Listen:  101 Question 2

Let’s start by reading Matthew 12:31-32, “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 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.”  We must first realize that these remarks in no wise attribute a greater degree of holiness to the Holy Spirit than to the Son of God.  Both are part of the eternal God-head and are therefore, infinitely holy.  In Hebrews 7:26 we read that the Lord Jesus is, “…holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.”  God, the Father, acknowledges the deity of the Lord Jesus in Hebrews 1:8 where we read, “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.”

So, why does blasphemy against the Son of man seem to be of lesser offense than blasphemy against the Holy Ghost?  This has to do with slandering “the Son of man” in His veiled condition while on the earth.  We read of the Lord Jesus in his incarnate state in Philippians 2:7 which says that Christ, “… made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”  Christ, the very Son of God looked like any other man.  So, this slandering of him could have been done in ignorance as even the Apostle Paul said of himself in 1 Timothy 1:12-13, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”

However, to blaspheme the Holy Ghost, or to attribute His work as the work of Satan is the much greater offense at this time.  This would be a direct, deliberate, and willful opposition to the counsels and authority of God.  For more information about blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, please visit our website at www.answersfromthebook.net and type ‘What exactly is the unpardonable sin?’ into the search box.  (101.2)