Casting the Net - CTN Commentaries

CTN Commentaries
What is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
I realized recently that Matt 12:31-32 goes in conjunction with Hebrews 6:4-6 and Heb 10:26-29. The passage in Matthew defines what is sometimes referred to as the ‘unforgivable sin' which is actually to what both passages in Hebrew are referring. I have often heard and accepted the standard interpretation that the blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the continual rejection of the leading of the Holy Spirit to the person of Christ until the point they are no longer drawn to Jesus. Sometimes it is stated more specifically that when Christ was on the earth in human form, he was constantly performing miracles, through the power of the Holy Spirit, which gave direct evidence to his deity, but they were consistently being rejected and being explained as tricks or works of devils, etc. This would qualify as blasphemy in that acts of God were being minimalized and given credit to other sources. Matt 12:31-32 31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Heb 6:4-6 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. Heb 10:26-29 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? However, we have missed what is quite possibly the most important and direct definition of ‘blasphemy of the Holy Spirit'. Ephesians 1:13-14 states that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as our earnest (down payment or evidence) of our inheritance until the completion of God's plan of salvation upon Christ's return. Eph 1:13-14 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. The true act of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would be those that receive God's gift of salvation through Christ and receive the ‘earnest' of the Holy Spirit; but, then they fail to hold fast and grow in their faith. Instead they reach the point of ceasing to believe in Christ as the son of God, who came in the flesh, died and rose again, and now sits at the right hand of God. Anyone that would truly cease to believe in Christ would severely grieve/blaspheme the Holy Spirit that is living within them. This would ultimately result in their grieving the Holy Spirit to the point of it leaving and they would therefore lose the spirit of promise and their salvation, which could never be regained, as clearly stated in Hebrews 6 and 10. This topic, naturally, goes hand-in-hand with other scriptures which allude to this, by indicating that someone who once received God's gift of salvation through Jesus can be cast out. These scriptures are always readily dismissed in error due to the preconceived mindsets behind both the Calvinistic doctrine of once-saved-always-saved and the Armenian doctrines of falling in and out of salvation over, and over, again. These scriptures include, but are not limited to: John 15:6 - Christ's warning that we must continue to abide in him or be cast out; 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. Romans 11:17-23 - Warning that we are not to become conceited/complacent in our having been grafted into the vine; because if God cast off his chosen people due to their unbelief, he most certainly will cast us off as well if we cease to believe ; 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. Mat 25:1-13 - Warning that we are to be watching for Christ's return and be prepared at all times for those not waiting expectantly may be found unacceptable as were the five foolish virgins when they did not maintain oil for their lamps. Remember that oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit throughout the bible. Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. As you can see, when the scriptures are taken as a whole, and in context, it is apparent that to reject Christ after having received both him and the seal of the Holy Spirit, is to truly grieve the Holy Spirit to the utmost. This in turn leads to the loss of one's salvation, which can never be regained. This is obviously a drastic step that doesn't just happen in an instant, but rather one that happens slowly, one small step at a time, one small compromise at a time. This is why it is so important for a born-again, follower of Christ to cleanse himself daily in the word of God and to actively grow in his faith from being bottle fed milk to digesting the meat of the word of God. We are told over and over throughout scripture to search ourselves and test ourselves so that we will be found both holy and acceptable on the day of judgement. Our salvation is always referred to as requiring our ‘belief' in Christ Jesus and as being our ‘hope' for the future. None of this is to be interpreted as not being able to be assured of our eternal security, but so that we will not become complacent and lose our salvation through the error of our ways. As Paul himself said, ‘my spirit's willing, but my flesh is weak.' I recently heard someone teach that there's no evidence in the bible of anyone being saved twice. With this, I must fully agree as it is made clear that there is only one opportunity for salvation. If it is subsequently rejected then we have condemned ourselves forever. However, something that few ever discuss is the fact that there is an example of someone who was once saved that lost their salvation. This example is given by Christ himself in John 17:12, where Christ's prayer to God the father indicating that he lost none of "those that thou gavest me" except for Judas. This indicates, that Judas was indeed given to Jesus by God the father, but that he was lost. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. This is usually disregarded when discussing eternal security in favor of verses such as, John 6:37 and John 10:28-29, but you can not take scriptures out of context and use them to justify your position at the cost of discounting the other parts of scripture, especially, the words of Christ himself. John 6:37 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. John 10:28-29; 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. As you can see in the above scriptures, Christ will not simply cast a person that accepts God's gift of salvation through his son Jesus; nor is anyone able to steal them away from God. But this does not in anyway negate the fact that person must not only have first believed once, but they must always continue to believe in Jesus as their savior and the fact that he is God incarnate, he came in the flesh, died on calvary, rose again the third day, and now sits at the right hand of God the father. Do not be mistaken nor mislead, this is not a matter of one's works, but a matter of one's faith and continual belief. If we cleanse ourselves daily in God's word and draw near to God, he will draw near to us and we will never be tempted to be drawn away from God's presence. Remember the warning given to us in 1 Peter that we are to be on our guard for the devil is seeking those he can shake from their faith. 1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. This warning was given to believers as Satan wants to hurt the followers of Christ by making their brothers and sisters in Christ stumble and thereby accomplishing two major advantages, 1) other believer's faith may be weakened and 2) non-believers will look at it and say that the Christian's are no different than themselves so why would they want anything to do with them. After all, they're just a bunch of hypocrites. Remember that when our brothers and sisters in Christ fall, that's when they need our love and support more than ever. Jesus told us that the world would recognize us by our love for our brethren. That's why it's so sad that Christian's are known as the only army that shoots our own wounded. May God bless you as you strive to be like the Bereans and diligently search the scriptures and prayerfully consider the above.