How Serious Is It When a Church Redefines The Nature of God? At What Point Does This Become Blasphemy?

What is the biblical definition of “blasphemy”

In the Bible, blasphemy is not defined merely as “bad language about God,” but as a serious moral and theological offense involving speech, claims, or actions that dishonor God’s identity, authority, or works. Its meaning is best understood by examining the biblical languages, legal usage, and theological context in both Testaments.

The Problem of Eternal Progression

The Core Biblical Meaning:

Blasphemy is the act of defaming, reviling, slandering, or falsely representing God—especially by:

• Attributing to God what is false
• Denying what God has revealed about Himself
• Usurping divine authority or identity
• Attributing God’s works to evil
• Treating God’s name, glory, or holiness with contempt

In Scripture, blasphemy is not primarily emotional offense, but covenantal rebellion expressed through speech or claims.

The Old Testament Definition of Blasphemy (Hebrew)

Hebrew Term: נָקַב / נָאַץ (nāqab / nāʾats), Meaning: to curse, pierce, revile, treat with contempt

The Foundational Text: “Anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death.” (Leviticus 24:16)

What Constituted Blasphemy in the OT? Blasphemy included:

• Cursing or reviling Yahweh
• Speaking falsely about God
• Claiming divine authority apart from God
• Rejecting God’s uniqueness
• Dishonoring God’s revealed name

Importantly, blasphemy was a capital offense because it was viewed as an assault on God’s Nature, Kingship, and Covenant, not merely irreverent speech.

The New Testament Definition (Greek)

The Greek Term: βλασφημία (blasphēmía) Meaning: to slander, defame, speak evil against

What Constitutes Blasphemy in the NT?

• Slander against God
• Slander against God’s character
• False theological accusations
• Claims that deny God’s identity

How the New Testament Applies Blasphemy

Claims About God’s Identity: The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy not because He used God’s name carelessly, but because: “You, being a man, make Yourself God.” (John 10:33)

From their perspective: Claiming to be equal to God is blasphemy
From Jesus’ perspective: Denying the Son is God is rejecting God Himself

This demonstrates that blasphemy can happen either by falsely claiming to be God or by falsely denying the true identity of God as God.

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

Jesus gives the most precise New Testament definition: “Blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” (Matthew 12:31)

What were the circumstances under which Jesus said this?

• Jesus performed miracles by the Holy Spirit
• The Religious leaders attributed Jesus’ works to satan

The Biblical definition: Blasphemy is knowingly attributing God’s revealed work to evil while rejecting the truth. This is not a casual sin, but a willful, informed rejection of God’s self-disclosure.

What Blasphemy Is Not

The Bible does not define blasphemy as:

• Asking honest questions
• Struggling with doubt
• Ignorant misunderstanding
• Emotional anger expressed during increased stress
• Unbelief rooted in ignorance

Biblically, blasphemy requires knowledge, intent, and defiance, not mere confusion or weakness.

The Biblical Definition of Blasphemy

The willful, knowledgeable rejection, distortion, or defamation of God’s revealed identity, authority, or works—especially when truth has been clearly made known.

The Theological Importance of Blasphemy

Blasphemy is treated seriously in the Bible:

• God’s name represents His nature
• God’s word represents His truth
• God’s works represent His presence
• To reject these is to reject God Himself

This is why Scripture consistently links blasphemy with judgment, hardness of heart, and spiritual blindness.

Understanding biblical blasphemy, could we correctly define LDS Theology that redefines God as a created being, a man who became God, as blasphemy?

Yes — using the Bible’s own definition of blasphemy, it is theologically correct to conclude that the LDS redefinition of God as a created being who progressed to godhood constitutes blasphemy, from a biblical standpoint. This conclusion does not depend on emotion, rhetoric, or inter-religious hostility, but on objective, text-driven criteria.

Biblical Blasphemy Is Defined by False Claims About God’s Identity

Knowingly redefining God in ways that contradict His revealed nature, uniqueness, and eternal identity. In Scripture, blasphemy is not limited to profanity, but includes:

1. Denying God’s eternality
2. Denying God’s uniqueness
3. Denying God’s uncreated nature
4. Replacing Yahweh with a lesser being
5. Teaching that God is one among many gods

This definition is explicit and non-negotiable.

