Blaspheming the Holy Spirit

In my previous post I briefly touched on the fact that Jesus said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. I want to explore this in greater detail. He stated in Matthew 12:31-32:

“Every sin or blasphemy can be forgiven- except blasphemy against the Holy spirit, which can never be forgiven. Anyone who blasphemes against me, the Son of Man, can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.”

Wow, heavy stuff!!!   I have always found this very intriguing. What does blasphemy mean and why the differentiation between blasphemy against Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary gives the meaning of blasphemy as: “the act of showing contempt or lack of reverence for God.”  The question is why is this forgivable in the case of Jesus, but not for the Holy Spirit? I have struggled to understand this. Furthermore, what are the implications of this for us in the here and now?

After wrestling with these questions what came to me was the difference of role that Jesus and the Holy Spirit played in the Godhead. Jesus came to live among us as the image of the invisible God. He became man and took our sin upon himself when he died as a sacrifice for us on the Cross. He freely chose to be mocked, scorned and brutalized on our behalf. He chose to be the sacrificial lamb who redeemed and ransomed us. He was the rejected stone which became the cornerstone. That was his chosen role; and because of this blasphemy was part of the awful package he accepted.

In contrast to this the Holy Spirit was sent as the crucial mediator between men and women and our Father. Jesus told his disciples when he was preparing them for his departure that the Holy Spirit would be sent to them in his place when he left them. The Holy Spirit would be their comforter, counselor and guide. His many roles included leading them into truth; convicting them of sin; and empowering them for ministry. Without the Holy Spirit performing these roles in the lives of people, there would be no ministry at all; and the Kingdom of God would not be present and active on the earth.

Given this reality either ‘grieving’ the Holy Spirit or blaspheming him effectively severs the link between men and women and our Father. When that link is broken then nothing can happen on a spiritual level. It is not possible to experience the indwelling presence of God or be led and empowered by him. There is no guidance, counseling or conviction of wrongdoing. A person without a conscience is a danger, to himself and others.  A person then finds him/herself in a spiritual vacuum or desert. Being cut off from the presence of God is effectively an experience of hell on earth. Whilst Hell might be a place, it is primarily a state of being. Choosing to reject and blaspheme the Holy Spirit is choosing that option. It applies to both this world and the one to come.

The implications of this are just as relevant for us today in the second decade of the 21^st C as it was in the time of Jesus. The person and work of the Holy Spirit is absolutely vital. It is in and through the Holy Spirit that we find the way, truth and life that Jesus came to bring us. It is vitally important to realize that without the Holy Spirit there is no power for change and transformation of any kind.

The problem we face in Western society is that we have drifted into rationalism and secular humanism. It is the ‘Spirit of the Age’ that we live in. In this climate of understanding there is a general disregard for any form of mystical reality. Understanding of the realities of life has been reduced to physical and chemical forces at work. The basic presuppositions of this Spirit of the Age preclude accepting any notion of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. By default this understanding blasphemes the Holy Spirit because it: “shows contempt or lack of reverence for the Holy Spirit.”

This understanding has filtered down into the Christian Church as well. Throughout history the Spirit of the Age has come to be reflected in the understanding of the Church. Christians often live with divided minds and spiritual schizophrenia. What their society has taught them about natural reality is seriously at odds with what they read in Scripture. How do they resolve these conflicts? What or who do they believe? These are very real, serious questions. I have a degree in social science, which I received from a very liberal university. So I know about the struggle. It was extremely difficult for me to resolve this conflict. This is where the person and work of the Holy Spirit comes to the fore. Without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to find truth and resolve these radical discrepancies in understanding.

The problem is that if we choose to block the leading of the Holy Spirit and trust what we are hearing on an inner level of being, we are effectively grieving the Holy Spirit. We have to choose to be open to hearing what the Spirit is saying to us, despite our society’s insistence that this is nonsense.  This is not easy; but if we do, it is life transforming. It enables us to see the reality of our life through very different glasses. It also gives us access to the same power that raised Jesus from death. This is no small matter. This is the power that Jesus used to heal people and cast out demonic spirits. By choosing to be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, we too can be channels of healing and deliverance. This is really mind-blowing.

Questions for reflection:

·         What do you believe about the Holy Spirit?

·         Are you being open to listen to and follow the direction of the Holy Spirit?

·         How has the Holy Spirit been at work within you?