Truth and Spirit Ministries

BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

By Denise Bostic

If we are forgiven past, present and future sins, why was Ananias and Sapphira struck
dead when they sinned? Were they conscious that they lied to the Holy Spirit?

It is true that all in Christ are forgiven of all sins past, present and future. The Bible
teaches us that if we confess our sins that God is faithful and just and will forgive us of
our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9) God is no longer imputing
our sins against us and of course, this is all due to the fact that we are now justified freely
by God’s grace through the redemption that came through Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:21-
26, Romans 4:1-8) In light of this truth, many wonder why Ananias and Sapphira were
struck dead instead of forgiven. (Acts 5:5, 10) This sounds like a punishment or judgment
that would have been rendered under the Law of Moses, yet we find that this happened
to two believers in the New Testament Church under the dispensation of grace. Why did
this couple receive death instead of grace and mercy from God? Digging deeper into this
tragic story we will find that the sin they committed was no ordinary sin…

Although we find in the New Testament that we are forgiven of all our sins because we
have received Christ as a propitiation for them, we also learn that there is a sin that will
not be forgiven. Gaining understanding about this will this help to shed some light on why
Ananias and his wife were judged so harshly for their sin.

We learn about this “unforgivable sin” from the Lord Himself in Matthew 12:31-32.
According to Jesus, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men except one and that is
blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The Lord made it clear that even if someone spoke
against Him personally that this would be forgiven but makes it unmistakably clear that
anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit would not. We also find it recorded in Mark
3:29 that Jesus also said, “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath
never forgiveness but is in danger of eternal damnation.”(KJV) In the NIV it says,
“He is guilty of eternal sin.” This sin may be commonly called “blasphemy against the
Holy Spirit” but is also known as the “sin against the Spirit.” We find this sin also spoken
of in I John 5:16 and 17. The Apostle John wrote under divine inspiration:

“If any man sees his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he
shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do
not say that he shall pray for it." “All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not
unto death.” (I John 5:16, 17 KJV)
In this passage of scripture John is making a clear distinction between sin that is forgivable
and a sin that is not. He is also clearly making a distinction between a particular sin that
carries a death penalty and other sins that do not.

John taught that there is a sin that leads to death. What manner of death is he speaking of
here? With the scriptures as our guide we can have understanding of what this means. He
could not be speaking of a natural death because this is something that must happen to all
men anyway, including believers. The scripture says, “And as it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this the judgment.”(Hebrews 9:27) The apostle would have had to
be speaking of another death- i.e., a spiritual one that carries the sentence of eternal
damnation. John taught that it would do no good to pray for a brother that has committed a
“sin unto death” or a sin against the Spirit. Why? It is because a sin against the Spirit is not
forgivable- in this life or the life to come according to the Lord.

Now that we have some background knowledge of about this sin, the story of Ananias and
Sapphira makes sense. The sin that they committed was blasphemy against the Spirit or
“the sin against the Spirit.” Now let’s go to Acts 5 and read what was recorded concerning
this story.

This couple had sold a piece of their own property, brought the money and laid it at the
apostles’ feet. Their offering was tainted however because the couple had already privately
conspired to keep back some of the money for themselves but yet make it appear that they
were giving the full amount of the price of the land. Their deception had obviously vexed
the Holy Spirit however, because He gave Peter supernatural discernment in order to
handle the matter.

Here, we will learn something very interesting from the insight given to Peter by the Holy
Spirit. When Peter questioned Ananias (who came in by himself first) about his offering,
Ananias had the opportunity to tell the truth. His wife also was given the opportunity to tell
the truth also but both of them chose to lie about it. We also find that the Holy Spirit did not
judge this matter according to the rules of giving under the Mosaic Law (that had been
taken out of the way by Jesus); instead He judged it based on their deliberate irreverence
towards God (sin against the Spirit). Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so
filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some
of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold,
wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You
have not lied unto men, but to God.”

The Holy Spirit was speaking through Peter. He was present that day. Peter made it clear
to Ananias that he was lying to God. This couple thought they could lie in the presence of
God and get by with it but instead they paid a high price for their irreverence and sin
against the Holy Spirit. They allowed the devil to influence their thoughts and actions. They
lied to the Spirit and this is why they died. Their sin could not be forgiven. If they would
have lied to a mere man, they could have been forgiven. Now this brings up another
question. Were Ananias and Sapphira true believers? Evidently they were because if they
would’ve been unbelievers they most likely would have been spared from death. Why? It is
because God could have forgiven them because of their ignorance. It is more likely
however, that this couple did not do this in ignorance but deliberately. This divinely inspired
passage of scripture teaches us that they both conspired or pre-meditated their plan to lie
about their offering before they actually gave it. (Acts 5:1-2) This proves that they did not
act in ignorance but on purpose.

Blasphemy can be done in ignorance however and this can be forgiven. The Apostle Paul
explains about blasphemy that he had done in ignorance before his conversion. “I thank
Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful,
appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a
persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and
unbelief.” (I Timothy 1:12-13) God showed Paul mercy because he acted in ignorance
and unbelief.

If Ananias and Sapphira had acted in ignorance or had been unbelievers, the Holy Spirit
would have shown them mercy that day. Instead they died. God knew the hearts of this
couple and rendered a judgment. We must understand that God always judges righteous
and fair judgment. In this case, He judged them worthy of death because they sinned
against the Spirit. The scripture says in conclusion to this story that “Great fear seized the
whole Church and all who heard about these events.” (Acts 5:11) Ananias and
Sapphira’s irreverence towards God had produced a reverence or holy fear among the
entire Church. This ancient story serves as a warning to all today that this is one sin that
will not be forgiven and that is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. God is a God of grace but
we cannot think that we can deliberately tempt or test God and get by with it. (Acts 5:9)