blasphemy – La Vista Church of Christ

Am I doomed?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 23:44:52 +0000

Question:

Hello,

I beg you to answer this question: Did I commit an unforgivable sin? I know blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. I have done despicable acts that I deeply regret and beg God's forgiveness.

This in no way excuses what I have done, but I should mention that I have had depression for most of my life except for a short time when I did not feel like garbage due to a godly woman.

For years, I repeatedly told myself that God lied.

Three or four times, I paid an online "spellcaster" (which I did think was fake, but I did it anyway because I thought it would make me feel better). The last time I did it, I felt something leave me. I got very scared, and I immediately canceled the spell.

I lied about my dreams.

I regularly beg God's forgiveness for these things.

I welcome the scriptures' explanation of whether or not I am doomed, but I also ask for a simple yes or no answer to my question.

I feel so empty and scared that I am doomed. Please help me.

Thank you for your time.

Answer:

See "Are You Unforgivable?"

God doesn't reject people and leave them in sin. God wants to save people from their sins. As He told Israel, "'Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,' declares the Lord GOD. 'Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,' declares the Lord GOD. 'Therefore, repent and live'" (Ezekiel 18:30-32).

If you wish to be saved, you must live according to God's laws. Therefore, you must stop lying to others and to yourself. You also need to stop looking to witchcraft to solve your problems. "When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so" (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).

While these sins are wrong, God never said He would refuse to forgive any sin. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, start improving your life.

The Root Cause of Violence

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 20:39:40 +0000

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

“For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices” (Colossians 3:6-9).

Paul discusses the need to change with the Colossians. He already gave them a list of changes that need to be done in regard to sexual practices (Colossians 3:5) but now he brings up another common problem: sins that revolve around anger. It is a list similar to those found in Ephesians 4:29-31 and I Peter 2:1 but there is an order to Paul’s list in Colossians.

Some of the terms seem confusing because in English the words are synonyms.

Paul begins his list with “anger.” This refers to someone who is so angry that he has lost control and has become violent. Such destructive rage is easily recognized as wrong by Christians and non-Christians alike. Thus, the question should be how we can minimize that level of violence from occurring.

Before we pot boils over, we can see it steaming. Paul’s next term, “wrath” refers to heavy-breathing fierceness. Imagine, if you would, the classic cartoon of some character who is so mad that he is gritting his teeth while huffing and puffing. An example of wrath is found in Luke 4:28-29 when the Jews in Nazareth were so furious by Jesus’ reminder that God did favors to Gentiles over Jews that they were breathing heavily in rage and sought to throw Jesus off a cliff. People with this much hatred no longer think clearly and have little to inhibit them from becoming violent.

Such anger and rage do not spontaneously appear. There is a heart problem that precedes most sins. “Malice” is acting with evil intent. This was the motivation of the Jews when attempting to trap Jesus (Matthew 22:18). Thus, people who already hate someone and wish that person ill will easily act out on their thoughts. “But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (I John 2:11).

“Blasphemy” is the wilful vilification of someone with greater authority. Many of the translations use the broader term “slander.” Think about the various riots that break out. Before the uproar, there are almost always stories circulating that some authority figure is doing evil things. Without checking any facts, people begin thinking evil things about the person. Soon they are seething in anger and violence breaks out. You can see this in the riot in Jerusalem against Paul (Acts 21:28-31).

Prior to the slander, you will find people engaged in “trash talk.” Paul lists “abusive language” or “filthy language.” This is when people bad-mouth another person, saying mean and hurtful things. It is empty talk because there is no real content behind what is being said, but it does stir up resentment. People are likely to accept slander about someone they already resent.

But behind all of these are lies. People aren’t interested in discovering the truth. Lies are juicer and more shocking.

It is surprising how often lies are connected to sins of anger.

Romans 1:29 - deceit, malice, gossip
I Corinthians 5:8 - malice and wickedness versus sincerity and truth
Ephesians 4:31 - wrath, anger, clamor, slander, malice
I Peter 2:1 - malice, deceit, slander

So how do we keep from getting caught up in violence? The core is to be honest people who check their facts before telling others things that they have heard. Without the fuel of lies, fiery tempers cool. “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down” (Proverbs 26:20).

Seeking to Ruin a Reputation

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 21:15:11 +0000

by Floyd Chappelear
Sentry Magazine, December 1999

He had seen Jesus after the resurrection (Acts 9). He had been left dead and had seen things on the other side that it was not lawful to speak about (see Acts 14:19; II Corinthians 12:4). The man was powerful, influential beyond measure. His influence must be destroyed. What would his enemies do? They attacked him on the ground that he didn't accept wages from the Corinthian church (I Corinthians 9:1-14).

How times have changed. Tell a church today that the preacher will labor at no charge and some would want him in the worst way. Then, however, it was not received as well. But why attack him on this point since the Judaizers were more concerned about his doctrine than his income? Why, indeed. Because they sought the following of the brethren and were afraid that Paul might be getting it instead (Galatians 4:17). What about his doctrine?

It was unassailable. When one "searched the scriptures" to see if what he taught was so, one came away convinced that it was (see Acts 17). The only thing to do was assault the man's character. This is the way false teachers operate.