The Bible’s Non-Negotiable Definition of God; The God of Scripture defines Himself in absolute terms:

“Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me.” (Isaiah 43:10)

“I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me.” (Isaiah 45:5)

“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.” (Isaiah 46:9)

“From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” (Psalm 90:2)

The Key Attributes of the Biblical God

• God is uncreated
• God is eternal
• God is ontologically unique
• God did not become God
• God knows of no other gods

Any doctrine that contradicts these is, by biblical definition, false theology about God, and constitutes Blasphemy

LDS Doctrine Explicitly Contradicts This Definition; Authoritative LDS theology teaches that:

• God the Father was once a mortal man
• God progressed to godhood
• God exists within an eternal chain of gods
• Humans may become gods in the same way

This doctrine originates with Joseph Smith, most clearly articulated in the King Follett Discourse and consistently affirmed by LDS leadership and curriculum within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man…” — Joseph Smith

This is not a secondary disagreement. It is a direct contradiction of God’s self-revelation in Scripture.

Why this doctrine of the LDS church meets the biblical definition of blasphemy:

 It Denies God’s Eternal Nature: Scripture:

1. The Bible, God always was God
2. LDS, doctrined: God became God

This LDS doctrine denies God’s Uniqueness

1. The Bible: “There is no other God.”
2. LDS: There are many gods

The LDS Doctrine of God, once a man, redefines God’s Ontology

1. The Bible: God is an uncreated Spirit
2. LDS: God is an exalted being within a species of gods

This LDS Doctrine Replaces Yahweh With “Another God.”

The Bible Condemns This:

“You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3)

Paul applies this principle directly:

“Even if there are so-called gods… for us there is one God.” (1 Corinthians 8:5–6)

Teaching another god—even while using biblical vocabulary—is precisely what Scripture calls false worship, which includes blasphemy.

This LDS Doctrine Mirrors the Biblical Pattern of Blasphemy; Biblically, blasphemy often occurs when:

• God’s name is retained
• God’s nature is replaced
• God’s identity is altered

This is exactly what happened in:

• Golden Calf worship (Exodus 32)
• Baal syncretism
• Gnostic redefinitions of God
• Arianism in the early church

Each of these four examples involved using familiar language while redefining God Himself. The Bible consistently treats this as blasphemy, not merely error.

Is This False Doctrine Condemning LDS Individuals?

No. Not if they reject this false doctrine after coming into an awareness that it is wrong

Any LDS person who unknowingly attended this church without understanding that the doctrine of God as a former man is not condemned by God. They have not committed blasphemy. This is only true if, after learning the truth, they reject this doctrine and cease attending the LDS church.

The Bible distinguishes between False doctrine (that is condemned), and People deceived by false doctrine unknowingly

Paul says of his own past blasphemy: “I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” (1 Timothy 1:13)

Many LDS believers are sincere, moral, and unaware that LDS theology contradicts biblical monotheism. Scripture condemns the teaching, not the sincerity of those taught.

The Final Biblical Judgment

The LDS doctrine that God was once a created man who became God constitutes blasphemy because it denies God’s eternal, uncreated, unique identity as revealed by God Himself.

This conclusion:

1. Does not rely on insults
2. Does not rely on opinions
3. Does not rely on tradition
4. Does not rely on church authority
5. Relies solely on God’s own testimony about Himself

What Is The Responsibility of an LDS Church Member, Now That They Know These Things?

If an LDS person is educated/informed that the doctrine of God was once a man, is wrong, and is, in itself, blasphemy, and this person, knowing these facts, continues to promote, teach, and affirm that God was once a man, does this change the guilt of this person?

Yes. According to the Bible’s own moral framework, informed persistence does change culpability—not by making God less merciful, but by increasing personal responsibility and moral guilt.

The Bible Makes Knowledge the Key Factor in Moral Guilt

The Bible consistently distinguishes between ignorant error and willful rejection of known truth.

Ignorance Mitigates Guilt (Though It Does Not Make Error True)

The apostle Paul said: “I was formerly a blasphemer… but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” (1 Timothy 1:13)

Paul does not deny that he committed blasphemy. He states that ignorance mitigated culpability and opened the door to mercy.

This establishes a biblical principle: False teaching + ignorance ≠ hardened rebellion

Knowledge Without Repentance, Increased Guilt

Once truth is clearly presented, understood, and rejected, Scripture treats the situation very differently.

Jesus said: “That servant who knew his master’s will and did not prepare himself… shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know… shall be beaten with few.” (Luke 12:47–48)

The principle is unmistakable: Greater knowledge → greater accountability

Willful Persistence in False Teaching Is Treated as Rebellion

Scripture repeatedly condemns those who knowingly distort God’s identity.

Romans 1:18–25 (Key Text) Paul describes people who:

• Know the truth about God
• Suppress it
• Exchange the truth for a lie
• Worship a created being instead of the Creator

This is not ignorance. This is deliberate rebellion.

“Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God…” (Romans 1:21)

Teaching Error After Being Informed Is Treated More Severely

Teachers Bear Greater Responsibility. James writes:

“Not many of you should become teachers… for we shall receive a stricter judgment.” (James 3:1)

This applies directly to someone who:

1. Knows biblical monotheism
2. Knows the LDS doctrine contradicts it
3. Continues to teach that God was once a man

Biblically, this is no longer mere error—it is active propagation of falsehood.

