When does the 'blasphemy of the Holy Spirit' git ya ?
Sorry, I am being a bit glib there in my wording, but, trust me, Christ peeps, this is a dead-serious question to ya
What is denying Christ, which is 'blasphemy' defined (personified?)?
Maybe, a definition is in order. Oh wait, I just did
Perhaps the best way to define such words is, rather than looking to a dictionary, encyclopedia, concordance, wikipedia, or any other recourse written by men, look to the Bible and allow the word of God to define itself.
When we read the Bible and observe the context and application in which a word is used, a definition for the word becomes more obvious. I guess, it might be well to remember that words often have more than one meaning. And in such a case, it might just be that in some applications more than one, or perhaps all the different meanings apply. For example, when Jesus was pleading with the disciples to abide (
John Chap 15), did He mean abide as in; live in (abide in this house); live up to or fulfill (abide by the terms of a contract); comply with or obey (abide by or with the law). In this case, I tend to believe that for a fuller understanding all three meanings apply; giving a fuller meaning to the Gospel.
Using the same approach for the word in question; blasphemy, and referring to some NT examples a definition can appear.
[FONT="]Luke 5:21[/FONT]
20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him
, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
In this verse the Pharisees, who were experts on the law, are saying that the act of claiming to have powers that belong to God alone defines blasphemy against God.
Could it be said then that claiming to have powers that belong to the Holy Ghost alone would be a blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.
[FONT="]Mark 14:64[/FONT][FONT="][/FONT]
. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said
, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64 Ye have heard the blasphemy:
Here the high priest gives another definition for the word. In this application, by claiming to be the Son of God, Jesus is claiming to be a deity like God, making Himself a god. For this Jesus was charged with the crime of blasphemy against the most high God, and ultimately executed.
Based on this definition, would it be correct to say that anyone who claims to be the Holy Ghost or equal to Him is guilty of blaspheming the Holy Ghost.
In
Matthew Chap. 12 there is a lengthy story in which Jesus provides another meaning for the word blasphemy. In this story the Pharisees accuse Jesus of expelling demons by the power of Beelzebub. In His chastisement of the Pharisees Jesus made it clear that, by giving Satan the credit for the work of the Holy Ghost, or crediting the Holy Ghost with doing evil, is to blaspheme the Holy Ghost.
Which definition is correct? I think they all are. They say there's more than one way to skin a cat. I don't know why anyone would want to do that. I think there's more than one way to blaspheme the Holy Ghost. And, I wouldn't want to do that either.
Mark 3:28-30
[FONT="].[/FONT][FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]
28 w "Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29 "but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" - 30 because they x said, "He has an unclean spirit. [/FONT]