We are seeing this increasingly among brethren today. Assault's are made on a man's character rather than in dealing with the man's teaching. A gossip piece was recently carried on the internet charging a fine older gospel preacher with "fellowshipping" liberals because he had accepted an invitation to teach at a liberal church. I ask, would his detractors have gone to teach what God's word said about faithfulness in the minor prophets? I would go anywhere to preach, including the synagogues. Two others were attacked for joining him there when they, in fact, left after the class to attend a conservative congregation. That wasn't reported for it served no purpose (the intent to destroy reputations and character). Brethren, if we can answer false teaching let us do so, but let us not attack a man's reputation in the absence of the ability to deal with his teaching.

I get the impression that a lot of preachers who do not hesitate to rail against others do so because they have no confidence in their own teaching. If they had confidence in it they wouldn't assault others.

"Nuff said."

When Reputation Ruining Is Sought

It is interesting to note that the same Greek word that is translated as "blasphemy" when applied to God is sometimes translated as "speak evil" when applied to men (see Titus 3:2). This is more interesting when one recognizes a connection between our attitude toward man and God. The Lord asks us how we can claim to love God whom we have not seen when we do not love our fellow man whom we have seen (I John 4:20). Similarly, we might ask how we can blaspheme (slander/speak evil) man whom we have seen yet refrain from doing it to God who is less familiar with us. An interesting thought that should give us all pause.

Now, what is the point of this? There is a piece being circulated on the Internet concerning Homer Hailey and an article he wrote in 1948; before the institutional battles had become clearly defined and when brethren had not been identified, rightly or wrongly, as being on one side of the issue or the other. The article is "Keepers of Orthodoxy," which is really a pretty good little piece that raises some interesting questions which I find hard to believe would create a problem for any conservative brother today The article, however, is not the focus of the piece. The real problem is in the accompanying paragraph which reads, in part:

"Brethren,

"The following is an article written by brother Homer Hailey and originally printed in Gospel Advocate in 1948 [p. 175]. The article was reprinted twice during the next decade: in 1952 [p. 399] & 1958 [pp. 737, 770]. See if you recognize the sentiments he expresses towards those standing for the truth. It is also noteworthy that brother Homer Hailey was in attendance at the University Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas (an ultra-liberal group supporting every innovation imaginable) and spoke in the class hour on July 4, 1999. One wonders which of the above-mentioned views he would repudiate and which he would still hold. Brethren Bob Owen and Ed Britt were in attendance for that class with the liberal congregation."

Now, why is it so important to know that Homer was at the University Church of Christ? Well, if one is in the reputation-damaging business then it is vitally important. If one is interested in building up the body of Christ -- it is of doubtful value. Additionally, if one is all that interested in Brother Hailey, did they bother to find out why Homer was there and what he spoke on? Well, the circulators of the piece had no such interest. I was interested.

He was visiting his son to celebrate his 96th birthday. He was asked to speak to the Bible class on the minor prophets. What a chance to preach about apostasy and the problems of not following God's will. Now, would you have spoken to such a group? I would have. The keepers of brotherhood fidelity and orthodoxy, however, would pass on this.

Furthermore, the piece made note of the presence of Bob Owen. Did the slanderers have any interest in checking this out? Well, I did. Bob Owen and Ed Britt attended the class and left immediately to go to the North Park Church of Christ to worship with them (a conservative congregation where I think Wayne Goforth is the preacher). The article didn't note that; for that wouldn't have been slanderous or damaging, the obvious intent of the circulated piece.

As I noted once before, those interested in confrontation and not truth, leave much to be desired. If I were you, I would delete the "keepers of orthodoxy" concerns and mark them down to those who want to keep house and not spread the word. My opinion.

How could the Pharisee be guilty of the unforgivable sin with just a few words?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 01:11:00 +0000

Question:

I'm scared, for I've been wondering whether the Pharisees commit the unforgivable sin by just once saying blasphemous things about the Holy Spirit. I know it's said that the unforgivable sin isn't any single act from which there's no more turning back, but how does it seem that only a few words from the Pharisees made them fall guilty of the unforgivable sin? I'm confused.

Answer:

You are confused because you are making a number of assumptions that lead to conflicting ideas.

After Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak or hear, the crowd was beginning to realize that Jesus just might be the Messiah. In response, the Pharisees launched a counter rumor: "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24). This isn't the first time they spread this idea. Some scribes from Jerusalem were spreading the same rumor earlier (Mark 3:20-30; Matthew 9:34). Just because you see a rebuke for a statement, you cannot conclude that this is the only time it has happened. The gospel records show that it happened at least twice.

In both cases, Jesus does not say the Pharisees would never be forgiven. He states that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would lead a person to a state from which he won't seek forgiveness. We don't know if these Pharisees had reached that state or not. (See: Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost.)

Slandering the Holy Spirit to get people not to believe in God (i.e. blasphemy) isn't the only sin that leaves a person unable to be forgiven. "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death" (I John 5:16-17). Any sin which a person commits and refuses to repent of is a sin that leads to death because repentance is a prerequisite to forgiveness. (See: A Sin Leading to Death.) What is true is that a person willing to slander the Holy Spirit to spread unbelief is very unlikely to repent of this particular sin.

Response:

All right. Thank you.

Why is Stephen charged with blasphemy if Jesus did say that the temple would be destroyed?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 00:25:00 +0000

Question:

In Acts 6:14, Stephen is charged with saying that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place. How is this a false statement if Jesus was speaking of the destruction of the temple in Matthew 24?

Thank you.

Answer:

The charge against Stephen was, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God" (Acts 6:11). It is mentioned again in Acts 6:13, "This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law." The evidence of this supposed blasphemy was "For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us" (Acts 6:14).

