Hopefully making theology simpler to understand! (2 Corinthians 1:12)

I have started a short series! I am going to take you through some of the sayings of Jesus that can be … confusing … difficult … misapplied … whatever!

What does this mean? I will look at passages that I have personally heard misapplied, misunderstood, or simply confusion expressed over what Jesus meant.

Also, one of these should be appearing on The Domain for Truth later this month to help out SlimJim with some coverage of his blog while he travels. (No worries. I will share it here on this blog when it happens!)

Now, what is our first passage? (Maybe you already have a good idea based on the title.)

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”
Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Matthew 12:22-32, ESV

In 2007, I saw a televised debate between two atheists and Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron. I was not too surprised by much of the debate, to be honest, and feel like both sides could have done a better job.

However, the atheists mentioned a website they created where people could upload a video of themselves saying “I deny the Holy Spirit” to show they were not concerned with ever being saved.

Is this really what denying the Holy Spirit is, though?

You probably know that the answer to this leading question is “No.”

But what is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?

There are two parts:

1. As implied by this passage, it is ascribing things of God to … actually … anything or anyone else. Or, as Isaiah wrote, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!“
   Conversely, this means it can also be saying something evil is of God. (We could get into what a lot of people today call good and of God, but that list is very long. Just know that many politicians and churches do this pretty much daily.)
2. Secondly, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is denying the specific work of the Holy Spirit.

What is this work of the Holy Spirit that is unpardonable (unforgivable)?

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:29, 44

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.“
John 16:7-15

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit
Titus 3:4-5

Denying the work of the Holy Spirit – blaspheming His name – is saying that Jesus the Christ is a) not the son of God, b) did not die for our sins, and c) is not needed for our salvation.

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is to say we do not need Jesus, to claim we are sinless.

This also hearkens back to the Third Commandment: “Do not use the Lord’s name in vain.”

If you claim to be a Christian while denying Jesus’ divinity or claiming you are without sin …

If you claim to be “spiritual but not religious” without a need for God/Jesus …

If you claim you do not need to do anything, because “I’m good with Christ” yet never show any growth in Him …

… you are taking His name in vain and blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

In other words, believe the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, and that you need forgiveness for sin found in the blood of Christ.

Then go out and share the gospel and help those in need.