Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 4/28/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

I completely fear that I have committed this sin: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and I would like your opinion on the matter.

Please let me re-assure you that what I said is a massive regret, so great that even you probably couldn’t comprehend it.    I hate myself for doing it. Also let me also say that I am so, so sorry for what I said and I would do anything to turn back time in order to change the future and not say it.

When I was 17, ( I am now 22) I was at my youth group and I was talking to a few people casually and during the conversation, up popped a comment about the only unforgivable sin.  Anyway that night and for some stupid reason I sat up in my bed on my own and said the following which I will regret until the day I die:  “I commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit in Jesus name, Amen.”

Please let me assure you that I had no intention to leave Christ (I’m not sure if I was saved back then anyway because I forgotten the status of my relationship with Christ back then.  (I did grow up in a Christian family though.)  To this day, I take back that statement, I do not mean it at all and I really wish I never said it. I sometimes even cry myself to sleep, I’m so upset with this. When I did say it, I don’t think I meant it (can’t confirm this).  I think if the Lord looked into my heart when I said it, I think he would see that I probably didn’t mean it.  I was so upset about it after I said it.  Not too sure if it was immediately after, but I think it was in the next couple of days I spoke to my youth leader about it and told him how upset I was as I feared I committed the unforgivable sin.

I don’t think I’ve been saved for about 5 years or so, but on the 20th April 2010 I decided to give my life to the Lord and to repent from all my sins and follow him (which includes going into missionary work).  

If you can let me know if you think (and please be extremely truthful) that I’m either eternally lost or saved that would be great, because it scares and torments me when the Bible states that ANYONE (meaning anyone in this day and age) who speaks a word against the Holy Sprit (this could be anything I believe) will never be forgiven and I believe I have spoken against it by saying that dreadful sentence regardless of whether or not it is in context with what the Pharisees and religious leaders did and whether or not it was in full view of Christ’s miracles (which it wasn’t).

Also I kindly ask for you to pray and to seek God on this matter too.  I would like this because from doing research all over the internet and talking to pastors etc, I don’t think there is any guarantee that I am now saved because of what I said.  Also because the Bible doesn’t talk about this subject much, it is very hard to speculate on the matter.  What I really want is an answer given directly by God to someone like yourself explaining that I have not done it. A lot of people keep telling me I haven’t done it, but it is extremely hard to accept this and I long for God to speak directly to someone and to let them know that I am alright.  So please pray about this and ask God to give you what he thinks the answer is and whether or not I have committed this dreadful sin.

Many thanks,

Simon

ANSWER: Hi Simon,

Thank you for this great question.  I am so sorry that you have been under such a load of guilt over this.  Let us review exactly what it means to commit this sin.  It is only mentioned once in the Bible and here is the whole context.  Please read the whole story and then my coments.

Matthew 12:22-32
22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? 24 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: 26 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. 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. 30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 31 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. 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.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Jesus cast out demons through the Power of the Holy Ghost.  The only hope that anyone has of salvation is that Jesus paid our price on the cross.  The Pharisees said that He cast out these demons, not with God's power, but with Satan's power.  They were blaspheming the Holy Ghost as being the devil instead.  So to blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to say that the miracles that Jesus committed were done in the power of the devil.  If you believe that, then there is no way you could believe that Jesus paid for your sins, therefore you have no one to trust for salvation.

Going into your room and saying that you blaspheme the Holy Ghost and saying that in Jesus name is not what the Pharisees did.  The fact that you have the ability to ask Jesus to save you shows that you did not commit an unpardonable sin!  

You have Gods promise.

Romans 10:13
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

You called upon the Lord, you are saved!  That is that!  Believe it and embrace it!

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Don,

Many thanks for your answer, it has really helped.  I've got one more question though.  The verse below states that anyone who speaks against the Holy Ghost will not be forgiven.  

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.

What I don't understand fully is the fact that surely I spoke against the Holy Spirit by saying that awful thing?  If you could clarify this for me that would be great, because saying what I said, to me sounds as though I have spoken against him.

Many thanks,

Simon

Answer
Hi Simon,

Thank you so much for this follow up question.  It is true that if you take verse 32 alone, it would seem like you have committed this sin.  THis verse, however can only be interpreted in the context from which it came.  If you read again verses 22-32 you will see that in this context, to blaspheme the Holy Ghost is to say that the Miracles that the Holy Ghost did through Jesus was really the power of Satan. You did not do that when you said those things.  I know of many folks who have been attacked with doubt because of this verse.... take it in context and you will see that you are forgiven.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don