Posted on 09/02/2015 5:50:47 AM PDT by Gamecock
“Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” (vv. 31–32). - Matthew 12:22–32 In looking at the issue of the eternal security of the believer in Christ, one of the most difficult passages to understand is the text wherein Jesus refers to the “unforgiveable” sin. Today’s passage gives us one of the accounts of our Lord’s teaching on this subject, and we see that one transgression will never be forgiven by God, namely, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31). Such a text raises all sorts of questions. What is this sin? Can Christians commit it? How do we know if we have committed this sin?
Let us make a few introductory comments on Matthew 12:22–32. The first thing to note is that Jesus refers not just to any sin against the Spirit but to one very specific transgression, namely, blasphemy. All sins grieve the Holy Spirit, but not every sin is an act of blasphemy against Him. Second, we note that blasphemy is committed with words. It consists in speech against the Creator, although such words need not be spoken but can go unheard as thoughts of the mind and heart.
So, then, what is this blasphemy and why is it unforgiveable? Jesus’ teaching is in response to the reaction of the Pharisees to His miraculous activity. The Pharisees see that Jesus has just freed a man from demonic oppression and that many people are thinking that He must therefore be the Christ (vv. 22–23). Some of these Pharisees attribute Jesus’ ability to exorcise demons to Beelzebul, that is, Satan (v. 24). This error is significant because our Savior notes that the finger of God is behind His power in spiritual warfare. By the Holy Spirit He casts out demons, which should be evident to all (vv. 25–30). The Lord then teaches on the blasphemy of the Spirit, thereby indicating that it consists of attributing demonic activity to Jesus (vv. 31–32). In other words, calling a work of God the work of Satan is what is in view with respect to the blasphemy of the Spirit.
A person does not need a special revelation to understand the identity of Jesus; rather, regeneration is required only for the bestowal of saving faith. People can see by Jesus’ acts and words that He is from God, and if they recognize this but then attribute His ministry to Satan, there is no hope for them. Of all people, the Pharisees knew better. Seeing the Messiah destroying the work of the devil, they understood who He was and what He was doing. To resist the witness to His identity was to show a heart fully hardened against the Lord, and such a heart will not seek forgiveness.
Coram Deo
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is committed when people knowingly deny the claims of Christ and attribute to Satan the work of our Savior. This is a sin that true Christians cannot commit, for all who are justified are also glorified (Rom. 8:29–30). Moreover, those who have committed it will have no fear that they have committed it, for those who blaspheme the Spirit are hardened against Him and have no fear of offending Him.
Passages for Further Study
2 Chronicles 24 Mark 3:22–30 Luke 12:10 Hebrews 10:26–31
Ping!
So when hildebeast calls pro-lifers terrorists, is this the same thing?
Not quite the same thing but driven by the same spirit, the spirit of anti-christ...
If I understand what the writer is saying I disagree.
First he says a Christian can’t sin against The Holy Ghost. I vehemently disagree in that it is nearly impossible to commit this sin unless you are a Christian, for it is only Christians who have this witness from The Holy Ghost that Jesus is Christ.
In my understanding it is only people who have had a sure witness from The Holy Ghost who can commit this sin. For instance, When Christ asked His Apostles “Whom do people say that I am?” After the others answered Peter said that He was the Son of God, even Christ. After Peter said this Christ explained that no earthly person had given him this knowledge but that he got it by revelation, I think from The Holy Ghost. If Peter had later denied The Christ after having received this spiritual witness then he would have committed the unpardonable sin.
I do not believe this sin can be committed by anyone to whom the Holy Ghost has not given sure witness of the divinity of The Christ.
One of the difficulties of Christianity is that for most of us our practice of Christianity is based on faith, not a pure knowledge. Perhaps after the exercise of our faith we will gain a witness from The Holy Ghost of the truthfulness of the Divinity of Christ but I’m not sure that most Christians have this knowledge. Once we have been privileged to receive this witness of the Holy Ghost we are no longer unable to commit the unpardonable sin but are very much subject to it.
I do not necessarily believe that just because The Holy Ghost communicates with you that you have received this witness but once you KNOW whom it is that Jesus really is that you could commit this unpardonable sin. You can’t fall off the precipice until you have reached it.
I imagine that all the Apostles knew by a witness of The Holy Ghost that Jesus was The Son of God even Judas. It is my belief that Christ called him perdition because of this sin. Woe be unto Judas, his suffering will be eternal.
As I read scripture I believe that I feel the Holy Ghost telling me the truthfulness of what I read. Once He tells me the truthfulness of reading about The Savior then I am subject to the law of the unpardonable sin.
