YeshuaRedeemed
Revelation 3:10
I don't know, that is why I am asking. Any help would be appreciated.
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What is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
- Thread starter YeshuaRedeemed
- Start date
Axe Elf
Prophet
It's basically a rejection of salvation. If you reject salvation, you can't be saved. Basically, only those created for destruction will reject salvation, so if you want to be saved and you're afraid you might have accidentally blasphemed the Holy Spirit and disqualified yourself, then you probably haven't. Only those who don't want to be saved can reject salvation.
metis
aged ecumenical anthropologist
IMO, a denial that the HS exists or is irrelevant.
Remember that Jesus says in the gospels that he would guide his church until the end of time, and this was to be done through the HS. Thus, without the HS's influence, through both individual and Church (collective) consciences, we could go off the narrow path because everything would be up for grabs theologically.
Anyhow, that's just my take.
Remember that Jesus says in the gospels that he would guide his church until the end of time, and this was to be done through the HS. Thus, without the HS's influence, through both individual and Church (collective) consciences, we could go off the narrow path because everything would be up for grabs theologically.
Anyhow, that's just my take.
YeshuaRedeemed
Revelation 3:10
I am so glad I am saved, then. Thank you for telling me.
Despair
Presumption
Resistance of the Known Truth.
Envy of a brother's spiritual good
Impenitence
Obstinacy
First, despair. Despair is opposed to the theological virtue of hope. Recall that there are three theological virtues that are given to us by God, as a sheer gift, at baptism, and these are faith, hope, and charity. It is not possible to develop these virtues on our own. They can only be received as pure gifts. Hope refers to a hope in the promises of God, that is, it is a hope ultimately for eternal life with God. But despair refers to the deliberate choice against hope. For there is nothing we can do that God will not forgive, as long as we approach Him with a contrite heart and sincerely seek his forgiveness. Hope bears upon this promise of God, revealed by Christ. But the person who despairs of God's mercy, who believes that his sin is too great for God to forgive, refuses to hope upon this particular promise of God. It is by virtue of our hope that we actually seek out his forgiveness. For in seeking out his forgiveness, we hope for it, that is, we hope to receive it. But the person who despairs of God's mercy will not seek out His forgiveness, for he chooses to despair of that forgiveness. Hence, he will never receive it, because the pre-condition for receiving it is that we seek it out.
Presumption is opposed to the gift of fear. The presumptuous person has no fear of God. Fear, recall, is one of the seven personal gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is divided into servile and filial fear. Filial fear is the higher of the two. The person with servile fear only will refrain from sin merely out of a fear of eternal punishment. The person with filial fear will refrain from sin not primarily out of a fear of punishment but rather out of love. There are some things you wouldn't do to your mother not simply because you are afraid of the punishment, but primarily because you love your mother and do not wish to see her saddened or offended. Such is filial fear in relation to God. Now, the precondition for forgiveness by God is that we approach Him with a contrite heart and sincerely repent of our sins. The presumptuous person will not do that because he presumes he has it already. He presumes that he can obtain glory without merits, or pardon without repentance. And this is actually more frequent than despair. I have only come across despair once in my life, but presumption is common among criminals with a Catholic upbringing. That is why many of them will wear a brown scapular around their necks or a crucifix. For they mistakenly believe that if they are to die wearing these--even during a botched robbery or drug deal, or something of the sort--they will automatically be forgiven everything and will enter into their glory.
Another way to blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to resist the truth when it is known. There are people who deliberately resist the truth, usually in order to more freely persist in a lifestyle at odds with the truth. As Scripture says: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." To resist the truth is to resist one's own freedom. It is to resist one's own salvation; for God is truth, as Jesus said: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life."
Presumption
Resistance of the Known Truth.
Envy of a brother's spiritual good
Impenitence
Obstinacy
First, despair. Despair is opposed to the theological virtue of hope. Recall that there are three theological virtues that are given to us by God, as a sheer gift, at baptism, and these are faith, hope, and charity. It is not possible to develop these virtues on our own. They can only be received as pure gifts. Hope refers to a hope in the promises of God, that is, it is a hope ultimately for eternal life with God. But despair refers to the deliberate choice against hope. For there is nothing we can do that God will not forgive, as long as we approach Him with a contrite heart and sincerely seek his forgiveness. Hope bears upon this promise of God, revealed by Christ. But the person who despairs of God's mercy, who believes that his sin is too great for God to forgive, refuses to hope upon this particular promise of God. It is by virtue of our hope that we actually seek out his forgiveness. For in seeking out his forgiveness, we hope for it, that is, we hope to receive it. But the person who despairs of God's mercy will not seek out His forgiveness, for he chooses to despair of that forgiveness. Hence, he will never receive it, because the pre-condition for receiving it is that we seek it out.
