Blas·phe·my /ˈblasfəmē/ – the act of purposefully reviling or ridiculing sacred things, often with the purpose of giving offense. From Late Latin blasphemia (speaking contemptuously or impiously).
In one of the most historically misused passages, Mark 3:22-30, Jesus states, "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." It's been used as a way to justify all sorts of mayhem for those who don't profess to believe in Jesus, or to believe in the "correct" fashion. A closer reading will show that he was speaking to people who'd just accused him of using the devil to cast out demons… slander and blasphemy both, "because they said he had an unclean spirit." Matthew 12:22-32 recounts the same incident, and draws exactly the same conclusion, but with even stronger wording: "Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man (Jesus) will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." Clearly, what Jesus meant by this passage is a warning against calling the work of the Holy Spirit to be mislabeled as inspired by evil. This echoes His earlier words in Matt. 7:15, "for by their fruits, you will know them."
What are WebDefs?
WebDefs – simple definitions of key terms relating to ministry and healing arts – are a regular feature of NHM Ministrants. Offered (where applicable) in conjunction with select key scriptural passages and analysis, WebDefs can be a useful starting place for exploring a topic of interest.