Matthew 12:31-32……Ready

Matthew 12:31-32……Ready

12:31 And so I tell you, (truly-Mark 3:28 Verily, verily-K.J.V. Emphasizes the importance of what’s about to be said.)  every sin (Not “most sins” or “almost all sins” but every sin! No sin is to great that God’s Grace can’t forgive.) will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit  will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.(The Pharisees accusation the Holy Spirit’s work to the work of Satan was more grievous. These were not just foolish, unlearned, atheist  people, they were religious leaders and scholars who knew their bibles) (For Complete Expository See Book)

Extended Sermons

“Teaches the only sin that can’t be forgiven is a hardened heart that says nothing is going to convince me or change my mind.” ⇒ It’s the type of heart that is defiant and hard that no matter how many wonders, we see, no matter how much conviction we receive, no matter how many Gospel opportunities, you will say “eh” I’m, good …….(More to Follow Soon)

“Warns how a hardened heart over time can push God further and further away until we no longer hears His voice at all.” → Every time you harden your heart in saying “No”, “maybe later” or “not right now,” you run the risk of finding it more and more difficult to repent and seek grace. A callous heart,  over time, can slowly creep up on you, creating a kind of spiritual numbness, to where you become critical, cynical, judgmental, and indifferent. And eventually the opportunity to turn back becomes elusive, not because God withdraws His grace, but because the heart becomes so closed off that it no longer desires or recognizes it.-(Heb. 3:7-15) The longer we resist, the easier it is for hearts to grow cold and calloused. When God reaches out time and time again, each repeated refusal deepens the distance. Every time we deny, excuse, justify, and down play sin we harden our hearts, pushing ourselves further away from God.-(1-John 1:8-9) If we reject the Holy Spirits guidance and conviction often enough, eventually we become incapable of recognizing the truth in our own life’s and the ways we’ve been deceiving ourselves to the point where it’s no longer a willful choice but a seared conscience. That’s why we need to keep our hearts soft and open to the Spirit through daily worship, prayer, scripture reading, and repentance. When the Spirit convicts we need to listen. When He draws we need to respond. When He convicts us we need to turn. As much as we don’t like to admit it there’s areas where our hearts get harden when we suffer hurt, betrayal, disappointments, setbacks, etc. Or times where we’ve been abused, exploited, let down, or taken advantage of.  A hard heart is cold, resistant, unreceptive, and unmoved. It feels no empathy, compassion, or remorse, it is unaffected by the suffering of others. A soft heart is the opposite: It is tender, loving, forgiving, compassionate, understanding, sensitive. A hard heart can keep us from all that God wants to reveal to us, do for us, and He has for us. Signs of a hard heart is someone who constantly says “There’s nothing wrong with me” Or “That doesn’t apply to me”. Whereas a soft heart will constantly say “God speak to me” “God show me” “God where have I gone wrong, and how can I change”.

“Warns how we can shut the door and cut ourselves off of God’s only means of  forgiveness when we say it is not wanted or needed.” → God’s grace is not a take it or leave it proposition  — it is the only remedy for the human condition. To reject it is to reject the cure. To say “I don’t need forgiveness” is to declare that sin is not a problem, that the cross is unnecessary, and that the Spirit’s work is unwelcome. That is why Scripture warns so strongly: not because God is unwilling to forgive, but because we can become unwilling to receive. The danger is not that God stops offering grace — the danger is that we stop wanting it. When we close the door, God does not force it open. He honors the posture of the heart, even when that posture leads us away from Him. The invitation to forgiveness is always available, but it must be received willingly; it cannot be forced upon us. By shutting the door, we deny ourselves the opportunity to experience the fullness of God’s love and redemption, and ultimately, the consequences of this separation are profound. This serves as a reminder to examine our hearts and respond to God’s offer with sincerity, before it’s too late to hear His voice and accept His grace.

“These verses have caused a great anxiety for many sincere Christians who fear they may have committed this unpardonable sin. Those who worry about it is really a good indication they have not, for they would not have cared or been grieved over such a sin in the first place.” ⇒ The fact that a person cares and is troubled by this is a good indication that the Holy Spirit is still at work on their heart. Where as a person who has committed the blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will have no sorrow, no regret, no guilt, no care, no shame, no remorse, and no repentance. Graig Blomberg in his commentary is quoted as saying “Professing believers who fear they have committed the Unforgivable sin demonstrates a concern for their spiritual wellbeing, which by definition proves that they have not committed it”. So if you fear you may have  committing the “Unpardonable sin”. Ask yourself do you love God, do you desire to please Him? Do you feel sorrow over sin when you commit it? Do you desire to put off sin? If you do you have not committed the unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. [Note: This is not saying that we will no longer sin. In fact we will continue to sin. But the difference is we do not settle in long-term with our sins. We continue to go to God in asking for His forgiveness. The moment we stop asking for God’s forgiveness is the moment we become comfortable with the sin.]

Additional Notes & Applications 

Warns it’s one thing to reject Jesus out of ignorance & folly and another to reject the Holy Spirit’s witness and conviction.

