Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

When ministering over the Internet, I’ve noticed selected topics spark doctrinal debates more than others. Among them are tithing, the rapture, and “once saved, always saved.” In response to a recent Facebook post I wrote regarding the latter, one friend made reference to blaspheming the Holy Spirit (also called “the Unpardonable Sin”). Jesus talked about this in Mark 3…

22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”

23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 

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

26 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. 

27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 

29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”

30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

I heard one evangelist warn that preachers who attribute speaking in tongues and other works of God to Satan are in danger of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. That had me questioning why more religious “watchdogs” aren’t dropping like flies. In my opinion, most folks attack ministers they disagree with because of not enough revelation of Scripture. Saul of Tarsus was a devout Jew who persecuted Christians before his Damascus Road experience. As the Apostle Paul he later wrote in 1 Timothy 1:13, “although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”

Nevertheless, I heard that same evangelist share a story about a man who told one Christian, “Your Holy Spirit can go to hell.” A short time later, this man was supernaturally thrown across the room and died. There is a point of no return for people who repeatedly resist the Spirit of God. That also applies to mature Christians who decide to turn away from Him. Look at this passage from Hebrews chapter 6 in the New Living Translation:

4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 

5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 

6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.

Years ago, a group of atheists called the Rational Response Squad launched “The Blasphemy Challenge.” The campaign enticed young people to post YouTube videos of them publicly denying the existence of the Holy Spirit. That is not the unpardonable sin. One study Bible points out: “To commit this sin one must consciously, persistently, deliberately, and maliciously reject the testimony of the Spirit to the deity and saving power of the Lord Jesus.”

A Christian can grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). But if you’re worried about committing the unpardonable sin, you haven’t done so. There is also hope if you don’t know the Lord but still feel His conviction and want eternal life. Put your trust in Him today.

“Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” - John 6:37 (NIV)