![]() ![]() If, after all of the above and receiving the spirit a person, with full knowledge, rejects God and commits blasphemy (has contempt for the spirit within them), her or she then becomes one of His adversaries (like the devil). To receive of the gift of God's Spirit, a person must accept and believe that Jesus is God's son and the Savior of the world, repent of sin, be willing to surrender their entire life to His will, and go under the waters of baptism (Acts 2:38). Although the Eternal certainly worked with a few people in the Old Testament, he did not make His Spirit available to mankind in general until Pentecost in 30 A.D. Speaking against or committing blasphemy against the Spirit is a different matter entirely. ![]() so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I would heal them (John 12:40). In fact, a person's rejection of Jesus and his message can sometimes be due to God himself hardening their hearts. Yet, because of their ignorance, this sin (upon repentance) will be forgiven. However, they also blasphemed because they denied and rejected He was God's son and the Messiah. People, out of their lack of full knowledge and understanding, may wrongly commit blasphemy against Jesus and still receive forgiveness.įor example, many people living at the time of Christ, who saw his miracles and heard him speak, concluded that he was from God. Why are sins against Jesus forgiven but not those against the Holy Spirit? Does this mean that the Spirit, given upon repentance and baptism, is somehow greater than the Savior of mankind who made the gift possible? This, however, begs the question as to why there is a distinction. The Bible makes a distinction between what it means to commit this act against the Son of Man (Jesus) versus the Holy Spirit. This was the initial charge against Jesus, made by Jewish religious leaders, that justified he be put to death (Matthew 26:63 - 66). It is done when one has the knowledge of the person, object, or idea that is being discussed. ![]() The above shows that blasphemy is not done by accident. The word "profane," a synonym, is listed as abusing or treating with contempt or disdains that which is sacred. The word can be applied to a person who claims some or all of God's attributes. Webster's Dictionary defines the word as to insult, show contempt of or not revere God sufficiently. It means to vilify, speak evil of, or rail against a person. The English word in question is translated, in all twelve of its New Testament references, from the Greek word blasphemia (Strong's Concordance #G988). And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the coming age (Matthew 12:31 - 32, HBFV throughout).Īnd I stood on the sand of the sea and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy (Revelation 13:1, see also 13:6 and 17:3). ![]()
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