What Is Blasphemy Of The Holy Ghost

In this study, we will discover what is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. The verse in question is Matthew 12:32 “And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”

Seeing this verse many can fear “Have I blasphemed the Holy Ghost?” However, for those with this thought I need to turn your attention to this scripture, Romans 7:22-24 “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” If you’re still worrying about the things of God and doing right, the Holy Spirit has not finished His work in you. You are different from this class: Romans 1:32 “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” When someone has pleasure in unrighteousness, they do not care for the reproofs of the Holy Spirit anymore. Hence, if one does not care for the correction of the Holy Spirit, they cannot be corrected. This is because the Holy Spirit was sent to convict the world of sin. If we ignore the light given, then we are reprobates. John 16:7-8 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”  

What does it mean to “speak against” or in this case “blaspheme”? 

John 19:12 “And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.” You didn’t have to start a riot against Caesar, by disobeying his commandments or by making yourself equal with him you’re “speaking against him”. In the same sense when you make yourself equal with the Holy Ghost or disobey the clear light He’s given us, we blaspheme Him. As we know from scripture, making yourself equal with God is a form of blasphemy. John 10:33 “The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge, they “spoke against” God with their actions.

The reason Jesus said Matthew 12:32

The Pharisees saw clear evidence that Jesus was the Son of God. Matthew 12:24-25 “But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” Jesus brought their thoughts to light, yet they rejected the light. Matthew 12:26-27 “And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.” If Jesus does these works by the Holy Spirit, but they claim it was by the devil, then they call the Holy Spirit a liar. Matthew 12:28 “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.”

What did Jesus say would be the result of rejecting Him?

Proverbs 8:36 “But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.” How does Jesus convert the lost? 1 Peter 3:18 “… [Jesus] being put to death in the flesh quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.” Jesus appeals to the lost through the Spirit. Let’s put it in this way; if you have an employer who is teaching you how to do the job, yet you hate him and don’t want to listen to any of his advice, will you keep the job? No. If you hate the one who teaches you how to do the job, by extension you love unemployment. This is also why Paul explained that Hebrews 6:4-6 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” The scriptures also say Hebrews 10:26 “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” When clear evidence of the power of God is given, and the person in their mind knows it to be the truth but stubbornly rejects it, they commit the ultimate sin of blaspheming the Holy Ghost. At this point, the person is a reprobate.

The condition of being reprobate

What happened to the generation of Egypt that walked in the wilderness? Hebrews 3:7-11 “Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)”

Ananias and Sapphira were put to death because they knew that the Holy Spirit was fully working in the church, yet they had thought they could lie and hide knowledge from Him. Acts 5:3-5 “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.” First Ananias dies, then his wife dies Acts 5:7-10 “And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.” Had the Holy Spirit allowed them to live, they would have just carried on lying more and more because they would’ve thought “well we got away with it last time”. 

To conclude, we learn that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is when one fully hardens their hearts to any proofs and reproofs of the Spirit. When you sin to the point of a seared conscience at that point the grace of God is fully frustrated and as Paul says, the last result will be “…a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:27)