The problem is blasphemy is to tell lies about another to ruin his reputation. What was reported that Stephen said was true, in that Stephen likely did say these things, but those words were not blasphemous because they were the truth. The Law itself predicted the destruction of Jerusalem. "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined" (Daniel 9:26). And the Law stated that the Law would change. "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 31:31-32). To teach what the Law taught is not blasphemy, even if the people did not want to hear the message.

Besides, reporting what someone else stated does not make the messenger guilty. Stephen repeated what Jesus taught, but it was a message that the Jews did not want to hear, especially when it is connected with the man they put to death.

Question:

"Then said the high priest, Are these things so?" (Acts 7:1). I've studied the entire 7th chapter and still don't understand where Stephen answers this seemingly simple question. Could you point out in the Scriptures and explain where Stephen answers this question in this 7th chapter, please?

Thank you.

Answer:

First, we need to determine what "things" the high priest was referring to. At the trial, false witnesses were used to accuse Stephen, "They put forward false witnesses who said, "This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us" " (Acts 7:13-14). Thus, there are two basic charges: that Stephen taught that Jesus said he would destroy the Temple and that the Law, handed down by Moses, would change. This was called blasphemy (Acts 6:11), but as we already pointed out the charge was false because it is not blasphemy to tell the truth. Therefore, the high priest was asking Stephen if he taught that Jesus said he would destroy the Temple and whether he claimed that the Law would be changed.

Stephen's response was that God gave Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan (Acts 7:2-5). In other words, the land that the Jews occupied wasn't theirs by any intrinsic right. It was given to them as a gift and by implication, this gift could be removed at any time by God. The only land owned by Abraham was the tomb he bought for Sarah's burial. A tomb that is later used by his descendants (Acts 7:15-16).

Stephen then gives a brief history of the prophets. Joseph was a prophet of God but is sold into slavery by his own brothers (Acts 7:8-10). After the prophecy of slavery came to pass, God provided Moses who is raised in Pharaoh's own household. But when Moses attempted to help his people he is rejected. "Who made you a ruler and judge over us?" (Acts 7:27). Moses flees as a result, but forty years later God appears to Moses and does the very thing Moses was rejected for. "This Moses whom they rejected, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush" (Acts 7:35). After many miracles, it was Moses who prophesied that God would raise up another prophet like Moses (Acts 7:37). This becomes an important point because Moses is the one who brought in the Law (Acts 7:38). The implication that a prophet like Moses would also be bringing in a law. This answers the charge that Jesus would alter the Law Moses brought.

Continuing his point, Stephen reminds them that the Israelites rebelled against Moses and had rejected the Law that Moses brought to them (Acts 7:39). God gave them over to their idolatry that they carried with them all during the wilderness wandering (Acts 7:41-43). As a result, God promised to remove them from the land and send them to Babylon. In other words, God removed them for rebellion before, so it would not be surprising if God does it again.

Stephen then focuses on the Temple. Moses had a tabernacle built according to the pattern God gave him (Acts 7:44). That served Israel for hundreds of years until David came and wanted to build a temple for God. But it was Solomon who built it. However, Solomon and later Isaiah both emphasized that God doesn't dwell in a human-built building. In other words, God doesn't need the Temple to continue. This answers the charge that Jesus said the Temple would be torn down.

Besides, they don't even have Solomon's Temple. That was destroyed in the Babylonian captivity. Zerubbabel oversaw the building of a replacement, but even that one was torn down and Herod built the current temple, and Herod was not even an Israelite by birth (he descended from Edom). From God's point of view, a loss of the current Temple would not be significant.

Stephen then sums up his points. The stubborn rebellious Jews have always resisted God and those present were no different from their ancestors. Their ancestors were not heroes. They persecuted and killed every one of God's prophets, including the Prophet that Moses told them was coming -- Jesus. They had violated the very Law that came to them by the hands of angels. In other words, these people did not deserve the Law, the land, or the presence of God in the Temple. Stephen answered the high priest's question, but the answer proves that not only did Stephen teach these things, but that he charges Israel's leaders with rebellion and murder. For that, the Jews murdered Stephen.

Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 17 Sep 2017 01:14:00 +0000

by Charles G. Caldwell, Jr.
Via Truth Magazine XXI: 49, pp. 781-782, December 15, 1977

In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus said, "Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 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."

Down through the years, this passage has been the occasion of great concern to devout, God-fearing people. This concern is the result of a gross misunderstanding of what our Lord was actually saying. It is the sequel to a perversion of His teaching and is productive of the usual effect of such perversion in depriving men of the peace, contentment, and happiness of soul and mind, and the joy that God intends for us to have in Christ. It would, in the very nature of the case, be impossible for one to "rejoice in the Lord always" (Philippians 4:4) if there was the slightest possibility of his having sometimes inadvertently committed a sin that could not be forgiven.

All Sins Forgivable

John said in I John 1:7, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another [He with us, and we with Him, CGC], and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." I do not consider this passage to be in conflict with Matthew 12:31-32. Nor do I consider Matthew 12:31-32 to set forth an exception to John's promise. In order to have forgiveness of sins -- all sins -- there are certain conditions, divinely ordained, that must be met. If a sin -- any sin -- is not forgiven it is because the conditions have not been met. One may fail to meet the conditions either because of his unwillingness to do so or because he is unable to do so. Both of these reasons might be involved and it is my contention that such is the case with all those about whom our Lord spoke in Matthew 12. It is possible for one to reach such a state of depravity that he has no willingness to accept the truth and be governed by it, no matter how strong the evidence, and sink so low in the mire of degradation that he is unwilling and even unable because of his degenerate attitude to submit to that which is right.

