AboutWilliam Radvansky Expertise I can answer any question that is proposed by someone who wants to understand the scriptures. I have studied the scriptures for 20 years so that I might be able to"Rightly divide the Word of Truth" As a Christian, indwelt by the Holy Spirit who's ministry is to lead us into all truth, I can confidently answer your question based solely on the Word of God. There is nothing more enjoyable to me than talking about the Bible and sharing with others.I can also answer questions on Baptist History and soulwinning.
Experience I have been an adult Bible class teacher for 5 years and enjoy preaching the Word of God in area churches, High rises, prisons, homeless shelters ,Veterans homes and others. I am currently a teacher at Harvest Baptist Christian Academy. (Harvestbaptist.info)
Organizations Member of Harvest Baptist Church, New Kensington, PA for 9 years.
Education/Credentials I have taken classes at Emmanuel Baptist Theological Seminary and am currently enrolled in Western Pennsylvania Theological Institute. Also a graduate of Pennsylvania State Police Academy.
Past/Present Clients You may contact Pastor Kurt Skelly 724 337-0607 for any further questions.
Question QUESTION: I've been a Christian for a few years now, and never really had doubts until this year about how forgiveness works. Now I read about a "sin that leads to death" meaning blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. I know it says somewhere in the new testament (1st John maybe?)something along the lines of.. "I write these things so you do not sin,but if anyone does sin we have an advocate" and.."If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." but it also talks about being free from sin and that if we sin God doesn't show partiality,but chained and punished angels who sinned...it also says something along the lines of "Don't you know whoever you give yourself over to obey you become servant of" so can it be that if we sin willfully(knowing its wrong,having a conviction and doing it anyways) but afterward seeking true repentance and to turn from that sin, we can't be forgiven because we've "blasphemed the Holy Spirit?"
ANSWER: Hi Katie, You ask many excellent questions which all indeed are connected with sin and forgiveness. The first and most important thing to understand is just what it actually is to commit the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost and can it still be committed today?
In Matthew 12 is where we find Jesus statement that you reference. We must always take into consideration the context of whatever scripture we quote before we attempt to determine its specific application. The scripture records, 22Then 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. 23And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this son of David? 24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 25And 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: 26And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 28But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29Or 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. 30He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 31Wherefore 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. 32And 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 context here is clearly the charge by the Pharisees that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Satan. He declares that much of their criticism was blasphemy but when they began to ascribe the work of the Holy Spirit of God as being demonic, or the works of Demons to be of the Holy Spirit they are crossing a line. He asks them that if they accuse him of casting out devils by the power of Satan, by whose power do they cast them out? If they say God then they are admitting that it can be done; if they say Satan then they are guilty of the same blasphemy that they are charging him with. Many feel that this warning was specific to the time that Jesus was physically present on earth, but I wouldn’t want to find out. It is not blasphemy of the Holy Ghost to willfully sin after you have come to the knowledge of the truth through salvation through Jesus Christ.
The scripture that guarantees forgiveness to those who are saved when they sin is 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This is a Biblical promise that all believers stand on. Even though we are saved, we still live in our carnal bodies and fight against our sinful flesh. The Apostle Paul so brilliantly used himself as an example when he says in Romans 7:14 “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.”
In Romans chapter 6 Paul is telling Christians that yes we are saved from sin but we still live in a sinful world and even though we may slip and commit sins, we have forgiveness for that. What we have to remember is repeatedly allowing sin to have dominion over us makes us servants to that sin. This would be like any besetting sin such as alcohol, drugs, pornography, gambling etc. Or any sin that takes control over us and supplants the Holy spirits control. v12 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness”
Finally you allude to Jude 1.Jude is reminding saved people that God is indeed able and just in bringing punishment on those who actively rebel against him. His point is that if God spared not the examples that he gives he certainly will not grant mercy to anyone who refuses his free gift of salvation. “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. He concludes by exhorting them, ”But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life”.
Katie, If you’ve received Christ as your savior you can live a victorious life over sin by reading your Bible, praying, and picking good Christian friends. If you have a follow up question, just ask. Bill
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: what happens if you think you have blasphemed the Holy Spirit?
I've heard that if you think you have you haven't but I haven't found any convincing proof of that. Yes, theres the feeling guilty part that people say is evidence of the Spirit, but what if you feel more guilty about the punishment than about what you think you did?
Answer Hi Katie,
Thanks for the follow up question. It gives me an opportunity to hone in on whatever your particular need is from the word of God. Let’s back up a little bit first.
There are three main commands that are given to believers with regards to the Holy Spirit. Since all who have been born again received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation we will presuppose that that has been done.
The first command given to us is found in Ephesians 4 where we are taught,(v29) “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption”. We grieve the Holy Spirit of God by sinning. Sin gets between us and the work of the Holy Spirit and causes Him grief. Please note though that this verse tells us that it is the same Spirit that seals us unto the day of redemption. Therefore we know that grieving the Holy Spirit is not a sin unto death, nor is it blasphemy.
The second command is found in 1 Thessalonians 5 and that is to “quench not the Holy Spirit”. The entire chapter is devoted to our place in Christ being assured and that we don’t walk the same way that the children of the world do. We read beginning at v18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it”. To quench the Spirit is to ignore his prompting for us to do a particular thing that he wants us to do. When we know that we are to witness to someone and we don’t, or when he tells us to stop doing something that is grieving him and we ignore his guidance we are quenching Him. Note once again in these verses that the Spirit himself tells us that we are kept “blameless”, we are “preserved” and God is faithful to “sanctify us Holy”.
The third command is found in Galatians 5 where we are instructed to “walk in the Spirit”. Beginning at verse 24, “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” Here is the key to having victory in our Christian life and avoiding the grieving or the quenching of the Holy Spirit.
Feeling guilty on an ongoing basis is not the evidence of the Spirit. When Christ died for our sins, He took all of our guilt along with our sins upon himself. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. The only record that can remain of those sins is in your mind via guilt. Satan has no right of appeal to God, because you have been acquitted (set free) from the penalty of sin and death. Allowing that guilt to linger just gives the devil the opportunity to throw it up to you. Paul wrote, Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”. If you have made the decision to walk after the Spirit, there is no condemnation for you. Read the entire chapter 8 of Romans as I think that it will help you. Thanks. Bill
