The answer
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not disbelief in the Holy Spirit, His Divinity or His work; nor is it insulting of the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the complete and continuous, lifelong refusal to allow the Holy Spirit to work in the heart.The outcome of such a refusal is lack of repentance from the person’s side and consequently, lack of forgiveness from God’s side. A person cannot repent without the work of the Holy Spirit in him. For the Holy Spirit will reprove the world of sin (John 16:8), lead the person in the spiritual life and encourage him. However, if a person, no matter for how long having rejected the Holy Spirit turns back, accepts Him and repents (even if it were during the last minute of his life), he will be accepted by God. This indicates that the Holy Spirit has not given up on the person, and the Holy Spirit will always be ready to convict of blasphemy against Him; leading the person to repentance. Since this refusal of the Spirit has not been total, nor final; it is not to be considered a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)