What Does Blasphemy Mean? Church Shop Talk Explained

August 31, 2024

Church “shop talk” can make you feel left out, can’t it?

Here you’ll get a straightforward explanation of what “Blasphemy” means for Christians, and how to talk about it!

(The word “unforgivable” will be discussed.)

CHURCH SHOP TALK EXPLAINED

If you’ve ever been discouraged by Church “shop talk,” you’re not alone. Maybe sometimes you feel like people are talking over your head.

Seasoned folks throw terms around casually, assuming everyone knows what they know.

And they figure everyone else was taught with the same language they were taught.

As a new believer, you know you want to come along, to sit with others and learn, but they keep talking in those “religious terms” that you don’t have a good handle on yet.

Please don’t worry. This short series will give you a little jump start. And I’ll give you some resources to find out more.

People aren’t trying to make you feel left out (at least they shouldn’t be).

But it’s like anything else — they just don’t know what you don’t know.

Today, the word is Blasphemy.

What Does “Blasphemy” Mean?

Not a word that comes up in ordinary conversation, right?

A Southern mom would tell you what it is. Blasphemy is “ugly talk.” Not potty mouth. But in a way, worse. It’s talk about someone else that intends to cause damage. Speaking words that insult, discredit, revile. Slanderous talk.

The Bible says not to do it. Like a lot of other things. And all those are things we know are wrong.

But then, there’s this one particular kind of blasphemy that Jesus says won’t be overlooked. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

So why is it important? Maybe you know. It’s connected to a frightening word in the Bible, one that doesn’t seem to fit with Christ calling us to himself.

What’s the frightening word? It’s this: Unforgivable.

See how it stands out? Like a rusty nail in the Christian’s path, we are afraid we will step on it. Or quicksand, something we will step in and won’t be able to escape.

Or we’re afraid we already have stepped on it (or in it).

Sometimes it’s expressed as “unpardonable.”

You can bet if anyone is speaking about “The Unpardonable Sin” there is grave concern. Listeners are doing a quick mental review. And you know why.

Because the consequences sound like the opposite of what we learn and say and teach and assure about God’s compassion and forgiveness.

The opposite of redemption.

The opposite of what brings us peace.

“Will not be forgiven.” This one thing. What is it?

Talking About Blasphemy

Today we will talk plainly about the unforgivable sin. The particular thing that Jesus clearly says is an eternal sin.

First, I want to take a detour, and tell you what it’s not. Why? To clear up a common misconception.

Then, I’ll tell you what it is. In real words, with real resources.

And finally, I’ll tell you where it fits. Because it’s been right there the whole time.

We’ll cover how you can be sure, and give you plenty of resources to read more if you want.

About Being Wrong…

First, a quick story. About the Flintstones. Remember the cartoon? Betty told Wilma she wanted the “recipe” for something. I heard it, in her cartoon-woman voice, and thought about that word she said. REH-sup-pee.

And had a shocking realization.

The printed word “recipe” was not pronounced “REE-sip” after all. 😟 The printed word, the spoken word, and my mistaken idea.

It’s okay. I was a kid, and I didn’t talk about recipes. But I did read a lot. And I was R-O-N-G about what I was reading.

It’s hard to get over a mistaken idea, even after you’re corrected. For a long time, when I saw the printed word, I had to mentally jump over “REE-sip” (mistaken me) and remind myself it was “REH-sup-pee” (corrected me). Betty Rubble corrected me.

The point? Mistaken ideas sometimes take root, and stubbornly keep coming up.

And I’m going somewhere with this. Here it is.

There’s a mistaken idea that I just have to talk about before we talk about blasphemy.

The Unforgivable Sin; What It’s NOT

I’m just gonna say it.

The unforgivable sin:

It’s not suicide.

It absolutely is not. I’m sure, no question, I promise, and you can take that to the bank. You’ll never find that in the Bible.

But what you will find is someone who thinks it is. Maybe you, maybe a friend or a relative. A person who was given that mistaken idea and it stubbornly hangs on. They hear the correct version, but still struggle to jump over the mistaken idea.

