Friday, September 11, 2020

Oscar W. McConkie on the Sin of Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost

  

 

OSCAR. There was a form of blasphemy that left men without pardon. Therefore, it was written: “Whoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.” “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”

 

STRANGER. But these words relate to a statue of future punishments.

 

OSCAR. Quite right. I meant only to show the great importance of the subject. Hear the record of Hebrew: “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth not me, I will recompense, saith the Lord, And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

 

WILLIAM. It is written: “He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation."

 

STRANGER.  Now you speak of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. I thought we were discussing blasphemy against God.

 

JUDGE. The Holy Ghost is given because of Christ. He is his witness, and acts in his place and stead, when the Messiah is not present. Since his witness is of Jesus, to blaspheme against the Holy Ghost is to blaspheme against sure witness of Christ, which is against Christ. Therefore, to blaspheme against the Holy Ghost is to blaspheme against Christ. If there were no sure knowledge of Christ there could be no unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. (Oscar W. McConkie, A Dialogue at Golgotha: An Analysis of Judaism and Christianity, and of the Laws, Government and Institutions of the Jews, and of the Jewish and Roman Trials of Jesus of Nazareth [Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1945], 345-46)