Jesus prayed for those who blasphemed Him in ignorance, but those who were enlightened and maintained their blasphemous spirit were unforgiven. Christians, because of the restraining grace of God working in them cannot commit this sin. By definition, blasphemy involves words, not thoughts, and is like making a smear campaign against the Lord. Even in the occult they may curse Jesus out of ignorance and be forgiven--this is a deliberate and known, unrepentant sin. This sin is clearly an assault on the very nature and good character of God and brings it into question.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is said to be unforgivable in Matt. 12:32, but what does it entail? Is there a point of no return? Today evangelicals all say that Jesus died for all our sins except rejecting Christ, which would make him consigned to hell as a consequence. If this is true, how can pagans go to hell that has never heard of Jesus? It is a proven fact that the average convert doesn't accept Christ until he "rejects" Him seven or eight times (even making a "no decision" is reckoned as rejection). If rejecting Christ was so serious, why did God continue to convict and work in the person and woo them to Christ repeatedly? Why are people with hardened hearts given a second chance to repent? God is able to make people with hearts of stone become ones with hearts of flesh (cf. Ezekiel 36:26).
Jesus was addressing and referring to the Pharisees, who regarded His deeds as done by the power of Satan, and attributed His works to be in cahoots with the prince of demons himself--they blasphemed the Holy Spirit's ministry through Him. The Pharisees actually said, "He has an evil spirit." This is an extremely hard (and is very rare) sin to commit in today's age; nevertheless, it is possible to be so hardened to absolutely and finally to see Christ as a demon or in league with them, and to use the tongue (to speak or write using words) to spread this doctrine perniciously and viciously to do harm to the kingdom of God (false teachers are specifically vulnerable to this type of sin since they are in a position of influence). You can find people of all faiths saying things about Jesus, but they don't go so far as to say he was evil. Even the Muslims admit He was without sin in the Qua'ran and don't attribute His miracles to the devil. Few infidels ever regard Jesus as "evil" but as a good man in their way of thinking, of course.
There are people who have worried about whether they've committed this sin, but if they are concerned they aren't guilty of it, because it implies a certain unrepentant hardness of heart that seeks to harm the cause of Christ (determinedly, willingly, and knowingly and not flippantly or casually), and not just misunderstand it. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven or sinner too bad to be saved if they repent. No one will be able to tell God they wanted to believe and repent but couldn't. There is no lack of evidence, so no one has an excuse! If you think you've committed this sin and are concerned, you haven't and God is still working in you. However, if someone hardens his heart, God is able to confirm that hardening in judgment (cf. Isaiah 6:10; 63:17). God hardened Pharaoh's heart after he rejected God's offer and request to let His people go.
We all have to realize that we are at the mercy of God and must sue God for mercy and throw in the towel, humbling ourselves before Him knowing that He is in control of our destiny, not us. The unpardonable sin is more of a character (it is not just loosely saying something that one might regret or change his mind about) and it is of the Antichrist and not a specific one-time sin or act. The person knowingly and willingly does it without repentance, and has no desire for the things of God or seeking His kingdom. Soli Deo Gloria!
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is said to be unforgivable in Matt. 12:32, but what does it entail? Is there a point of no return? Today evangelicals all say that Jesus died for all our sins except rejecting Christ, which would make him consigned to hell as a consequence. If this is true, how can pagans go to hell that has never heard of Jesus? It is a proven fact that the average convert doesn't accept Christ until he "rejects" Him seven or eight times (even making a "no decision" is reckoned as rejection). If rejecting Christ was so serious, why did God continue to convict and work in the person and woo them to Christ repeatedly? Why are people with hardened hearts given a second chance to repent? God is able to make people with hearts of stone become ones with hearts of flesh (cf. Ezekiel 36:26).
Jesus was addressing and referring to the Pharisees, who regarded His deeds as done by the power of Satan, and attributed His works to be in cahoots with the prince of demons himself--they blasphemed the Holy Spirit's ministry through Him. The Pharisees actually said, "He has an evil spirit." This is an extremely hard (and is very rare) sin to commit in today's age; nevertheless, it is possible to be so hardened to absolutely and finally to see Christ as a demon or in league with them, and to use the tongue (to speak or write using words) to spread this doctrine perniciously and viciously to do harm to the kingdom of God (false teachers are specifically vulnerable to this type of sin since they are in a position of influence). You can find people of all faiths saying things about Jesus, but they don't go so far as to say he was evil. Even the Muslims admit He was without sin in the Qua'ran and don't attribute His miracles to the devil. Few infidels ever regard Jesus as "evil" but as a good man in their way of thinking, of course.
There are people who have worried about whether they've committed this sin, but if they are concerned they aren't guilty of it, because it implies a certain unrepentant hardness of heart that seeks to harm the cause of Christ (determinedly, willingly, and knowingly and not flippantly or casually), and not just misunderstand it. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven or sinner too bad to be saved if they repent. No one will be able to tell God they wanted to believe and repent but couldn't. There is no lack of evidence, so no one has an excuse! If you think you've committed this sin and are concerned, you haven't and God is still working in you. However, if someone hardens his heart, God is able to confirm that hardening in judgment (cf. Isaiah 6:10; 63:17). God hardened Pharaoh's heart after he rejected God's offer and request to let His people go.
We all have to realize that we are at the mercy of God and must sue God for mercy and throw in the towel, humbling ourselves before Him knowing that He is in control of our destiny, not us. The unpardonable sin is more of a character (it is not just loosely saying something that one might regret or change his mind about) and it is of the Antichrist and not a specific one-time sin or act. The person knowingly and willingly does it without repentance, and has no desire for the things of God or seeking His kingdom. Soli Deo Gloria!