Originally Posted by Chad

When a person (knowingly) calls the Spirit of the devil, that is blasphemy.

Actually that clears it up. It requires belief in God and the devil and to then choose the Devil.

Also, I highly recommend reading this on a side note now that you've mentioned your an atheist. *

Already read it, but thanks. I'd have responded to it, but I would probably have broken one or more of the site commandments along the way.

*link removed 'cause I can't post links

Originally Posted by Blayz

Yes, I understand that, but you see, I am an unbeliever (atheist to be precise), so my question is, is it possible for *me* to commit "blasphemy against the holy spirit", either intentionally or otherwise?

May I offer a simple answer to your question, Blayze? The answer is "Yes" because the Holy Spirit exists whether you believe in him or not. His existence is not contingent upon anyone's belief.

I've a good friend named Scott. You've never met Scott. You've never even seen Scott. Aside from my testimony of him, you have no tangible evidence of his existence. Yet, if you uttered any kind of derogatory statement about him that wasn't true, you would be guilty of blaspheming him. His existence is not contingent upon whether or not you believe it.

SpiritLedEd

Originally Posted by SpiritLedEd

May I offer a simple answer to your question, Blayze? The answer is "Yes" because the Holy Spirit exists whether you believe in him or not. His existence is not contingent upon anyone's belief.

I've a good friend named Scott. You've never met Scott. You've never even seen Scott. Aside from my testimony of him, you have no tangible evidence of his existence. Yet, if you uttered any kind of derogatory statement about him that wasn't true, you would be guilty of blaspheming him. His existence is not contingent upon whether or not you believe it.

SpiritLedEd

I am not talking about "sin" here SLE, and I understand Chad's comment about blasphemy. However, I am talking about Blasphemy against the spirit, that unforgivable sin which is not forgiven "in this life, or the next" which would make it impossible for me to EVER get into heaven REGARDLESS of how much I might later in life repent or turn to Jesus. What you seems to be saying SLE is that simply by uttering a derogatory comment against the Holy Spirit (something I have done many times) I have permanently barred myself from heaven and consigned my self to eternal damnation, that I have committed unforgivable sin and am thus unsaveable by Christ.

Originally Posted by Blayz

I am not talking about "sin" here SLE, and I understand Chad's comment about blasphemy. However, I am talking about Blasphemy against the spirit, that unforgivable sin which is not forgiven "in this life, or the next" which would make it impossible for me to EVER get into heaven REGARDLESS of how much I might later in life repent or turn to Jesus. What you seems to be saying SLE is that simply by uttering a derogatory comment against the Holy Spirit (something I have done many times) I have permanently barred myself from heaven and consigned my self to eternal damnation, that I have committed unforgivable sin and am thus unsaveable by Christ.

Blasphemy is basically intentionally and consistently spreading what one knows to be derogatory mis-information about a person.

If you've acknowledged the Holy Spirit's existence and learned about him, i.e. his power and his function, and yet insisted on consistently spreading derogatory mis-information about him, you would be guilty of Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for pointing out where I got off track.

SLE

Blasphemeo is a greek word meaning to defame, to vilify or slander.

We know by the scriptures that the HolySpirit is sent here to give us power to be a witness of Christ and that he himself is the chief witness. So to slander HolySpirit is to reject Christ.

John 16:5-15
5 “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and none of you has asked me where I am going. 6 Instead, you are very sad. 7 But it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Counselor* won’t come. If I do go away, he will come because I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is unbelief in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged.
12 “Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me.

Originally Posted by Blayz

I am not talking about "sin" here SLE, and I understand Chad's comment about blasphemy. However, I am talking about Blasphemy against the spirit, that unforgivable sin which is not forgiven "in this life, or the next" which would make it impossible for me to EVER get into heaven REGARDLESS of how much I might later in life repent or turn to Jesus. What you seems to be saying SLE is that simply by uttering a derogatory comment against the Holy Spirit (something I have done many times) I have permanently barred myself from heaven and consigned my self to eternal damnation, that I have committed unforgivable sin and am thus unsaveable by Christ.

There is two sides to saying something against the Holy Spirit.

One, it is knowingly (with knowledge) doing against the Holy Spirit.

Secondly, without knowledge of the Holy Spirit (like probably most people's case).

Knowingly

For example, if you've already been in the presence of the Holy Spirit, convicted of who He is and therefore received knowledge of Him, then you go off resisting Him (until death) or attaining His miracles (which your 100% sure in your heart is from Him) as an act of the devil or demons, then you've committed blasphemy.

Put it this way, you either love or hate GOD. There is no middle ground. You either accept Jesus or reject Jesus. Choose to accept Jesus, because He is your creator, loves you more than words can say and the Bible is in fact GOD's love letter to humanity.

Well Chad, I disagree. but not to try to put anyone down, but this is the way I see it.

"you said a believer can not commit an unforgivable sin."

but... the Sin of Blaspheme of the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. Even to a "Christian."

In the Geneva bible it says in Matthew 12:31, "Wherefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 2. 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."

Which means if we deny the existence of the Holy Spirit We can not be forgiven…There are Christian that Do not believe in The Holy Spirit even to the point of denying it…this sin is unforgivable.

q-you either love or hate GOD. There is no middle ground. You either accept Jesus or reject Jesus. Choose to accept Jesus, because He is your creator, loves you more than words can say and the Bible is in fact GOD's love letter to humanity.

Nicely put brother

Blasphemy against the holy Spirit is defined as intentionally and persistently giving the devil credit for the Holy Spirit's works.

Keep in mind that during his earthly ministry, when Jesus healed, it was by the power of the Holy Spirit. That is why, in Matthew 12, when the Pharisees accused Jesus of driving demons out by the power of Satan (see Mt 12:24), Jesus scolded them severely and told them "...every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." (Mt 12:31-32).

Again, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is giving the devil credit for the Spirit's works. It is a very narrow definition. Can a true Christian blaspheme the Holy Spirit? No, because a true Christian understands and honors the Spirit's role as the Third Person of the Triune Godhead.


SLE

Yes but, a Christian can fall away from the faith. and if one does then he/she can Blaspheme the Holy Spirit.