Jesus’ Most Severe Warnings Are for Informed Rejection.

Jesus reserves His strongest language not for pagans, but for religious leaders who knew better.

He said: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin; but now they have no excuse.” (John 15:22)

This establishes a devastating principle: Revelation removes innocence

Does This Mean This Person Is “Unforgivable”? No—but it does mean they are morally culpable.

The Bible holds two truths simultaneously:

• God is willing to forgive any repentant person
• Willful persistence in false teaching hardens the heart, brings judgment

This is why Scripture warns: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:15)

Continued rejection after knowledge produces:

• Hardness
• Self-deception
• Moral blindness

Not because God withholds grace—but because the person resists it.

Applying This Precisely to the LDS Doctrinal Error

If an LDS person is clearly shown that Scripture teaches:

• God is eternally God
• God was never a man
• There are no other gods
• Understands that LDS doctrine contradicts this
• Acknowledges this contradiction
• Continues to teach or affirm LDS exaltation theology anyway

From the Biblical View, their guilt does increase, because they are no longer acting in ignorance but in willful contradiction of revealed truth.

This meets the biblical category of:

1. Willful false teaching
2. Knowing distortion of God’s identity
3. Active participation in blasphemy

Jesus’ harshest words were not for those outside biblical knowledge—but for those who used God’s name while rejecting God’s truth. This is why Scripture warns that false teachers are often sincere—but sincerely wrong, and that sincerity does not negate responsibility once truth is known. According to Scripture, an informed individual who knowingly continues to teach or affirm a false doctrine about God bears greater moral guilt than one who does so in ignorance.

This is not a Christian accusation—it is a biblical diagnosis.

I Wrote This Essay Because I Love LDS Persons

Biblical Love Is Defined by Truth, Not Tolerance. Scripture never defines love as affirming error. Love is defined as seeking another person’s good in light of God’s truth.

“Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.” (1 Corinthians 13:6)

If a doctrine misrepresents God, and if persistent adherence to that doctrine increases guilt once truth is known, then remaining silent is not neutrality—it is abandonment.

If I Remain Silent And Do Not Tell LDS Persons About This Error

• Silence in the face of known danger is not kindness
• Withholding truth to preserve comfort is not love
• Allowing people to persist in error once truth is known is not compassion

Knowledge Transfers Moral Responsibility. Scripture consistently teaches that knowledge obligates action.

The Watchman Principle (Ezekiel 33). God tells the watchman:

“If you do not warn the wicked… their blood I will require at your hand.”

The watchman is not responsible for forcing repentance, but he is responsible for faithful warning once danger is seen

Once I see the danger clearly, silence becomes culpable. This principle does not require hatred, aggression, or condemnation—only faithfulness. Jesus Defines Love as a Warning Before Judgment

Jesus:: Wept over Jerusalem; Warned of judgment; Confronted false theology; Exposed religious deception; Called people to repentance; And He did so because He loved them.

“O Jerusalem… how often I wanted to gather your children together… but you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:37)

Jesus’ warnings were not evidence of hatred—but of grief-filled love.

The New Testament Explicitly Commands Correction of False Belief: Love That Warns, Teaches, and Corrects

Paul said: “Speaking the truth in love…” (Ephesians 4:15)

• Truth without love becomes cruelty
• Love without truth becomes deception

Biblical love requires both.

Rescue Is the Goal, Not Winning:

James gives a striking summary of apologetic responsibility: “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:20)

This is not about:

• Winning debates
• Proving superiority
• Humiliating others
• It is about rescue.

For Me To Remain Silence Would Be Unloving in This Case

• The biblical God is eternal, uncreated, and unique
• The LDS doctrine of God contradicts that revelation
• Persistent teaching after knowledge increases guilt
• People may sincerely believe an error while moving further from the truth

Then my silence would mean:

• Allowing continued distortion of God’s identity
• Allowing increased culpability to accrue
• Withholding the corrective truth that could free them

Jesus said: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

I don’t hate LDS persons. I love them, and I want them to know the truth.

I mirror my response to Paul’s response: “I could wish that I myself were accursed… for my brethren.” (Romans 9:3)

• Truth reveals danger
• Love responds to danger
• Silence allows harm
• Warning offers rescue

Because you now understand both the falsehood of LDS theology and the increased culpability that comes with informed persistence, your responsibility is to respond with genuine repentance and cease attending the LDS church or supporting this ministry. Find a Church that teaches only the Bible and follows Jesus in sincerity and fervency.

Categories: Robert Clifton Robinson