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This week, we commence looking at Luke Chapter 12. Please read verses 1-12 every day this week and, if possible use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 12:10-12 (NIV)
‘“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”’
This opening verse has been the subject of debate and argument for centuries. Many amazing bible teachers have presented their interpretation of the meaning only for it to be refuted by equally great scholars.
While growing up, I was scared to death that I would unknowingly and unwittingly blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and therefore would leave myself in a position of condemnation. No-one would ever tell me that I shouldn’t worry and that I was safe. I never received any clear instruction on what this verse meant.
It therefore should come as no surprise that I’m not presenting a definitive explanation here. Many, many better men than I have done that and so I’m merely going to quote other people and present just one opinion; one that satisfies my own feeble mind.
We know from the whole ‘balance’ of Scripture that our God is a God of love and forgiveness. We see that same forgiveness abundantly at work in the life of David. There is forgiveness for adultery, dishonesty and murder. In the New Testament we see forgiveness for the ‘many’ sins of the woman caught in adultery. The father forgave the son who had squandered his inheritance and Jesus’ heart of love, compassion and forgiveness was evident in the life of Peter and Paul. So why is there no forgiveness for anyone who ‘blasphemes against the Holy Spirit’?
William Hendriksen puts it like this: “Jesus’ opponents had been ascribing to Satan what the Holy Spirit, through Christ, was achieving. They were doing this wilfully, deliberately. In spite of all evidences to the contrary, they were still affirming that Jesus was expelling demons by the power of Satan. Now to be forgiven implies that the sinner be truly penitent. Such sorrow for sin was totally lacking. For penitence they substituted hardening; for confession, plotting. Their sin was unpardonable because they were unwilling to tread the path that leads to pardon. For a thief, an adulterer and a murderer there is hope. The message of the gospel may cause him to cry out ‘O God be merciful to me a sinner’. But when a man has become hardened so that he has made up his mind to not pay any attention to the promptings of the Spirit, not even to listen to his pleading and warning voice, he has placed himself on the road that leads to perdition. He has sinned the sin ‘unto death’.”
While the Spirit of God continues to convict there is hope. Refusing to listen to that voice to the point of death is probably the ultimate blasphemy and therefore is beyond forgiveness.
The good news is that for anyone who is truly sorry for their sin, no matter how deep the transgression or how awful the shame caused, there is no reason to despair. Trust in His Word – 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.” Praise God that He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve but with Him, there is forgiveness.
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