Anyone, therefore, who is interested in truth and righteousness or who is concerned about his soul's well-being has not committed the "unpardonable sin."

The Case in Context

An understanding of the passage under consideration is dependent -- as is almost always the case -- upon the context in which it is found. Jesus has just healed a man possessed by a demon which caused the multitudes to marvel and be amazed. But there were others of the Pharisees and Scribes who heard of it and being unable to deny that a miracle had indeed been performed sought to explain it away by attributing the power by which it was accomplished to "Beelzebub." The claim was made by them that Christ was not exercising divine power but rather Satanic or diabolical power. Christ then proceeded to disprove their contention with a number of arguments that are irresistible:

Argument Number 1: First, He showed that which is evident on the surface, that Satan would not work against his own interest because in doing so, he would destroy himself and be brought to an "end."

Argument Number 2: His next argument to disprove their contention was based upon their purported claim that their disciples, "sons," cast out demons. If it was true that they did cast out demons (which Christ did not admit) and that demons were cast out only by "Beelzebub," then it would follow that their "sons" exercised diabolical power. This He argued to show the absurdity of their contention from their own premise.

Argument Number 3: He next submitted that since He could not possibly be casting out demons by the power of the Devil, it must of necessity be by the power of God and that such exercise signaled the arrival of the kingdom of God.

Argument Number 4: His final argument in this regard was to the effect that He had entered Satan's house (the body of the demoniac) and had spoiled Satan's goods (the evil spirit in the man) and, therefore, instead of being in league with the devil, He had contested him and defeated him. The conclusion based on these arguments is that these Scribes and Pharisees were wrong in their charge that Christ was working miracles by the power of Satan rather than by the power of God. Their charge was not against the power of God, the Holy Spirit, but rather against Christ -- that He was in league with the Devil and not with the Holy Spirit. This, Christ disproved and sought to correct their misconception.

Misunderstanding the Charge

Contrary to popular opinion and acceptance, Christ did not say that these Jews had committed the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, but He did say in substance that they had blasphemed against Him and He emphatically says that such will (or can) be forgiven. The circumstances surrounding the incident, however, do suggest to the mind of Christ a need for a warning to these people of the danger of the course they are following. They had said that He was casting out demons by the power of "Beelzebub" (the Devil). If they persisted in this contention and in the light of all the evidence became convinced that the power exercised was of God but nevertheless was still evil because it worked through Christ, whom they hated and refused to accept, then they would become guilty of the sin against which Christ warned. In this, they would be charging the Holy Spirit with being a devil or being equivalent to the Devil. Certainly, they were not now saying that the Holy Spirit was a devil or that He was as bad as the Devil. They were not denying that the Spirit is holy or affirming that the Spirit is evil. They were simply denying that the Holy Spirit had anything to do with Christ's miracles.

If they were affirming that the Spirit of God was not holy but rather was as evil as the Devil, this would, of, course, have been blasphemy against the Spirit and there would have been no point in Christ's having attempted to correct them by presenting the arguments that He did. They would have been beyond argument and beyond the hope of correction. They were getting on dangerous ground, however. They were approaching the point of no return. They were getting near to a condition of heart and mind which would damn their souls and Christ was simply warning them to stop before they had gone too far; not to allow their hatred and their contemptuous attitude toward Him to cause them to defame the Spirit of God. To take that step and affirm that the Holy Spirit is not holy but is evil and only evil continually, that He is a devil and on a par with Satan is to sink beyond all hope. Such a frame of mind on the part of anyone would be beyond all correction. Thus, the conditions of correction and forgiveness given by the Spirit have no place in the man's heart.

The Good Tree

Jesus said, "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt" (vs. 33). If the product of the working of the Spirit is good, the Spirit, Himself, is good and holy, "for the tree is known by his fruit."

Blasphemy

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 23 Oct 2016 23:04:00 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Blasphemy.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Matthew 12:22-37

I. What is blasphemy?

A. A transliteration of a Greek word, blasphemia

1. It is a compound word: hurt and speech

B. It means to speak evil of someone or to slander someone

1. Contained in it is the idea that a third party is involved

2. It is one person telling other people how bad another person is

3. Example of what the Pharisees did - Matthew 12:23-24

C. It is not a bad thought. It is an active attempt to destroy another person

D. Generally reserved for slandering deity - Leviticus 24:11,15

1. It doesn’t have to be curse words, anything that lowers God’s stature in the eyes of others is blasphemy

2. Example of the golden calf- Nehemiah 9:18

a. Attributing God’s great power to a man-made image

3. Replacing God with idols - Ezekiel 20:27-28

E. Some exceptions to blasphemy being only about God

1. Moses was blasphemed - Acts 6:11

2. Idol worshipers saw statements against their gods as blasphemy - Acts 19:37

II. The Character of the Blasphemer

A. Envious of the other person - Acts 13:45

B. Defiant - Numbers 15:30-31

1. Every act of defiance is not blasphemy

2. The motivation behind blasphemy is purposeful defiance

3. Not something accidentally done. It is not inappropriate statements said while drunk, high on drugs, on in a fit of anger

