Bible Studies

Blasphemy The Unforgivable Sin

by Teresa Wiltz
04/19/18
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There are so many conflicting theories about the definition of “Blasphemy,” so I decided to do some thorough research as well as praying for discernment to rediscover for myself what it truly means.  However, before I get into how the Holy Spirit (Scripture) led me through this process, I would first like to list man’s definition of blasphemy shown below:

According to Merriam - Webster dictionary the word 'blasphemy' means 'the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God; the act of claiming the attributes of deity; irreverence toward something considered sacred.'

The viewpoint of blasphemy is not so different from Webster’s definition and it ties into the Christian faith which supersedes all other forms of religion because it is rooted in historical evidence. Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of Caesar Augustus, but it was Pontius Pilate who sentenced him to death. The testimony of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection is validated by actual Biblical eyewitness affirmations in the New Testament and was also prophesied hundreds of years prior to these accounts in the Old Testament from multiple prophets of God.  

Whenever we diligently study God’s Word, we are in essence accepting His Spirit to indwell us and thus maintaining faith in the salvation of Christ as depicted in the following verse:

(Ephesians 6:17) “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

The sword of the Spirit is the living Word of God in our hearts and through our verbal confession of sin and testimony based on Scripture (Spirit). “So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  It is through historical verification of the resurrection that Christ proved his claim to the deity as mentioned by Paul in the following scriptures:

(1 Corinthians 15:3-8) “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,  and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;  then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;  and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.”

It is important to realize that blasphemy is not limited to non-Christians, but it also applies to those who claim to be Christian and yet are eager to remain living in their sin. According to the Word (Spirit) of God, we will know them by their fruit because a good tree cannot produce bad fruit and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit (Matthew 7:17).

(Hebrews 10:26-29) “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.  Anyone who rejected the Law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

There are blasphemies that will be forgiven, even those spoken against Jesus Christ (as demonstrated by Peter when he denied Jesus three times).  However, it is only the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Word) that will NEVER be forgiven. The question now is what does Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit mean?

By now, after careful consideration and probing of God’s eternal Word (Spirit), it is definitely understood that blasphemy is speaking against and/or spewing blatant rejection of the Holy Spirit (Word).  It is the consistent and willful slanderous rejection of the Spirit’s (Word) Testimony about Jesus Christ. Someone who does not believe the gospel (Spirit) and does not repent as a result of their non-belief will never be forgiven.

Another characteristic of blasphemous behavior to consider is when people attribute the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil as was the case in (Matthew 12:24).  Basically, whether willfully speaking against the Holy Spirit or falsely accusing the works of the Holy Spirit to be that of Satan’s, correlates to the ultimate rejection of the Holy Spirit which is consistent with Scripture.

The unbeliever who commits this sin has to be so morally and spiritually bankrupt that their heart is hardened to the point that they continuously disrespect the Holy Spirit over and over again; would rather cling to their remorseless lack of faith toward all things Godly. 

They are lost souls faithlessly roaming on a pathway of rebellion with a seared conscience.  “Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.” (1Timothy 4:2)

They are shut off to the conviction of the Holy Spirit (Scripture), the free gift of salvation, and are blindly subjected to imminent damnation.  

Such people who have committed blasphemy do not seek forgiveness, nor do they desire anything from a God they clearly do not believe in. These people are incapable of praying to God for their salvation.  Scripture (Spirit) indicates that the Holy Spirit has ceased to work on their hearts because they have become overtaken by the darkness of their depraved living and are blinded to the truth.

(John 8:31-32) “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in my Word, you are my disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”’

Just imagine the enormity of how Jesus Christ suffered for the gift of salvation through grace and forgiveness of our sins.  It is a slap in His face to discount the degree of enduring such horrific bloodshed, beating, spitting, mocking, being pierced with a spear, all while nailed to the Cross, hanging for nine agonizing hours willing to die such an unimaginable death; only to have people deny the validity of the Holy Spirit (Scripture) which Christ ordained as our comforter for the occurrence of His ascension into Heaven.  It is immensely understandable as to why blasphemy is the one and only unforgivable sin because it would be like crucifying Jesus Christ all over again in modern times.

(Colossians 3:16) “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

As referenced in earlier scriptures, the Spirit and the Word are one in the same; therefore to reject one is to reject the other thus leading to the unforgivable sin of blasphemy.  It is impossible for we genuine Christians to ever commit blasphemy because through faith and love of Christ, our temples are forever indwelled by His Holy Spirit; Jesus said, “If a Kingdom is divided against itself that Kingdom cannot stand.” (Mark 3:24)       

By, Teresa Wiltz

Peace, joy, faith, hope, and love in Christ...many blessings~