Presumption is opposed to the gift of fear. The presumptuous person has no fear of God. Fear, recall, is one of the seven personal gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is divided into servile and filial fear. Filial fear is the higher of the two. The person with servile fear only will refrain from sin merely out of a fear of eternal punishment. The person with filial fear will refrain from sin not primarily out of a fear of punishment but rather out of love. There are some things you wouldn't do to your mother not simply because you are afraid of the punishment, but primarily because you love your mother and do not wish to see her saddened or offended. Such is filial fear in relation to God. Now, the precondition for forgiveness by God is that we approach Him with a contrite heart and sincerely repent of our sins. The presumptuous person will not do that because he presumes he has it already. He presumes that he can obtain glory without merits, or pardon without repentance. And this is actually more frequent than despair. I have only come across despair once in my life, but presumption is common among criminals with a Catholic upbringing. That is why many of them will wear a brown scapular around their necks or a crucifix. For they mistakenly believe that if they are to die wearing these--even during a botched robbery or drug deal, or something of the sort--they will automatically be forgiven everything and will enter into their glory.
Another way to blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to resist the truth when it is known. There are people who deliberately resist the truth, usually in order to more freely persist in a lifestyle at odds with the truth. As Scripture says: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." To resist the truth is to resist one's own freedom. It is to resist one's own salvation; for God is truth, as Jesus said: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life."
Axe Elf
Prophet
Whoa there, I didn't tell you that you were saved, and I have no way of knowing if anyone is saved. I just said that if God created you to have the desire to be saved, then you probably can't blaspheme the Holy Spirit.
metis
aged ecumenical anthropologist
Not likely as it appears that we're not going to be judged until the end of our lives and people can leave the faith as both Jesus and Paul stated. Paul stated that he was not willing to judge himself because of not understanding his "innermost thoughts".
Envy does not merely want what someone else has. Rather, it wishes to deprive others of the good they enjoy. It involves a delighting in the tragedies of others. Envy of a brother's spiritual good includes envy of persons, but it also envies the increase of Divine grace in the world. This is malice at its purest.
Impenitence refers to a habit of the will. It is the deliberate choice not to repent. There are some people who simply refuse to humble themselves by seeking the forgiveness of God. God loves us so much that He will not force us to love Him in return.
Obstinacy refers to the habit of being hardened in sin. The obstinate man hardens his purpose by clinging to sin.
And so Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven not because there are limits to God's mercy, but rather because God is Love, and love isn't love unless it is freely given. Those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit simply refuse to look God in the face and say "yes". Instead, they look Him in the face and say "no". He turns to them and says "thy will be done".
If you are worried that you might have committed this sin, in either one of the six ways, then you can be sure that you have not committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cach...inst+the+Holy+Spirit,+catholic&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
Impenitence refers to a habit of the will. It is the deliberate choice not to repent. There are some people who simply refuse to humble themselves by seeking the forgiveness of God. God loves us so much that He will not force us to love Him in return.
Obstinacy refers to the habit of being hardened in sin. The obstinate man hardens his purpose by clinging to sin.
And so Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven not because there are limits to God's mercy, but rather because God is Love, and love isn't love unless it is freely given. Those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit simply refuse to look God in the face and say "yes". Instead, they look Him in the face and say "no". He turns to them and says "thy will be done".
If you are worried that you might have committed this sin, in either one of the six ways, then you can be sure that you have not committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cach...inst+the+Holy+Spirit,+catholic&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
Axe Elf
Prophet
"It is only our concept of time that allows us to speak of Judgment Day by that name. In reality, it is a summary court in perpetual session." --Franz Kafka
Axe Elf
Prophet
That's because nothing is a sin in and of itself, and anything can be a sin if it separates you from God. We are all separated from God by some sin or another with our selfish nature at its root ("the love of money is the root of all evil"), and Jesus bridges the gap back to God. We were either created to take that bridge (and be forgiven) or not (and be destroyed).
metis
aged ecumenical anthropologist
Ya, I really don't much get into that one way or the other as I'm a firm believer in "Whatever happens, happens" as I really don't worry about such matters.
BSM1
What? Me worry?
Not trying to be argumentative, but I still don't think this meet the requirements of blasphemy.
One thing for sure, if you are seeking God, you have committed the sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. If you had, you would have no desire to seek God anymore because He wouldn't be tugging at your heart.
There are many thoughts on the matter, this is my take:
Heb 6:4 It is impossible to restore an apostate. For once a person has come into God’s light, and tasted the gifts of the heavenly realm, and has received the Holy Spirit,5 and feasted on the good Word of God, and has entered into the power of the age that is breaking in, 6 if he abandons his faith, there is no use even trying to lead him to repentance. By their sin of apostasy they re-crucify the Son of God, and have publicly repudiated him.
I believe the list is quite understandable:
- He had to already been born again,
- Received and Tasted the gifts (gifts of the Holy Spirit)
- Understood the Word of God
- Been part of the power of the Kingdom
- And then decides to abandon his faith.
Axe Elf
Prophet
I wasn't saying that it did. I was agreeing with you, that no one can list any specific sin that cannot be forgiven, and explaining a little more about why that was the case.