Blasphemies against the Holy Spirit

[Scott_Ordich]

I have been studying Matthew 12:31-32 and Luke 12:10 with respect to the blasphemies against the Holy Spirit. In response to a discussion I had with a good friend who is a Deacon in a protestant church, I cannot remember in my catechism a statement that there was only, as my friend states, “one sin that cannot be forgiven which is blasphemy against the holy spirit”. Have I forgotten some of my catechism or am I missing the context of Jesus’ intent?

 

[MariaG]

CCC # 1864
“Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.”(Mk 3:29; Mt 12:32; Lk 12:10) There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit.(John Paul II, DeV46) Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.

Hope this helps.

Your sister in Christ,
Maria

 

[pprimeau1976]

An example of someone who did blaspheme against the Holy Spirit was Judas. If he had but repented, he could have been one of the greatest apostles. Unfortunately, he did not repent, as Christ said “it is better that he had never been born.”

 

[Fr_Ambrose]

pprimeau1976:

An example of someone who did blaspheme against the Holy Spirit was Judas. If he had but repented, he could have been one of the greatest apostles. Unfortunately, he did not repent, as Christ said “it is better that he had never been born.”

Judas did repent.

"Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. Matthew 27:3.

“And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”

In his commentary on this passage of Matthew, Saint John Chrysostom remarks that Judas killed himself so that after death he would again encounter Christ and beg his forgiveness face to face. It is a beautiful and generous thought of Chrysostom.

 

[RobedWithLight]

Fr Ambrose:

Judas did repent.

In his commentary on this passage of Matthew, Saint John Chrysostom remarks that Judas killed himself so that after death he would again encounter Christ and beg his forgiveness face to face. It is a beautiful and generous thought of Chrysostom.

St. John Chrysostom was indeed being generous to Judas, although from our vantage point, it probably would have been better had he chosen not to take his life and instead choose to spend the rest of his days as a penitent, for after all, he would still encounter our Lord Jesus in the next life. Nevertheless, his full knowledge of the gravity of his sin, and the unspeakable remorse resulting from his betrayal of the true Son of God, may have made his suicide unsurprising, and maybe, inevitable.

Gerry

 

[edwinG]

pprimeau1976:

An example of someone who did blaspheme against the Holy Spirit was Judas. If he had but repented, he could have been one of the greatest apostles. Unfortunately, he did not repent, as Christ said “it is better that he had never been born.”

Hi pprimeau
I thought Judas did repent, return the money and kill himself .Matthew 27: 3-10
Christ be with you
walk in love
edwinGhttp://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif

 

[edwinG]

Scott Ordich:

I have been studying Matthew 12:31-32 and Luke 12:10 with respect to the blasphemies against the Holy Spirit. In response to a discussion I had with a good friend who is a Deacon in a protestant church, I cannot remember in my catechism a statement that there was only, as my friend states, “one sin that cannot be forgiven which is blasphemy against the holy spirit”. Have I forgotten some of my catechism or am I missing the context of Jesus’ intent?

Hi Scott,
There is another passage and I can not find it. It mentions that if you have known all about the power of God and tasted the things of heaven and known the grace of God etc etc and turn away, you can not bring yourself to repent. It is adressings God’s understanding of our psychology. I find Judas a puzzle because obviously he did not belong to this category because he did repent. He lacked faith then though, and killed himself. Maybe therein lies his problem.
Christ be with youhttp://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif
walk in love
edwinG

 

[pprimeau1976]

edwinG:

Hi pprimeau
I thought Judas did repent, return the money and kill himself .Matthew 27: 3-10
Christ be with you
walk in love
edwinGhttp://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif

He may have repented in that sense, but his actions following do not indicate a true repentence for in the end, he thought that he could not be forgiven. What Judas lacked was a belief that God could have mercy on him and that drove him to despair. That was the sin he never repented of.

 

[Calbreese]

REVELATION

13:5 THE BEAST WAS GIVEN A MOUTH FOR UTTERING PROUD BOASTS AND BLASPHEMIES, BUT THE AUTHORITY IT RECEIVED WAS TO LAST ONLY FORTY-TWO MONTHS.

13:6 IT BEGAN TO HURL BLASPHEMIES AGAINST GOD, REVILING HIM AND THE MEMBERS OF HIS HEAVENLY HOUSEHOLD AS WELL. Good example for eternal damnation. IHS Daryl

 

[otm]

pprimeau1976:

He may have repented in that sense, but his actions following do not indicate a true repentence for in the end, he thought that he could not be forgiven. What Judas lacked was a belief that God could have mercy on him and that drove him to despair. That was the sin he never repented of.

Or, he was acting in the depths of depression, which, according the the Church, could impact his ability to make a moral choice.

Through the centuries, the Church has never stated that anyone, including Judas, was damned. It would appear, objectively, that his suicide was a mortal sin of despair; but subjectively, we do not know.

His actions following his repentant act on their face certainly call in to question whether or not it was true repentance. Since he left no statement or writing behind as to his state of mind, we can only look at the act of suicide and say that objectively it seems that he despaired, but we don’t know.

 

[The_Barrister]

To blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is to deny that God has the power to forgive. Very logical - if you deny God’s power to save, then you shall not be saved.