In the comments on my previous post, Kendall pointed out that it’s important to be careful with the way we talk about “profanation.” Without a doubt, I think the teachings on profanation are some of the most frightening in the Writings, and I think it’s important to look at them more closely. I’m going to go into a fair amount of detail and use some fairly extensive quoting, because I think it’s an area that can’t very well be dealt with simply.
The Writings teach that profanation is basically the mixing of evil with good, or the mixing of falsity with truth. It happens when a person lives in goodness and acknowledges truth, and then rejects these. When a person does this, it is much more harmful than if they had never accepted the truth in the first place. The Lord didn’t use the Word “profanation” when He was in the world, but He did teach the concept:
When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding not, he says, I will return to my house whence I came out; and when he comes, he finds it swept and adorned. Then he goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in, they dwell there; and the last things of that man are worse than the first. (Luke 11:24-26).
And while He didn’t link the two teachings together, He did talk about the sin that could not be forgiven:
Wherefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men; but° the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven men. 32 And whoever says a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but° whoever shall say it against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that to come. (Matt. 12:31, 32).
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