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g) Of Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:22-37)
MATTHEW 12:31-32
31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come. (Mark 3:22-30, Luke 12:10, 1 Timothy 1:13, Hebrews 6:4-6; 10-12)
Christ differentiates between sins. He calls the unbelief of Capernaum filthier than the sodomy of Sodom. He also declares that the sin against the Holy Spirit is the greatest sin against the glory of God and can never be forgiven.
Every sin against Christ and His church, or against men and ourselves will be forgiven by God’s grace, if it was committed unintentionally and hastily, as Saul’s sin that was committed before his conversion. Saul had been responsible for putting Christ’s followers into prison and forcing them into apostasy. Christ Himself got in Saul’s way and said to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Every sin you committed before the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in you is pardonable. Christ on the cross prayed for His killers saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” God did not destroy the Jews for crucifying Christ, but for rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit in them thereafter, and for their continuous slighting of the apostles’ teaching. They rejected the Spirit of God intentionally and forcibly, whereas the works of Christ were so clear and evident before their eyes that simple people could recognize them. He who claims that Christ’s work is Satanic gives a good sign of himself as malicious and spiteful, for Christ is love, meekness, and purity. He that calls Him demon-possessed testifies against himself that he is demon-possessed, for the spirit of the devil always blasphemes against the Unity of the Holy Trinity.
In Mark 3:28 and Luke 12:10, Christ speaks about those who blaspheme Him. Those who blasphemed Christ when He was here upon earth called Him, “a drunkard,” “a deceiver,” “a blasphemer,” and the like. The religious leaders were prejudice against Him and imagined evil in everything He did. The proof of His divine mission was not perfected until after His ascension. Therefore, upon their repentance, they were pardoned. Some of them, who had been His betrayers and murderers, became convinced after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.
But if, when the Holy Spirit has touched them with His inward gifts of revelation, they continue to blaspheme the divine Spirit, there is no hope that they will ever be brought to believe in Christ.
He that opposes the Holy Spirit and hardens his heart against His merciful voice shall not receive forgiveness. The Epistle to the Hebrews warns us of such hardening, saying, “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). Whereas God proclaims Himself to you in the gospel with the influence of His Spirit, you have only to choose one of two things, either to reject Him or to surrender to Him. Have you surrendered yourself completely to Jesus?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, Thank You for loving Your enemies and calling them to You. I praise You because You love me though I am a sinner by nature. You forgave all my sins and anointed me with Your Holy Spirit. Keep me from hardening against the indwelling and intents of Your comforting Spirit and protect me from apostasy or blasphemy. I commit myself completely to You, to Your hands, and I rejoice with all the saints, trusting Your precious blood. Please deliver our friends and neighbors from the hardness of their hearts and lead them to the repentance of faith and eternal life in the Holy Spirit.
QUESTION:
- How are we protected from the sin against the Holy Spirit?