July 29, 2014 Bottom Line

Bottom Line

Matthew 12:31-32 “And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy 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 central focus of Jesus’ constant exchanges with the Pharisees is the question, “Is Jesus of God or not?”  The Pharisees readily rejected Jesus’ divine nature. They stuck to the blasphemy of their sin-limited thoughts.

     The word “blasphemy” comes from a Greek meaning “to speak stupid things against”. We understand Jesus then to say, “every sin and stupid thing spoken will be forgiven men, but the stupid things spoken against the Spirit will not be forgiven.”

     How would you feel if someone told you that you are speaking stupidly? No wonder Jesus’ words enraged the Pharisees. He directly attacked their prideful knowledge! That’s hard for learned men to hear.

     That’s also hard for us to hear. We pridefully hold to our opinions, too often standing on the edge of Jesus’ words, thinking perhaps they are “stupid”. Oh, we don’t say it, but can we really believe all he tells us—the promises, the hope, the forgiveness, and even the love?

     Yes, our faith gets weak, and we’d rather trust worldly pleasures than Jesus. Jesus knew such things would happen, and he says he will forgive those sins. But he does draw a bottom line.

     That line is the unforgivable sin that speaks, “It’s stupid to believe the Spirit and the Son are of God.”  

LIFE Link: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)