CAN WE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST

Mark 3:22–30

Mark 3:22–30 KJV (WS)

And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

I. BY GRIEVING HIM -Ephesians 4:30

It is the Christian’s duty to yield and not rebel against the Holy Spirit, to surrender to the holy influence of the Holy Spirit. As the wayward child makes a heavy-hearted parent, we grieve Him, make him unhappy, when we fail to yield to the Holy Spirit.

II. BY QUENCHING HIM—I Thess. 5:19

Do not drown or suffocate the Holy Spirit. It is a flame in our hearts to purify, to consecrate us.

A. Living in known sin—I John 4:1

B. Allowing things of the world to absorb our affections, thus “choking the Word”—Matthew 13:22

C. Neglecting our duty as Christians—Matthew 25:26

Matthew 25:26 KJV (WS)

His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

III. BY RESISTING HIM

Acts 7:51 KJV (WS)

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

The Holy Spirit is a force for good. He’s strong and would direct us. When we hear the words of the Spirit we may yield and be saved or resist and be damned.

IV. BY LYING TO HIM -Acts 5:3

Acts 5:3 KJV (WS)

But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

When we, like Ananias and Sapphira, pretend to be or do what we have not, we lie, and sin against the Holy Spirit.

V. BY TRYING TO BUY HIM, OR HIS GIFTS—Acts 8:17

Acts 8:17 KJV (WS)

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

He who tries to do so is in the “gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.”

VI. BY BLASPHEMING HIM—Mark 3:22–30

“Blaspheme means to speak against in an evil way, to revile, to slander. The Pharisees blasphemed the Holy Spirit when they attributed the Lord’s miracles to the power of the devil. They called good evil. While walking in the light, they denied the light—called it darkness. In this sense, people who blaspheme the Holy Spirit are beyond pardon, because they are beyond repentance (Matt. 12:31)

VII. BY POLLUTING THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT—I Cor. 6:15–20

A. Seven other spirits—Matt. 12:45: Luke 11:26

B. A polluter of the temple of the Holy Spirit rejected God—I Thes. 4:7–8