If you want to be sure, I completely understand. And I respect you for that. Take a look at this topic, “Is Suicide the Unforgivable Sin?” You’ll get the full explanation, the supporting Scriptures, and the exact reason the thinking is in error. It will help if this is a struggle for you.

So, hear this:

With complete compassion, with absolute certainty, and looking you straight in the eye, I’m telling you: The Bible never says anything about suicide being unforgivable.

Having this explained comforts me when I reflect back on those I knew and cared about who felt they had no other options. Sometimes despair leads people to the worst choices.

There is actually a 988 service for those who fear they might be considering it. Like 911, but dialing 988 instead. It’s just for behavioral crises.

And today’s topic is not even about this. I just don’t want you burdened by this thought when we talk about it.

If you had these doubts, understanding today’s topic will help you get from mistaken you to corrected you.

This ends our quick detour, about mistaken ideas (What it isn’t.)

Remember the three things?

What it isn’t (done)
What it is
Where it fits

The task now is to define blasphemy, to understand what it is.

What Is Blasphemy?

This is a word that sounds out of place. We almost treat it like a foreign language. It isn’t, but we avoid it. Because it’s unfamiliar, undefined, or just scary.

Blasphemy is the offense of using words to insult or discredit a person. The motive is to ruin a reputation, to cast an individual as a liar, or to severely ridicule someone.

To blaspheme is to revile, curse, or despise. To reject.

But there’s this one time that Jesus speaks very clearly about blasphemy, and says there’s one situation, one way to use blasphemy, that will never be forgiven.

Will never be forgiven?

And part of the anxiety is that maybe you’ve said a bad word, maybe connected with God, and you’re afraid you stepped in the quicksand.

The truth is, like a lot of expressions, spoken words, and even commands, we need to understand the context and the meaning.

Here’s the Scripture at the heart of it all, the one that gives us the anxiety:

(Mark 3:29) “But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.”

It’s there, plain as day. Never.

You can read the same story in Matthew 12:31-32. I’ll show that to you in a minute.

So let’s get the context. I’ll give you the Cliff’s Notes right now, but it will help you to read each version as an entire chapter: Matthew 12, and Mark 3.

Here’s what happened:

Jesus was healing people and moving about with his disciples. The religious leaders were against him. Not just annoyed, or uncertain or ignoring him. They were against.

First off, they had been protesting all day. The religious leaders. Loud and proud, they told people how Jesus was a bad guy.

“He’s picking grain and eating it, and healing people on the Sabbath. That’s work, and he’s breaking the law.”

Now, a little later, he has just healed a man who was demon possessed, blind, and mute. And here they are again, seeing what’s happening, and telling the crowd he’s a fake. When that didn’t get traction, their accusations became much more sinister.

And it’s not a mild protest any more. They are speaking to the crowd to discredit Jesus.

Instead of acknowledging the power of God in Christ’s actions, they tried to make it look like Jesus was possessed, like his power was from Satan, trying to declare him the opposite of what he was.

So, Jesus had these important people in authority saying something in public that was completely misleading.

His family and followers were getting nervous. They didn’t like the confrontation, and they could see the anger escalating.

You might have said it, too. “Jesus, just come back in the house.” But he ignored all that.

And to the people around him, he said something like, “Y’all come here. Come here.” And when they were close and listening, he explained that what the leaders were saying didn’t make sense. Satan wouldn’t be getting rid of demons in people. He’s the one who put them there.

Then he addressed his accusers with a warning. A stern one with plenty of Old Testament history to back it up. He spoke directly to the Pharisees, the authorities who were trying to influence the people.

What Jesus Said About Blasphemy

Here it is from Matthew 12:31-32

“And I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the 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.”

Remember what’s going on at the time. Jesus is working from sunup to sundown, teaching, healing, explaining. And here come the “important” leaders to remind Jesus of the rules. Which, as they were told by Jesus himself, was a mistake.

If you read more in Matthew 12, he gives them a good talking to. Once they started with that devil-talk, Jesus had to put a stop to it. Because they weren’t just protesting. They were insulting.

If you’ve ever heard anyone singled out with, “You oughta know better,” that’s how it was. They DID know better, and Jesus called them out on it.