Warns against discrediting God’s presence and supernatural work by attributing it to natural causes, coincidence, luck, willpower, positive thinking, or anything else.

Comforts believers in knowing God’s mercy & grace is far greater than a slip of the tongue or a bad day..

Teaches how the door of Salvation is locked not from the outside, but from the inside by the sinner.

Demonstrates how without the Holy Spirit’s work, faith and repentance is impossible.

Teaches how Salvation is never a result of what we did. We can never credit ourselves in coming to the faith on our own, it was the Holy Sprit that drew us and convicted us.

 Note: The Blasphemies between the two suggests that the first (against the Son of Man/Jesus) is committed by non-believers and therefore is clearly forgivable when a person repents and receives Christ as Savoir whereas the latter (against the Holy Spirit) is committed by believers who are already Christian’s and therefore is more grievous & unpardonable. Others understand it as a reference to those who at first only view Jesus as mortal but later come to see Him as divine.

Note: The blasphemy the Holy Spirit can be done not just with words, but also by the attitude of the heart. The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit can be a secret sin your hiding and hanging onto. It can be open rebellion by way of our actions and behavior that wants nothing to do with Jesus or God.

Note: In context Jesus is warning the Pharisees. He’s not necessarily saying they crossed that line, but He’s warning them to be careful. What that means then if we’re going to be true to the context is that this blaspheme against is not a Christian thing. But rather it’s a persistent and willful rejection of Jesus, the Gospel, and the work of Holy Spirit by unbelievers. By definition a believer is the exact opposite, they have already embraced Christ. Who hasn’t failed to respond to the Gospel.

Note: A common question arises: Why does Jesus emphasize the seriousness of blaspheming the Holy Spirit rather than blaspheming Himself or God the Father? Is Jesus saying the Holy Spirit is somehow more important, powerful, or “God-like” than the Father or the Son. The answer is no—the Holy Spirit is not greater in importance, power, or holiness compared to the Father or the Son. All three persons of the Trinity are equal in their divinity and attributes. Each are equally divine, equally holy, equally powerful, equally possessing all the Divine attributes. So blasphemy of the Holy Spirit isn’t because He is more super awesome or super holy than the Father or Son. But rather the Holy Spirit is a big a deal, not because of who He is as God, but the ministry and work He does. The Holy Spirit makes us born again. The Holy Spirit convicts and converts. The Holy Spirit softens our hearts. The Holy Spirit seals and assures. The Holy Spirit guides, empowers, and transforms us more and more into the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit reveals truth, aluminates scriptures. The Holy Spirit produces Fruits of the Spirit; fruits of love, joy, patience, kindness, etc. The Holy Spirit disturbers spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit comforts, helps, counsels, and intercedes in prayer.

Note: The Holy Spirits witness of the Gospel and Salvations can come through the Word. It can come through visions and dream. It can come through the testimony of other Christians, website, etc. It can come through some crises, tragedy, or on their death beds,

Note: A Christian can quench the Spirit. A Christian can grieve the Spirit. But a Christian cannot blaspheme the Spirit as the way Christ means here.

Note: The people most at risk in committing this sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit is not your average unbeliever walking the streets. It’s not the Atheist, it’s not the Pagan, it’s not the homosexual or transvestite, it’s not the abortion doctor, it’s not the Muslim, it’s not the Mormon, it’s not your Godless neighbor. But rather the greatest person at risk in committing this sin is the religiously minded unconverted Church goer who sits in church week after week under the inspired preaching of the word and Spirit empowered truth. Not only that, they’re seeing prayers answered, lives changed, and souls Saved by Jesus. Yet remain hardened and unmoved at heart.

WHAT BLASPHEME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT:

• It is not an initial rejection of Christ or the Gospel.

• It is not crossing the line in committing some evil and heinous sin.

• It is not questioning & doubting your faith at times– or even denying Jesus for a time

• It is not failing to confess Christ publicly.

• It is not anger towards God or taking the Lord’s name in vain.

• It is not persistent and ongoing struggles with sin.

WHAT BLASPHEME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS:

• It is is a blatant & willful rejection of the Holy Spirit’s conviction and witness of Jesus as Lord & Savior.

• It  is the willful persistence of unrepentance and unbelief that doesn’t want anything to do with Jesus.

• It is one who turns back to a life of sin to where they cannot hear the voice of the Holy Spirit anymore.

HOW DO WE BLASPHEME THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR DAILY LIVES

• By living in unrepentant and unconfessed sin that refuses to admit wrong doing

• By resisting God’s truth spoken to us in the bible and by others.

• By ignoring directives given by the Spirit or by the church

• By holding onto grudges & bitterness in refusing to forgive others

• By seeing the work of God as an inconvenience and burden

• By always grumbling & complaining.

• By neglecting and making use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

HOW TO KNOW YOU HAVEN’T COMMITTED THE UNPADNONABLE SIN 

• Do you worry you might have committed this sin. Then you haven’t or you wouldn’t be worried about it.

• Do you still ask to be forgiven by God and want to be in a right relationship with Him.

• Do you feel conviction when you sin and desire repentance.

• Do recognize Jesus as Lord and want to follow and obey His commands