I don’t want to start any flame war here. I have stepped back from divisive arguments with my brothers here on FR. With that said - I also caution Christians here that in my mind dance around the edges of what this author speaks of when they disparage and mock different true manifestations of the Holy Spirit in regards to gifts and speaking in tongues.
Being a Pentecostal, do I know and have I seen Man manufacturing acts and utterances and proclaimed ‘Thus Sayeth The LORD’ putting words in The Lord’s mouth and calling it ‘Prophecy’ or ‘Word of Knowledge’? Absolutely! Those who do that will have their just reward. But when some here mock ALL things He has given us for Today as described in Acts, Romans, I Corinthians, Joel, etc., then my heart is grieved. I would caution the mocker who calls himself a Christian yet can’t restrain himself to discern real from fake but rather just mock - Jesus was clear.
Don’t throw out the real work of the Holy Spirit just because Man is flawed and corrupt and seeks his own glory.
Libs are sheep crowding and fighting for their positions on The Highway to Hell, and the sooner they depart, the better!
Oh good grief!
Scripture just got through stating that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Here it states that the only unforgivable sin, is sin against the Holy Spirit.
That would be despair, leading to suicide.
Larry, I wouldn’t “Oh good grief!” it because many young Christians do indeed question if they’ve committed the unpardonable sin when they first read of it. I know I did.
Best regards.
....”Once we have been privileged to receive this witness of the Holy Ghost we are no longer unable to commit the unpardonable sin but are very much subject to it.”.....
The unpardonable sin is to deny the finished work of Christ ....some might do so for a time in their life and later come to accept it for themselves.....If they die in denial they are lost.
I agree with you. It does lead to an argument against irresistible grace though. If the unpardonable sin is refusing to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, thus denying the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it means individuals do have a moment where they can say no (freewill).
The unpardonable sin is to deny the finished work of Christ ....some might do so for a time in their life and later come to accept it for themselves.....If they die in denial they are lost.
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I would disagree in that the work of Christ is not finished. His work that He performed while on the earth was finished when He gave up the Ghost but He is still striving with man to bring man unto Him so that man can have eternal life.
I know it is crazy but even after death I wonder if there are opportunities for man. While Christ was dead but before being Raised to immortality He preached to the dead. I have always wondered why He did that if there was not some opportunity for them to be saved. I have also wondered about the majority of mankind who have never heard of Christ, through no fault of their own they are damned to Hell forever? I don’t think we can believe in a just God and at the same time believe that because we were lucky enough to be in the minority that heard The Gospel and accepted it that we will be saved and they that didn’t hear it won’t.
Unless my spirit existed before earth and I did something wonderful to earn the opportunity of hearing The Gospel it doesn’t make sense and I do not believe that I am being rewarded for something I don’t remember doing. I don’t know the methodology but I do believe that there is a way for those who through no fault of their own who don’t know Jesus will have the opportunity to know and accept Him. This is a real problem in my view of Christianity one that no one seems to address. If God is no respecter of persons why would He give me something more than someone else?
I know of no sect other than Mormons who have an answer to this question but their answer requires you to be Mormon. Surely there is another answer.
......”If the unpardonable sin is refusing to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, thus denying the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it means individuals do have a moment where they can say no (freewill).”.....
Yes.....I also believe that God creates the best circumstances for that decision to be made as well....but the decision for Christ is a matter of ones choice to accept or turn from.
...”I know it is crazy but even after death I wonder if there are opportunities for man”....
It’s not crazy to think that...it’s ‘deadly’....
Not one word in the Bible - not even one - suggests that there will be a second chance after death for those who have willfully rejected Christ in this life and chosen to shut Him out of their lives.
In fact, the most serious mistake you could ever make would be to assume otherwise. Once this life is over, you will go into eternity - either to that place of eternal joy the Bible calls heaven, or that place of eternal sorrow and separation from God that the Bible calls hell. The Bible’s warning is clear:
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does NOT believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18).
Not one word in the Bible - not even one - suggests that there will be a second chance after death for those who have willfully rejected Christ in this life and chosen to shut Him out of their lives. . . .
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You must not have read all of my post. I did not mean in any way to say that those who reject Christ will have a second chance after this life. I was speaking about those who have never heard of Christ. What did they do to earn eternal damnation?
...” I was speaking about those who have never heard of Christ”....
Who says they won’t???? I think our God is much bigger then your question and because we know he is just and fair in every respect...and since he is the alpha and omega, beginning and end...I’m certain all who will come will do so and he knows who will and who won’t...I doubt very much there are those who won’t hear.
“I was speaking about those who have never heard of Christ. What did they do to earn eternal damnation?”
Rejected the revelation of God “through what has been made”. They are “without excuse”. See: Romans 1
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