SIN AGAINST HOLY SPIRIT

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“Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering. For this reason I tell you: people can be forgiven any sin and any evil thing they say; but whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who says something against the Son of Man can be forgiven; but whoever says something against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven—now or ever.” Mt 12:30

How then do we illustrate the sin against the Holy Spirit as opposed to a sin against the Father or against the Son? We ought to know what the sin consists of so as to avoid it. We have to take Jesus’ words literally, that some sins will not be forgiven, either in this world or in the next. Was Judas, for example, guilty of a sin against the Holy Spirit? Is this why Jesus tells him it would be better for him had he never been born? But on the surface it appears that Judas’ sin was against the Son, which was forgivable. In what way could it have been also against the Holy Spirit? Was it the despair that followed the sin, and the suicide that followed the despair, that offended the Holy Spirit? Was it that Jesus knew the willingness of Judas to be doomed by his own sins instead of repenting them, as Peter had repented his denial of knowing Jesus and Paul had repented his persecution of Christ?
 
Catholic Tradition has maintained that the “sin against the Spirit” is unrepentance. Basically, going to your grave refusing to accept the love and forgiveness of God. Since no one but the Lord can judge a man’s heart, the Church does not pronounce anyone as having committed this sin (even Judas, although if there was ever a shoe-in for it, it’d be him).

There is a thread on this forum that I saw today regarding Judas’ salvation or lack thereof, so I won’t re-hash that argument here.
 
the ‘sin against the Holy Spirit’ refers to rejecting the works of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life, such as repentance, believing in God, calling Jesus, Lord, etc… which can lead to Final impenitence(not repenting).

look at CCC 1853-1864, here’s paragraph 1864 for you

1864 “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” 136 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. 137 Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.
 
“There is a thread on this forum that I saw today regarding Judas’ salvation or lack thereof, so I won’t re-hash that argument here.”

Praise the Lord!
 
How then do we illustrate the sin against the Holy Spirit as opposed to a sin against the Father or against the Son? We ought to know what the sin consists of so as to avoid it. We have to take Jesus’ words literally, that some sins will not be forgiven, either in this world or in the next. Was Judas, for example, guilty of a sin against the Holy Spirit? Is this why Jesus tells him it would be better for him had he never been born? But on the surface it appears that Judas’ sin was against the Son, which was forgivable. In what way could it have been also against the Holy Spirit? Was it the despair that followed the sin, and the suicide that followed the despair, that offended the Holy Spirit? Was it that Jesus knew the willingness of Judas to be doomed by his own sins instead of repenting them, as Peter had repented his denial of knowing Jesus and Paul had repented his persecution of Christ?
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What’s graver was that Judas despaired of God’s mercy and thereby killed himself. It was his despair and suicide that was much worse. He could have easily repented and gained forgiveness if he has just simply done this.

Now, the sin Jesus was taking about in Matt 12:31 is commonly called “the unforgivable sin” either because of the following different interpretations…

A) It’s a sin that is less likely to be forgiven due to its malice and hardness of heart (like those of the Pharisees) and one that will cause God’s wrath in this world and the world to come.

B) The unforgivable sin that Jesus was talking about here was not a declaration of their (the Pharisees) being unforgivable but rather a warning that if they persist in this state of sin and blasphemy they will die that way and hence be unforgivable. This is also known as “final impenitence” and it’s the interpretation that St. Augustine, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and I tend to lean towards.

C) The third interpretation is that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is any sin which removes anything that is directly necessary for forgiveness: like the sin of despair removes hope, hence a person in that state cannot be forgiven while he remains in that state. St. Thomas Aquinas uses the analogy of a sick man refusing all or any means that will help him get back to health and thereby is incurable through his own fault.

All of these are said to be special “sins against the Holy Spirit” because they directly go against the Holy Ghost who is the main Divine Person we attribute forgiveness of sins to. A lot of things can be “sins against the Holy Spirit” but the kind Jesus was taking about was a special case where the person either cuts off all means of forgiveness due to the circumstances of his sin or harness of hear, or he keeps on sinning until he dies that way.

All in all the church teaches that there is no sin that can be committed, if truly repented of, that cannot be forgiven by the power of Jesus Christ’s blood through the sacramental keys of Confession.

If a person commits the unforgivable sin it is because He refuses the forgiveness, not God.

Miguel.
 
I was unnerved the other day when I heard someone say that abortion and any non pro-life mentality was THE sin against the Holy Spirit. I know what that does for her cause and case, but how is someone who has had an abortion supposed to feel.
This was out of line, Jesus cited the sin at no time in terms of family life.It’s an overzealous and overreaching assumption . I don’t even think men were supposed to know what the Lord knew existed as this unforgivable transgression. Just like we are not supposed to speculate unprofitably on the days and hours and times and seasons related to the end of the world.
 
I was always taught that the sin against the Holy Spirit are dispair and presumption. To Dispair is to give up on God or to believe that our sins are greater than His mercy, (Judas?) and presumption is to presume God has forgiven us without repentance or amendment of life. (some Protestant views)
 
I would add that to sin against the father and the son falls in the same line as final unrepentance…
 
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myrna:
I was always taught that the sin against the Holy Spirit are dispair and presumption. To Dispair is to give up on God or to believe that our sins are greater than His mercy, (Judas?) and presumption is to presume God has forgiven us without repentance or amendment of life. (some Protestant views)
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Some Protestants view God’s forgiveness in this manner? This is news to me. Which ones?

~mango~
 
I have had some despairing moments in my life, but I have continued to pray and seek guidance from God. Is this still the sin of despair? I have friends who tell me that my faith is strong, but within myself I feel otherwise. Yet I continue to pray for guidance.
I have presented myself in from the the Blessed Sacrament in Devotiion.
Any other suggestions?

Go with God!
Edwin
 
Edwin,

“I have friends who tell me that my faith is strong, but within myself I feel otherwise.”

We all have those moments. We would not be human if we did not doubt from time to time. Did God plant doubts in us that we might be able to overcome them to his glory?

Perhaps you are far enough along the road of spirituality to be closing in on what Saint John of the Cross called the “dark night of the soul,” when we feel arid and desolate at the very moment when we are disengaging from the vanities of the world.

Pax te cum,
Carl
 
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Edwin1961:
I have had some despairing moments in my life, but I have continued to pray and seek guidance from God. Is this still the sin of despair? I have friends who tell me that my faith is strong, but within myself I feel otherwise. Yet I continue to pray for guidance.
I have presented myself in from the the Blessed Sacrament in Devotiion.
Any other suggestions?

Go with God!
Edwin
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As long as you keep praying you did not despair.
 
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Carl:
Edwin,

“I have friends who tell me that my faith is strong, but within myself I feel otherwise.”

We all have those moments. We would not be human if we did not doubt from time to time. Did God plant doubts in us that we might be able to overcome them to his glory?

Perhaps you are far enough along the road of spirituality to be closing in on what Saint John of the Cross called the “dark night of the soul,” when we feel arid and desolate at the very moment when we are disengaging from the vanities of the world.

Pax te cum,
Carl
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     What you have mentioned here Carl is very true. Did not Mother Teresa  experience these feelings at points in her life?  . My faith is far from being as strong as yours, and Mother Teresa's, even so I've experienced this in my life many times.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Karl.
Jim
 
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