Blaspheming the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:22-32; COD Head 5: Art 6; RE 4)

Reformed & Expository Preaching

Jesus is confronted with a situation where He heals a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. The Pharisees, seeing this miracle, accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons.

The Pharisees are spiritually blind. The pharisees in their religious pride and self-righteousness, are unable to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ ministry. These men slander the work of the Holy Spirit by attributing it to Satan. They do this despite the clear working of God in their midst. So they willfully, and consciously attribute the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan.

The "unpardonable sin" is not a specific act but an ongoing, hardened stance of slandering the work of the Spirit when the Spirit’s work is overwhelming evident.The seriousness of this sin is attributing God’s work to evil, showing how it reflects a heart that is closed off to the Spirit’s transformative power.