvnlife · Lion King Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 1133 Location: US

(Luv asked:

Silver Surfer · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:02 am Post subject: Re: Sins against the Holy Spirit?

It is eay to sin against the Holy Spirit.

All a person has to do is reject what God is trying to tell a person what sin is.

Every person has a sin in their lives, that they don't think is a sin.
And by simply rejecting the H.S. influence regarding that subject is sin, against the Holy Spirit.