In the book of Matthew Jesus presents a concept commonly know as the unforgivable sin. This comes as a shock to many Christians and even a stumbling block to new believers or for those seeking salvation through Christ. The sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
“…And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come…” (Matt. 12.30-32)
Before Jesus gets to this passage on blasphemy, he is dealing with the Pharisees. They are accusing him of being in league with Satan; they are saying that he was able to cast out a demon from a man because he has the power of Beelzebub. Proper understanding of this passage will require a thorough look into the meaning of blasphemy as well as what it means to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. It is also important to know who is able to commit this sin as well as to what degree the sin will not be forgiven.
Before this passage can accurately be discussed, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the word blasphemy as used in this context. Blasphemy is translated from the Greek word, blasphemia, which is actually the root of the English word. In the Greek, blasphemia is actually a conjunction of blaptein, meaning “to injure” and pheme, meaning “reputation” (“Blasphemy”, n.d.). The word is in direct opposition to euphemy, the Greek word which the English, ‘euphemism’ is derived. “A euphemism is an expression intended by the speaker to be less offensive, disturbing, or troubling to the listener than the word or phrase it replaces” (“Euphemism”, n.d.). Based on these definitions, to blaspheme is to injure the reputation of someone by being offensive, disturbing and troubling to the listener.
Therefore, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to speak with intent to injure the reputation of the Holy Spirit by means of offensive, disturbing and troubling speech. Since God claims sovereignty over all creation, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit would be an attempt to discredit His role and work. In essence, it is to say that Jesus was not conceived by the Holy Spirit, and therefore not the son of God (Matt. 1.18). Jesus was not doing the Fathers work as he was led by the Spirit (Luke 4.1). The Holy Spirit does not indwell man and enable man with the gifts of the Father (Acts 2.4). The Holy Spirit does not work through man to bring God’s word (Acts 4.31). The Holy Spirit does not seal salvation (Eph 1.13). Men are not washed of transgressions and renewed in life through the Holy Spirit (Tit. 3.4).
It is people who believe and preach against these biblical truths that are guilty of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. In fact no man with the Spirit inside of Him would be able to believe these sorts of things because of the Spirits work within them. Therefore it is only unbelievers who have formed bitterness and anger against God, and consequently reject Him, that are guilty of this sin. Notice that it says, “they won’t be forgiven” not that they “can’t be forgiven.” The sin is unforgiven not unforgivable. It is not that God is unwilling, simply that the nature of the sin is one which man can only be guilty of through an unwillingness to repent.
It is also important that this age and the age to come are both addressed. Only in this age, the church era, does man have the ability to repent. In the age to come, when Christ returns, we will sit before judgment and no longer have the right to repent and be with Christ. So it is both in this era and in the one to come which this sin will remain unforgiven for those who have committed it.
It has been said that if you are concerned that you may have committed this sin, then you can be assured that you have not. Still, the intention of this passage is not to put the mind at ease. We all must consider our speech. Jesus’ words are “sobering for us [believers] too, since in the last verses of this section Jesus speaks to people exactly like us” (Boyce, 2001, p. 215). “[All] men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken…by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12.36, 37). This is an exhortation by Jesus to be careful how we speak lest we stand condemned.
References
Blasphemy. (n.d.) Blasphemy.eu. Retrieved from http://www.blasphemy.eu
Boyce, J.M.. (2001). The Gospel of Matthew: The King and His Kingdom. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Euphemism. (n.d.) Blasphemy.eu. Retrieved from http://www.blasphemy.eu
Am I Guilty of Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