Here’s what we oughta know:

Jesus was God in flesh. That means although he was fully man, he was also fully God. The Holy Spirit was also fully God. The fullness of God, standing right there in visible human form, scolding the people who were always the scolders. That should have been really scary. And it probably was, to the believers. 😟

Blasphemy Against The Holy Spirit

If we go back to the meaning of the word blaspheme, it’s about rejection. Displayed as spoken words, as an insult or a curse, it’s a conscious and deliberate action of denying. It’s saying, “No.” Or saying “Not holy.” Or “Not from God.”

And now we are getting somewhere. A specific blasphemy/insult.

But still, this whole thing seems like a contrast to forgiveness.

We know that God calls us, our sins are forgiven through Christ, and God enters our heart in the form of the Holy Spirit. All we have to do is accept that. Christ stands in our place to take our punishment, and the Holy Spirit dwells in us.

That’s what we are taught, and it’s true.

But what about this? This thing that won’t be forgiven?

Let’s look a little harder.

Here is a quote from the Quest Study Bible:

Blasphemy against the Spirit evidently is not just a one-time offense; rather, it is an ongoing attitude of rebellion – a stubborn way of life that continually resists, rejects and insults the Holy Spirit. This is what makes it, in effect, an eternal sin (Mark 3:29). Blasphemy against the Spirit is not unforgivable because of something done unintentionally in the past, but because of something being done deliberately and unrelentingly in the present.”

Blasphemy Against The Holy Spirit Explained

Do you see it?

It’s more than an angry outburst.

It’s more than doubt or confusion. More than straying. More than being distressed or even angry.

It’s more than the guilt of not measuring up.

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is to call into question the integrity and holiness of God himself.

It’s deliberate and conscious rejection of the power of God.

The insult.

It’s more than a struggle of faith. Which you know all about, right?

We Struggle.

We struggle with Scripture and application. We struggle with doctrine. We struggle with our own selfishness. We even struggle with being angry at some of the requirements that come to us as believers.

But denying the power of the Holy Spirit to be our guide and companion, that’s a rejection.

Rejecting the Holy Spirit. Keeping yourself closed to the change that God wants to make in you.

Refusing the gift of salvation, not ignorantly or carelessly, but with complete intention.

Maybe this helps to define this particular (extreme) form of blasphemy. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

And you know what helps us? To understand how this fits in the bigger picture.

Where Does It Fit?

So we have talked about this unforgivable sin. What it isn’t, what it is. And now, where it fits.

This is going to show you why it’s so clearly wrong, and what is right instead.

And it’s not complicated.

Here’s the big idea that will help you see where it fits, one verse from John 14:6:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

This is the singular path to salvation. The way. The truth. The life.

There are other paths that lead elsewhere. It means there’s a dichotomy. An ultimatum. Either/or. Mutually exclusive.

So where does blasphemy against the Holy Spirit fit?

It’s the other path. The chosen path of rejection, the denial of the way, the refusal of the truth. It’s the conscious cursing of the truth, the deliberate hardening of the heart, the rebellious stiffening of the neck.

There is a very detailed and thorough article which does a really good job of bringing all the theories of the explanation together. It’s from Jeremy Myers, The Unforgivable Sin. I’ll print his summary below, and you can use the link to read the entire article if you like.

While believers can quench what the Spirit is trying to do (1 Thess 5: 19), and grieve the Spirit by our sinful rebellion (Eph 4: 30), the Spirit will never stop working within us to make us ever more like Jesus. So if you have believed in Jesus for eternal life, it is no longer possible to commit the unpardonable sin. You have already been drawn to Jesus by the Spirit, and have been convicted of sin, righteousness, and judgment. That aspect of the Spirit’s job toward you is finished and complete. He is now working on you in other ways which cannot be stopped by any sort of sin which you might commit. Once you have received eternal life through faith alone in Jesus, it is eternal and cannot be taken away. Once you are in the Father’s hands, nothing can take you out (Matt 10: 28-29). Nothing in all creation can separate you from God, not even something in your own life (Rom 8: 38-39).

Did you see it?

“it is no longer possible for you”

Can You Be Sure?