C. Repeated

1. Example of the scribes and Pharisees

a. A rumor started by the scribes - Mark 3:20-22; Matthew 9:34; 10:25

b. Continued to be spread - Matthew 12:22-24; Luke 11:14-15

c. Continued despite repeatedly refuted and warned that it could cost them their souls – these people didn’t care

d. No evidence would change their opinion. They weren’t interested in the truth

e. They hated Jesus so much they would say anything to destroy him

2. Assyria’s defiance of God - Isaiah 52:5

3. It is the nature of a blasphemer to remain in his sin

D. Stubborn

1. Korah’s rebellion - Numbers 16:3

a. Korah may have saw this as rebelling against Moses, but he was rebelling against God too. God is the one who put Moses in his position.

b. Korah is Levite, he should have remembered what happened to Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10).

c. Korah should have remembered what happened to Miriam not that long ago - Numbers 12:1-10

d. There was repeated warnings - Numbers 16:5-7

e. There were plenty of opportunities for Korah and his followers to back out - Numbers 16:23-34

E. Pride - Isaiah 37:23

1. Blasphemy reflects a severe defect in character

F. They do not easily change

1. When God was pouring his wrath on Rome - Revelation 16:9, 11

2. Paul was a rare exception to this rule - I Timothy 1:12-13

III. What about blaspheming the Holy Spirit?

A. It draws people because they believe it is the one sin God refuses to forgive

1. People who are convinced they are hopeless will claim they have blasphemed the Holy Spirit by a stray thought, possible statements while drunk, or by committing a sin knowingly, such as fornication

2. By labeling their sin as blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, they make themselves into an eternal victim - “It’s not my fault! I messed up and now God won’t forgive me!”

B. Blasphemy is not accidental. It is not any sin done knowingly.

1. Blasphemy reflects a person whose character is against God – stubborn, defiant, and unrepentant.

2. He is not content with his own rebellion, he attempts to destroy the reputation of God in the eyes of others and spread his rebellion

C. Matthew 12:31-32

1. Jesus healed a demon possessed man - Matthew 12:22

2. Causes the crowd to wonder if Jesus is the long awaited Messiah - Matthew 12:23

3. Because of their envy, the Pharisees lie - Matthew 12:24

D. Mark 3:28-30

1. An earlier event where Jesus is drawing large crowds - Mark 3:20

2. His own family thought he was crazy - Mark 3:21

3. Probably due to envy, lies were told - Mark 3:22

E. Luke 12:10

1. This is the same event as Matthew 12, but told in greater detail

2. Jesus casts out a demon - Luke 11:14

3. Same lie told - Luke 11:15

4. As Jesus refutes the claim, the crowd gets larger - Luke 11:29

5. As the day progresses, the crowd becomes thousands - Luke 12:1

6. It is then that Jesus warns the crowd against the Pharisees.

7. He discusses confessing versus denying him - Luke 12:8-9

8. He moves to the strong opposition of blaspheming him - Luke 12:10

F. We can see the stubborn, unrepentant attitude of the scribes and Pharisees because the claim that Jesus was working with Satan occurred at least four times:

1. Mark 3:20-30

2. Matthew 9:24

3. Matthew 10:25

4. Matthew 12:22-32 and Luke 11:14-12:10

G. Blasphemy, along with all other sins, can be forgiven

1. Though all will not be forgiven because not every sinner will seek forgiveness

2. Paul demonstrates that a blasphemer can be convicted of his sins and change his mind - I Timothy 1:12-13

H. This is not generally true when we are talking about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Why?

1. What is different between blaspheming Jesus and the Holy Spirit? After all, they are both God

I. The answer is in what the Holy Spirit does

1. The Spirit convicts the world - John 16:7-8

2. The conviction is produced by the word - Titus 1:9

3. But a blasphemer of the Holy Spirit would never allow himself to be convicted. He would never listen to the Spirit’s teachings

4. The gospel is the way to salvation - Romans 1:16

J. It isn’t that God is unable to save a person who blasphemes the Holy Spirit - Isaiah 59:1-2

1. The problem has always been on man’s side

2. God wants everyone to repent - II Peter 3:9

3. People who set themselves against the Holy Spirit, defiantly denying the truth, and telling lies about the work of the Holy Spirit are the type of people who will not change

K. “Eternal Sin” - Mark 3:29

1. A variation in the manuscript. Some have “judgment” instead of “sin.”

2. It doesn’t make much difference in the end

3. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is a sin people never let go

4. Or, it is a condemnation that never is removed because the people never let go of the sin

5. The end result is the same

6. The clearest indication that a person isn’t guilty of blaspheming the Holy Spirit is that they want God’s forgiveness

IV. Can Someone be Guilty of Blaspheming the Holy Spirit Today?

A. We don’t see miracles today, now that the Bible is completed

1. Difficult to see the irrefutable evidence of God’s power and then deny it

B. But there are people so set against Christianity and the Bible that they deny God and make it their life’s work to convince others that God does not exist and the Bible is nothing more than the work of men

1. Even shown clear evidence that their position is wrong, they stubbornly degrade God

2. Nothing will persuade them to reexamine their position or consider the Bible. Such are blasphemers of the Holy Spirit

What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 22:57:00 +0000

Question:

I was wondering what exactly is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Could you please help me with this?

Answer:

What Is Blasphemy?

