When a Christian falls away from the faith, he/she is no longer a Christian.

SLE

If you are born of God, you will seek spiritual things, you will love each other edify each other, and one will not seek worldly things, and one will not sin?

You see God has promised us all this, in His Word. His Word is truth and He doesn't lie.

1Jo 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1Jo 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1Jo 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

To strengthen ones faith in God, just keep praying, asking God to give you strength. And ask Him to help you, to become more Christ-like.

All throughout the centuries, we have resisted the Holy Ghost.

Act 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

We need to listen and be obedient to His word and do His will and not our own will, be circumcised in the heart to allow God to change us.

We are new creatures now and the old has gone.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Once these scriptures come to life for you, you will know:

Joh 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

But like Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for a season, we will also be tempted in the wilderness. Jesus told us pray and not sleep. Jesus was not referring to literal sleep, as we know it.

The more one spends in God presence and prayer and His word, the more we will become Christ-like. We need to walk as Jesus walked, and become more like him.

So one must not resist the Holy Ghost. The power is there for all of us, we just need to know how to use the power.

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Food for thought: I was reading an article yesterday, regarding a very well known evangelist, this well-know evangelist was giving all the glory to an angel. This same person went across the world, doing healings and all sorts, but instead of giving all the glory to God, he gave it to an angel. . He made a huge mistake.

God gets the the glory always, God is good, and in Him there is no darkness.

1Jo 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Originally Posted by Word of Life

If you are born of God, you will seek spiritual things, you will love each other edify each other, and one will not seek worldly things, and one will not sin?

You see God has promised us all this, in His Word. His Word is truth and He doesn't lie.

1Jo 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1Jo 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1Jo 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

To strengthen ones faith in God, just keep praying, asking God to give you strength. And ask Him to help you, to become more Christ-like.

All throughout the centuries, we have resisted the Holy Ghost.

[I]Act 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fatherds did, so do ye.

We need to listen and be obedient to His word and do His will and not our own will, be circumcised in the heart to allow God to change us.

We are new creatures now and the old has gone.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Once these scriptures come to life for you, you will know:

Joh 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

But like Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for a season, we will also be tempted in the wilderness. Jesus told us pray and not sleep. Jesus was not referring to literal sleep, as we know it.

The more one spends in God presence and prayer and His word, the more we will become Christ-like. We need to walk as Jesus walked, and become more like him.

So one must not resist the Holy Ghost. The power is there for all of us, we just need to know how to use the power.

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Food for thought: I was reading an article yesterday, regarding a very well known evangelist, this well-know evangelist was giving all the glory to an angel. This same person went across the world, doing healings and all sorts, but instead of giving all the glory to God, he gave it to an angel. . He made a huge mistake.

God gets the the glory always, God is good, and in Him there is no darkness.

1Jo 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

In Acts 7:51, Stephen was speaking to his persecutors. not to the church.


SLE

Stephen was speaking to the religious people of his time, the ones that received the message, and were in idolatry and were following traditions of man. They had been given God's law, but they disobeyed it, and in turn resisted the Holy Spirit.

This passage in Acts 7:44-53 is from the easy English online bible.

v44 ‘Our *ancestors had a tent where they *worshipped God. The tent was with them in the desert. God had told Moses how to make it. It was like the model that Moses had seen. v45 Our *ancestors received it. And they took it with them when they followed Joshua. They carried the tent when they came into this country. They took control of the country. And they replaced those people that God chased away. The tent remained in this country until David became king. v46 David pleased God. David asked God if he (David) could provide a place to *worship him, Jacob’s God. v47 But it was Solomon who built the house for God. v48 However, the Most High God does not live in houses that people build. It is as the *prophet says. He says this.

v49 “My *throne is heaven,
and my feet rest on the earth.
You cannot really build a house for me.
You do not know what sort of place I could stay in.

v50 I have made everything!”

v51 You *stubborn people, you think like *pagans. And you do not hear God’s message. You are exactly like your *ancestors. You always fight against the *Holy Spirit! v52 There is not one *prophet that your *ancestors did not *persecute. They killed some *prophets. Those *prophets said that God’s *righteous Servant was coming. Now you have opposed that Servant and you have killed him. v53 You are the people who received God’s *Law. The *angels gave it to you. But still you do not obey it.’

There is only One Church, and that's the one Jesus built, on the day Jesus was crucified. Stephen was telling these religious people of his time, what they were doing wrong, but they didn't listen to Stephen, and stoned and killed him.

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?

As a fellow atheist, it doesn't matter, per Hebrews 6. According to the first several verses of that chapter, the person who has stopped believing cannot be "renewed again unto repentance." Either that verse is talking about THE unpardonable sin, or some other sin or set of sins that may as well be "unpardonable." Either way: No pardon.

Chad

Thanks for the article and your comments.

This has helped me get my head around this topic. Many people often ask "can a Believer commit this sin?". I really didn't know how to explain it before. I now have an answer to give them.

It used to worry me in the past as well. So thanks.

MelC

This is the same as Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts. He lied to the Holy Spirit, telling the apostles that it was all the amount from the land that he had sold, when in fact it was only some of it, and he kept the rest. The two of them died after saying that yes, it was the full amount.

thanks chad, i was one of those that didn't understand the unforgivable sin but now thanks to you i understand. God Bless :)

Originally Posted by Questioning

As a fellow atheist, it doesn't matter, per Hebrews 6. According to the first several verses of that chapter, the person who has stopped believing cannot be "renewed again unto repentance." Either that verse is talking about THE unpardonable sin, or some other sin or set of sins that may as well be "unpardonable." Either way: No pardon.

I would say,not taking the Bible for any quotes,that anyone who believes there is no God is a fool,for only such a person, would believe this. and if he or she dies believing that,to me,that is blasphmasy! Not being mean to you at all!! I say this because,i was once lost as well. Had i died before I found out I was no fool,I would of ended up lost forever,for even if a person has no belief,in the Lord or heaven and hell,what is there to look forward to if one is so lost from the start? just a thought. blessing.

Originally Posted by Brighthouse

I would say,not taking the Bible for any quotes,that anyone who believes there is no God is a fool,for only such a person, would believe this.

I can't say that it bothers me too much, and it's too typical a response to have not gotten used to by now. But let me absolutely clear. I do not "believe there is no god." I simply do not believe in any of the prescribed gods. God may well exist, but I see no evidence for any particular one put forth for my consideration.

Originally Posted by Brighthouse

and if he or she dies believing that,to me,that is blasphmasy!

Different christians who tell me this sort of thing label it different things. It's your belief system. Call it what you will.

Originally Posted by Brighthouse

Not being mean to you at all!! I say this because,i was once lost as well.

Perish the thought!

Originally Posted by Brighthouse

Had i died before I found out I was no fool,I would of ended up lost forever,for even if a person has no belief,in the Lord or heaven and hell,what is there to look forward to if one is so lost from the start? just a thought. blessing.

Meh.. I see no proof of that. There's a certain website about Hank and his posterior that's a sort of funny rebuttal to this rather specious argument, but I'll allow you to decide whether to look it up or not. (Send me a private message if you'd like further details). However, I'd like to completely assure you that I look forward to all sorts of things and have the other typical human longings and fulfillments. And I have absolutely no idea why I would consider myself "lost," unless its maybe on some sort of philosophical level that incorporates the level of degrees necessary to discuss all the proper connections around us. I guess that's a couple of thoughts. I hope I didn't bore you. Selah.