Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost? Mark 3:20-30

Text: “But he/she that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of Eternal damnation.”

Mark 3:29. 

“And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him/her: but unto him/her that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.”

Luke 12:10.

 Good morning, dread-free Christian!  You are not like some other fearful souls, who having committed the most heinous sins against God with impunity – now, in their own consciences at least, remain in horrible dread that they have indeed committed blasphemy against God the Holy Ghost!  This especially marked and vile sin is an unpardonable sin; an offence that will most certainly damn one’s soul to a Christ-rejecter’s Eternity in the torments of a Hell that is hot indeed.

 “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.  (Revelation 20:14-15)

Learn the stark lesson of the rich man in Hell, Jesus spoke of in Luke’s Gospel: “And in Hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”  (Luke 16:23-24)

This is the certain lot of all those that dare to commit the unpardonable sin – all those that continue to “…blaspheme against the Holy Ghost (God the Spirit) hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of Eternal damnation.”  (Mark 3:29) 

More on this dreadful sin later, but note first the Eternally positive comment on sins that the Lord Jesus reveals in verse 28 of our selection from Mark’s Gospel: “Verily (truly) I say unto you, ALL sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: but he/she that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of Eternal damnation.”  (Vs 28-29)

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“We ought to notice…, what a glorious declaration our Lord makes in these verses about the forgiveness of sins. He says, “…all sins shall be for­given to the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme.”

“These words fall lightly on the ears of many persons. They see no particular beauty in them. But to the man who is alive to his own sinfulness and deeply sensible of his need of mercy, these words are sweet and precious. “All sins shall be forgiven.” The sins of youth and age, —the sins of head, and hand, and tongue, and imagination, —the sins against all God’s commandments, —the sins of persecutors, like Saul, —the sins of idolaters, like Manasseh, —the sins of open enemies of Christ, like the Jews who crucified Him, —the sins of backsliders from Christ, like Peter, —all, all may be forgiven. The blood of Christ can cleanse all away. The righteousness of Christ can cover all, and hide all from God’s eyes.”  (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

My personal soul, at reading this statement from Christ, cries out in profound gratitude, ‘Hallelujah!  Oh, the wonder of God’s grace in Christ Jesus!  What a gracious Saviour!

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.”  (1 John 1:9)

Satan, “…the strong man’s…” house is spoiled, overthrown, overwhelmed, by Christ Jesus, Who has bound “…the strong man…”, Satan, and taken you and I from his vile kingdom! (V.27) Wow!  We are delivered from Satan, sin, and the Law, by the precious Blood of Christ Jesus, and the matchless grace of a truly Sovereign and merciful Lord God.  Praise His Name!

“We should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who hath delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in Whom we trust that He will yet deliver us.” (2 Corinthians 1:9-10) 

As for dread that we may have committed ‘the unpardonable sin’ in “…blaspheming against God the Holy Ghost…” – I believe you and I, in this dispensation of time, can only commit this sin one way: by a continual rejection of the universal call of God to come and be saved by Christ; by rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as presented by God the Holy Ghost.  

In fact, being in fear and dread that we have actually committed this unpardonable sin, is proof positive that, as yet, we have not!  The reprobate, like the unbelieving atheist, has no such fear, of God, because, “…the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him/her: neither can he/she know them, because they are Spiritually discerned.”(1 Corinthians 2:12-14) Such ‘fools’ have no conviction of sin.

The following quotation from Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) deserves attention: “The sin against the Holy Ghost is ever attended with these two symptoms, —absence of all contrition, and of all desire of for­giveness. Now, if thou canst truly say that thy sins are a burden to thee, —that thou dost desire forgiveness, and wouldst give any­thing to attain it, be of good comfort; thou hast not yet, and, by God’s grace, never shall commit that unpardonable offence. I will not define how near thou hast been unto it. As David said to Jonathan, ‘there is but a step between me and death,’—so, may be, thou hast missed it very narrowly; but assure thyself thou art not as yet guilty thereof.” (Fuller’s Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience (1867)

Thought:  If believers fear they might have committed the unpardonable sin – it is proof positive that they haven’t – for God the Holy Spirit is still convicting them of possible sin.  Rejoice then, dread-free Christian!