Blasphemy is a transliteration of a Greek word: blasphemia. Literally, it combines the Greek words for hurt and speech. It means to speak evil of someone or to slander another person. It contains the idea of having a third party involved. It is one person telling other people how bad another person is. As an example, after one miracle performed by Jesus, we read: "And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons" " (Matthew 12:23-24). Thus, blasphemy is not just a bad thought; it is an active attempt to destroy another person.

In the Bible, blasphemy is generally reserved for slandering deity. "And the Israelite woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD and cursed ... Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin" (Leviticus 24:11,15). It doesn't have to be curse words. Blasphemy can also be committed when a person lowers God's stature in the eyes of others. "Even when they made for themselves a calf of molten metal and said, 'This is your God Who brought you up from Egypt,' and committed great blasphemies" (Nehemiah 9:18). By attributing the power that caused the ten plagues and allowed them to cross the Red Sea to a man-made image, they trivialized the true God. Replacing God with idols was again done in Ezekiel's day. "Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me by acting treacherously against Me. When I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and they offered there their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering. There also they made their soothing aroma and there they poured out their drink offerings"'" (Ezekiel 20:27-28).

There are a few exceptions to blasphemy being only about God. "Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God" " (Acts 6:11). However, as Moses was a prophet of God blaspheming Moses in his role as a prophet would also be blasphemy of God. People who worship false gods considered words against their deity as blasphemy as well. "For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess" (Acts 19:37).

The Character of the Blasphemer

Frequently we see people resorting to blasphemy because of envy. "But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming" (Acts 13:45).

"But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt will be on him" (Numbers 15:30-31). This is not saying every act of defiance is blasphemy, but that the motivation behind blasphemy is purposeful defiance. In other words, it is not an act that is accidentally done. Inappropriate things said while drunk, high on drugs, or in a fit of anger are wrong, but they are not what is meant by blasphemy. You can see this in the Jews with Jesus. A rumor started by some scribes from Jerusalem (Mark 3:20-30; Matthew 9:34; 10:25) that Jesus casts demons out by Satan's power continued to be spread (Matthew 12:22-37; Luke 11:14-26). This lie was used despite being refuted and being warned that it may cost them their souls, but then the people spreading it didn't care. They weren't interested in the truth, no evidence would change their story. These people hated Jesus so much that they would say anything to destroy his popularity. It is also seen in Assyria's defiance of God. "Now therefore, what do I have here," declares the LORD, seeing that My people have been taken away without cause?" Again the LORD declares, "Those who rule over them howl, and My name is continually blasphemed all day long" (Isaiah 52:5). It is the nature of the blasphemer to remain in his sin.

A mark of a blasphemer is his stubborn clinging to his lie no matter what. Korah's rebellion illustrates this as well. "They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?"" (Numbers 16:3). Korah may have saw this as rebelling against Moses, but he chose to go against God as well. Moses warned them, and they should have known better; after all, they should have remembered what happened to Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10) and Miriam (Numbers 12). "Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him. Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company; put fire in them and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the LORD chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!" (Numbers 16:5-7). There were plenty of opportunities for Korah and his followers to back out, but he stubbornly clung to the "rights" that he claimed. Repeated warnings were issued, but in the end, 250 people died along with Korah.

At its roots, blasphemy comes out of a person's pride. "Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? And against whom have you raised your voice and haughtily lifted up your eyes? Against the Holy One of Israel!" (Isaiah 37:23). It demonstrates a severe defect in character.

The result is that you rarely see a blasphemer change. The character that speaks blasphemies is not one likely to admit wrong. "Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory. ... and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds" (Revelation 16:9, 11). Paul is one of those rare exceptions. "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief" (I Timothy 1:12-13).

What About Blaspheming the Holy Spirit?

The topic of blaspheming the Holy Spirit draws people because they believe it is the one unforgivable sin. I've lost track of the number of people who are convinced that they are hopeless and so claim that they blasphemed the Holy Spirit by a stray thought, possible statements while drunk, or by committing a sin knowingly, such as fornication. By labeling their sin as blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, they make themselves into an eternal victim -- "It is not my fault! I messed up and now God won't forgive me."

I hope by now you see that blasphemy is not accidental and it is not any sin done knowingly. Blasphemy reflects a person whose character is against God -- stubborn, defiant, and unrepentant. It is a person not content with his own unbelief, he attempts to destroy the reputation of God in the eyes of others and spread his unbelief to them.

"Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 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, either in this age or in the age to come" (Matthew 12:31-32).

"Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" -- because they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit"" (Mark 3:28-30).

"And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him" (Luke 12:10).

In the event in Matthew 12, Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute (Matthew 12:22). This caused the crowd to begin to wonder if Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah (Matthew 12:23). Because of their envy, this caused the Pharisees to tell people that Jesus only did this because he was working in league with Satan (Matthew 12:24).

Mark 3 records an earlier event where Jesus was drawing such large crowds that he didn't have time to eat (Mark 3:20). His own family thought he was crazy and tried to take him away from the crowds (Mark 3:21). Scribes from Jerusalem, probably due to their envy of the crowds, were telling people that Jesus was possessed by Satan himself or that he was able to cast out demons because he is in league with Satan (Mark 3:22).

Luke's account is the same event as in Matthew 12 but told in greater detail. It started with Jesus casting out a demon (Luke 11:14) to which some repeated the claim that he did so by the power of Satan (Luke 11:15). As Jesus refuted the claim, the crowd around him increased (Luke 11:29). As the day progressed, the crowd became many thousands (Luke 12:1). It is at this time that Jesus warns the crowd against the Pharisees. He discussed confessing him versus denying him (Luke 12:8-9) and moved to the stronger opposition of blaspheming him (Luke 12:10).

