The Work of Satan's Minions

"Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

As early Bible Authorities, my friend Scott and I lacked much in the way of experience and understanding.  One of our favorite things was to argue over which sin was the most serious—or which commandment was the most important to keep.

Scott always believed that to kill someone was the most egregious. I however, took serious this passage in Mark in which blaspheming God was the unforgivable sin and therefore must be the most important. But I have grown and matured in my understanding of the Biblical texts.  What does Jesus mean when he says that “… whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.”

The sin that is spoken of here is the rejecting of Jesus’ and attributing his saving work to the devil.  By not recognizing the Messiah, rejecting the good work of God in Christ, and refusing to credit God’s Holy Spirit with the renewal and redemption of Creation—one risks not receiving the grace God offers us freely given—wholly undeserved.

But, I wouldn’t worry too much about your soul and eternal damnation.  God has a way of looking past our slip-ups and momentary fits of rage and anger—unless you have decided to engage in an ongoing rejection of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  Jesus most certainly is more concerned with our having a long-term, rigid stance against God’s work in the world. The sin Jesus is naming here is a permanent refusal to be open to the work of the Spirit in the world and in our lives.

Jesus will not let us be swept away by Satan’s minions by an accidental slip-up.  To be guilty of this sin one must have a systematic way of being which utterly rejects God. If you can fathom such a thing and you are worried, you probably need not be concerned.

However, if you are debating your best friend you should probably hold out longer on you position.  It’s always good to let the opposition sweat.

Peace,

Father Mark+