When you feel uncertain about forgiveness, or uncertain about this complicated, single, hard-to-understand sin that can’t be forgiven, you can get lost in that uncertainty.

A simple series of easy questions can clear it up.

DO YOU BELIEVE?

Do you believe that God is the creator of the world and of you?

Do you believe that Jesus Christ died in your place, so that you can be forgiven?

Do you believe the Holy Spirit is your comforter and companion in your life as a Christian?

These are questions that believers answer “Yes” to, because they are absolute truth.

But What Would Blasphemers Say?

Those who are guilty of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit would not answer “Yes” to any of those questions.

They would not seek to learn the wisdom of God through reading the Bible.

A person who is guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would reject, insult, or deny all this.

How Does Someone Commit the Unforgivable Sin?

So, how do you know if you have committed the unforgivable sin?

First, if you have believed in Jesus Christ for eternal life, then you have eternal life (John 3:16; 5:24; 6:47) and it is no longer possible for you to blaspheme the Holy Spirit in this way.

Since you have believed in Jesus for eternal life, the Holy Spirit has stopped working upon you as He does with non-Christians, and is now indwelling within you to mold you, shape you, and form you into Christlikeness. Yes, you can still sin against the Holy Spirit by quenching or grieving the Holy Spirit, but you cannot blaspheme the Spirit in the way Jesus talks about in Matthew 12:31-32.

So if you are a believer, don’t worry about committing the unforgivable sin. The chance to commit it is forever in your past.

To receive Christ, a person needs to do 4 things:

Admit you’re a sinner.
Ask forgiveness and be willing to turn away from your sins.
Believe that Christ died for you on the cross.
Receive Christ into your heart and life.

Romans 10:13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (ESV). Here’s a prayer you can pray to receive Christ:

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. Guide my life and help me to do Your will. In Your Name, Amen.”

You Are Safe

As a believer, you know that Christ took your sins on himself on the cross. Even the really bad ones.

And here’s what’s true: As a believer, you can’t commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. You’ve already accepted the Holy Spirit.

Indulge me for one more story.

You know what? One of my favorite desserts is a Butterfinger Blizzard from DQ. And when I’ve eaten it, I know it. I’m satisfied. I finish the whole thing.

Afterward, I don’t start wondering if I can have it. I already did. I don’t start wondering if I’m guilty of rejecting it. I didn’t. I didn’t reject it. I didn’t curse it or turn it away. I didn’t say it’s not a Blizzard, or that it’s not mine. It’s done and settled, and I can’t reject it.

If you’ve asked Jesus to be your Savior, and the Holy Spirit to be your guide, you didn’t reject the Holy Spirit. It’s done.

The point? Don’t create doubt when you already have certainty.

Look, I know it can be discouraging to read and learn what Scripture says. You keep running into things that scare you. Things that don’t seem to make sense.

But there are smart people who have helped me understand things that seemed difficult for so long. Those people will help you, too.

You need a good teacher. You need to know how to study. And I promise you, I’m struggling and growing right along with you. Many people are.

Your eternity is safe in Christ.

Did you read all the way to here? Bless you. This is one concept that just is difficult for us to talk about. And it can be difficult to understand. Every other topic in this series has been straightforward and easy. This one, it was complicated. Thank you for hanging in with me.

More About Blasphemy

Why did I tackle this difficult subject? Because I was tired of saying, “I don’t know.” I was tired of feeling like there was a Bible truth that I avoided.

And there’s something else: Online research was difficult. Many of the articles I sought out were just too academic to make sense to me.

When I settled on a few that were more understandable (listed below for you), I still wasn’t sure I was presenting the explanation well.

So I asked a trusted teacher. He was so gracious and so helpful, and he talked with me until he was sure I understood.

In addition to this post you’re reading, I gathered all those notes and Scripture references he assigned, and created a more thorough document. It goes a little deeper, if you have questions that weren’t answered here.

So if you’d like to punish yourself by reading even more 😉, here is the link to that document. It’s a PDF you can download and read/print.

The Bible Is Clear: Believers Have Not Committed The Unpardonable Sin.

When you click the link, you’ll be taken to the document so you can view/download it.

Now I’ll give you all the links to the articles that helped me to keep going when I almost gave up.