We can see the stubborn, unrepentant attitude of the Jewish scribes and Pharisees because the claim that Jesus was working with Satan occurred on at least four occasions: Mark 3:20-30; Matthew 9:24; Matthew 10:25; and Matthew 12:22-32 and Luke 11:14-12:10.

Blasphemies, along with other sins, can be forgiven, though not all will be forgiven since not every sinner seeks forgiveness of his sins. This especially includes blasphemy against Jesus. As Paul demonstrated, it is possible for a blasphemer to be convicted of his sins and change his mind (I Timothy 1:12-13). However, this is not true when the blasphemy is against the Holy Spirit. This should lead us to the question of "Why?" What is different between blaspheming Jesus and the Holy Spirit given that they are both God.

The answer lies in the work that the Holy Spirit does. "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment" (John 16:7-8). The Holy Spirit's work convicts people that they are wrong, that there is a right way to behave, and that it matters whether you are right or wrong. That conviction is produced by the Word of God that the Spirit delivered through the prophets. "Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" (Titus 1:9). Yet, such conviction will never occur with a person who stubbornly sets himself against the Holy Spirit. A person willing to lie about the Holy Spirit's work, even though he knows the truth, is a person who will never listen to the Holy Spirit's teachings and there is no other way to the truth. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).

It isn't that God is unable to save someone who is blaspheming the Holy Spirit. "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear" (Isaiah 59:1-2). The problem has always been on man's side. God never refuses forgiveness to men who repent. "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (II Peter 3:9). But people who set themselves against the Holy Spirit, defiantly denying the truth, and telling lies about the work of the Holy Spirit are the type of people who won't change and there is nothing available to produce a change in them since that conviction comes from the very one they are slandering. Notice that Mark 3:29 calls it an eternal sin.

There is a variation in the manuscripts for Mark 3:29 where some have "judgment" instead of "sin." It doesn't make much difference in the conclusion. You can see it as a sin people never let go of a condemnation that never gets removed because the people never let go of that sin. The end result is the same. Therefore, one of the clearest indications that a person isn't guilty of blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the fact that they want God's forgiveness.

Can Someone be Guilty of Blaspheming the Holy Spirit Today?

We don't see miracles today, now that the Bible is completed, so the problem of seeing irrefutable evidence of God's power and then denying it doesn't exist today. However, we still see people who are so set against Christianity and the Bible that they deny God and make it their life's work to convince others that God doesn't exist and that the Bible is nothing more than the work of men. Even when shown clear evidence that their position is wrong, they stubbornly continue to degrade God. Nothing will persuade them to reexamine their position or even consider the Bible. Such people are blasphemers of the Holy Spirit.

Sins Against the Holy Spirit

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 03:35:00 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SinsAgainstTheHolySpirit.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: John 16:7-14

I. The work of the Holy Spirit is to reveal the teachings of God to mankind

A. It is not a work that is directly observed. Like the wind you see the effect of the Spirit’s work in people’s lives - John 3:8

B. Jesus told his disciples that he would send the Spirit, who would help them teach God’s laws - John 16:13

1. That teaching would convict the world of three things: Sin, righteousness and judgment - John 16:8-11

2. In order for people to change, they have to be convinced that they are in the wrong. After all, if the way I am is fine, there is not reason to change.

3. But people also have to be convinced that they can change. We all heard people say that they are too sinful or that a sin like homosexuality is intrinsic to a person’s nature and it cannot be changed.

4. Along with these a person has to be convinced that it matters. There is going to be a judgment and my eternity is at stake!

C. When God’s teaching is in us, we walk according to the Spirit - Galatians 5:25

1. It can’t be just book knowledge. It has to be applied knowledge - James 1:21-25

D. When we do so, the Holy Spirit is our guarantee of salvation - Ephesians 1:13-14

1. He testifies, long with our spirits, that we are children of God - Romans 8:16

E. He also intercedes for us, helping us to communicate with God - Romans 8:26-27

II. The Holy Spirit does much for us, but we set ourselves against His work

A. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit - Acts 5:1-4

1. It cost them their lives - Acts 5:5-10

2. Clearly sinning against any member of the Godhead is a serious matter

3. Why was deceiving Peter and the church lying to the Holy Spirit?

a. Because they were claiming to do work direct by the Spirit

b. They thought they were only dealing with men

c. But the Spirit knows our thoughts - Romans 9:1

B. Resisting the Holy Spirit - Acts 7:51-53

1. The word here is antipito. It means literally to fall against; thus, to oppose or fight against.

2. This isn’t merely ignoring the Spirit’s work. The Jews were not indifferent to the Gospel – they fought against it.

3. The Jews have had a long history of persecuting the prophets, as Stephen laid out in his discourse.

a. They did not want to hear the message of the prophets, inspired by the Spirit of God - II Peter 1:21

4. People do the same today when they set themselves up against the teachers of the Gospel.

C. Quenching the Holy Spirit - I Thessalonians 5:19-22

1. The Greek word here is sbennumi. It means to extinguish, such as putting out a fire.

a. The Spirit’s teachings prick men’s hearts - Acts 2:37

b. It excites them - Luke 24:32

c. It convicts and changes men - Galatians 5:22-23

d. But a person can put out that fire

2. Despise not prophecy - I Thessalonians 5:20

a. The word here is exoutheneo. It is to treat something as contemptible or unimportant

b. We are warned not to lessen the importance of the Spirit’s teachings

c. For example, when people say that a command to be baptized is not necessary.

3. Prove all things - I Thessalonians 5:21

a. Compare everything against what the Spirit has taught, whether we are talking about a doctrine or a practice

4. Hold fast to that which is good - I Thessalonians 5:21

a. When it matches the teachings of the Spirit, don’t let go! Don’t quench it. Don’t despise it.

5. Abstain from all appearances of evil - I Thessalonians 5:22

a. In every way that evil makes an appearance, when it doesn’t match the teachings of Spirit, stay away from it.

D. Grieving the Holy Spirit - Ephesians 4:30

1. God was grieved with the Israelites because of their sins - Psalms 95:10

2. Stubbornness caused Jesus to grieve - Mark 3:5

3. Rebellion causes the Spirit to grieve - Isaiah 63:10

4. God cares about His people. He wants them saved - John 3:16

5. Ephesians 4:22-32 - When we don’t change, the Spirit, who could save us, is grieved.

E. Insulting the Holy Spirit - Hebrews 10:26-31

1. The Greek word enubrizo means to give insult by acting with contempt

2. It has long been a problem - Numbers 15:30-31

3. This is someone, who because of his arrogance, treats the ordeal that God went through to save him as nothing more than dirt under his feet.

4. How? Though a man has been saved, he doesn’t give up his sins. He willfully continues in them. He doesn’t want help. He doesn’t want to change.

F. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit - Matthew 12:31-32

1. The Greek word blasphemia is a compound word of blapto - to hurt and phemi - to speak. In other words, to say hurtful things, to speak evil of another.

2. Blasphemy is a form of slander where the blasphemer is trying to ruin the reputation of another.

a. It carries the idea that the lies are purposely told, knowing full well that they are lies

b. It needs to be clear that this isn’t just stray or impulsive thoughts

c. This is someone who is actively trying to make God look bad in the eyes of other people by stating things the person knows to be false.

3. In the situation, Jesus had healed a demon-possessed man - Matthew 12:22

a. People realized that this means Jesus is the Messiah - Matthew 12:23

b. The Pharisees could not allow that to happen, so they told the people a lie - Matthew 12:24

c. Jesus exposed the lie - Matthew 12:25-29

d. Jesus warned that while they blasphemed him, there was still a chance for them to change. Referring to coming revelation of the Gospel - Matthew 12:30-32

e. But if they slander the Holy Spirit and His work, there is no other way to be saved.

4. It isn’t that God refuses to forgive.

a. There is no “unforgivable” sin in the Bible. The word doesn’t appear in the Bible.

b. The problem is that these arrogant blasphemers have no respect for truth and will never repent.

III. God – the Father, the Son, and the Spirit – desires that all men be saved and that includes you

A. Don’t ignore the offer. Don’t treat it as if it has little value. Eternity in heaven is the pearl of great price, bought by God for you with the blood of the Son

B. And if you are a Christian, don’t discard what you have gained and grieve the Godhead.

Based on an article by Heath Rogers

Is willfully sinning blaspheming the Holy Spirit?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 01:05:00 +0000

Question:

I'm ashamed of my sin. I know you and others say that God forgives, but I committed the sin willingly. Is that not blasphemy of the Holy Spirit that Jesus discussed?

Answer:

We need to get a good definition of what blasphemy is:

Smith Bible Dictionary: "in its technical English sense, signifies the speaking evil of God ... according to its derivation it may mean any species of calumny and abuse."
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: "In classical Greek meant primarily "defamation" or "evil-speaking" in general; "a word of evil omen," hence, "impious, and irreverent speech against God." "
American Tract Society Dictionary: "A man is guilty of blasphemy, when he speaks of God, or his attributes, injuriously; when he calumniously ascribe such qualities to him as do not belong to him, or robs him of those which do."

There is a good definition of blasphemy in the Old Testament. "But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt will be on him." (Numbers 15:30-31). Hence, we learn that God's definition of blaspheme is acting in defiance of the Lord and His commandments. In others words, blaspheme is willfully sinning when you know full well that it is wrong. But the defiance involves a particular type of sin: slandering God's reputation before other people. Thus, blasphemy is a willful attempt to ruin God's reputation, even though you know what you are saying is wrong.

Korah and his followers illustrate this in Numbers 16. They knew that God made Moses the leader and Aaron his High Priest; yet they believed they had equal rights to talk with God as Moses did. Even when warned, they stubbornly persisted in asserting what they believed to be their rights. In doing so, they were claiming that God made a mistake in selecting Moses and Aaron and that they were better choices for the job. This is how people treat a god made up by men. It is not how you treat the Creator of the Universe who had displayed His power repeatedly in your sight. For their defiance of God, they died in a dramatic fashion.

"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins" (Hebrews 10:26). Draw your attention to the phrase "go on sinning." Not all translations make this clear, but in Greek, it refers to continuing in willful sins. There is no forgiveness while a person remains in sin. This passage does not address the person who sinned but then turned from his sins.

The Bible does not call sins unforgivable or irremissible. There are only sins that are unforgiven because the person refuses to repent of his sins, like Esau. "See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears" (Hebrews 12:15-17). Esau wanted the benefits of living godly without leaving his sins and such cannot happen.