Post by ambassador on Apr 8, 2009 22:10:42 GMT -5
What about "blaspheming against the Holy Spirit?" Can I lose my salvation? What is Matthew 12:31-32 talking about, then?
YOU CANNOT LOSE YOUR SALVATION:
Firstly, Matthew 12:31-32 is often misquoted/twisted in an attempt to promote the idea of someone being saved, and lost, and saved again. Let me reassure you, if you've had a genuine salvation experience (you've placed your faith entirely in the Gospel of Grace of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4), you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you. God's Holy Spirit "seals" (confirms/brands) you, and you CANNOT lose your salvation (Ephesians 4:30).
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MATTHEW 12:31-32 DOESN'T APPLY TO US TODAY:
Okay, so what does Matthew 12:31-32 mean? What God was doing with Israel in "time past" is different from what He is doing with us Gentiles (non-Jews) in "but now." In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus was speaking to Israel, under the Mosaic Law. Jesus was speaking in light of that Kingdom, over which He'd be King. That's why it is important for us today to follow what Paul said, and not always go by what the Four Gospels say, because what God has to say to us today is not always what He said to Israel. That's why Paul says "I am THE apostle of the Gentiles" (KJV, Romans 11:13).
We're not part of Israel's prophetic program of Law; we're under grace, in the Body of Christ, separate from Israel. Paul never mentions us today in the Dispensation of Grace as "blaspheming against the Holy Spirit," but rather "grieving the Holy Spirit" (remember Ephesians 4:30?). Because the Holy Spirit indwells us, it makes Him sad when we sin. However, even though we make the Holy Spirit sad when we sin, we are never in danger of losing our salvation. Rest assured, you are never guilty of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit because Matthew 12:31-32 does not apply to us today… it applied to the Jews.
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WHAT MATTHEW 12:31-32 MEANS FOR ISRAEL:
Let's look at this passage of Scripture to better understand Matthew 12:31-32. Find Mark 3:28-30, which says almost the same thing (I'm citing from the KJV here):
"28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. 30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit."
In verses 22-23, there are people falsely accusing Jesus of being devil-possessed. In reality, Jesus is filled with the HOLY SPIRIT, not an "unclean spirit"/devil (see verse 30 above). These people were guilty of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit because they were claiming the Holy Spirit was a devil! These false accusers of Jesus were lost—THEY were the ones filled with unclean spirits, not Jesus.
Now, go back to what I just mentioned about that earthly Kingdom Israel had been promised. In the person of John the Baptist, God the Father urged Israel to get ready for their coming King, Christ Jesus (Mark 1:1-4; Luke 3:2-4). In unbelief, the Jews rejected God the Father by allowing John the Baptist to be beheaded (Matthew 14:10). God the Son (Jesus Christ) comes to present Himself to Israel as King, but again, they reject Him and crucify Him. Interestingly, while Jesus is hanging on the cross, He asks the Father to forgive them (Luke 23:34).
After Christ's resurrection and ascension, God the Father forgives Israel as the Son requested, and this is the purpose of Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts 2… to urge Israel to repent (change their mind) and to tell Israel their King has resurrected, and that He is still willing to bring in the Kingdom. Still, only a small remnant of Israel chooses to have faith in Christ.
Now, in Acts 7, Stephen is also filled with the Holy Spirit, and again, most of Israel is still refusing to embrace Jesus as their King/Christ. Instead, they hate Stephen's message (they feel convicted by God's Truth), and STONE Stephen, thereby rejecting the Holy Spirit—this was also blaspheming against the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:55-60)!
So, returning to Matthew 12:31-32, we read "and whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him." And remember, God the Father forgave Israel of killing their King. Now, verse 32 says "but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."
"The world to come" was Israel's future Kingdom. If those Jews rejected the Holy Spirit in Acts 7, they rejected the last person of the Godhead… they'd already rejected the Father, and already killed the Son! As the saying goes, "three strikes and you're out." Any Jew who rejected/spoke against the Holy Spirit, they'd be purged out (destroyed), and not be allowed to enter into that Kingdom. But, in His grace, and despite their wickedness, God will one day bring in that promised Kingdom to Israel… we know it as the "Millennial (1,000-Year) Reign of Christ."
YOU CANNOT LOSE YOUR SALVATION:
Firstly, Matthew 12:31-32 is often misquoted/twisted in an attempt to promote the idea of someone being saved, and lost, and saved again. Let me reassure you, if you've had a genuine salvation experience (you've placed your faith entirely in the Gospel of Grace of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4), you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you. God's Holy Spirit "seals" (confirms/brands) you, and you CANNOT lose your salvation (Ephesians 4:30).
________________________________________
MATTHEW 12:31-32 DOESN'T APPLY TO US TODAY:
Okay, so what does Matthew 12:31-32 mean? What God was doing with Israel in "time past" is different from what He is doing with us Gentiles (non-Jews) in "but now." In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus was speaking to Israel, under the Mosaic Law. Jesus was speaking in light of that Kingdom, over which He'd be King. That's why it is important for us today to follow what Paul said, and not always go by what the Four Gospels say, because what God has to say to us today is not always what He said to Israel. That's why Paul says "I am THE apostle of the Gentiles" (KJV, Romans 11:13).
We're not part of Israel's prophetic program of Law; we're under grace, in the Body of Christ, separate from Israel. Paul never mentions us today in the Dispensation of Grace as "blaspheming against the Holy Spirit," but rather "grieving the Holy Spirit" (remember Ephesians 4:30?). Because the Holy Spirit indwells us, it makes Him sad when we sin. However, even though we make the Holy Spirit sad when we sin, we are never in danger of losing our salvation. Rest assured, you are never guilty of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit because Matthew 12:31-32 does not apply to us today… it applied to the Jews.
________________________________________
WHAT MATTHEW 12:31-32 MEANS FOR ISRAEL:
Let's look at this passage of Scripture to better understand Matthew 12:31-32. Find Mark 3:28-30, which says almost the same thing (I'm citing from the KJV here):
"28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. 30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit."
In verses 22-23, there are people falsely accusing Jesus of being devil-possessed. In reality, Jesus is filled with the HOLY SPIRIT, not an "unclean spirit"/devil (see verse 30 above). These people were guilty of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit because they were claiming the Holy Spirit was a devil! These false accusers of Jesus were lost—THEY were the ones filled with unclean spirits, not Jesus.
Now, go back to what I just mentioned about that earthly Kingdom Israel had been promised. In the person of John the Baptist, God the Father urged Israel to get ready for their coming King, Christ Jesus (Mark 1:1-4; Luke 3:2-4). In unbelief, the Jews rejected God the Father by allowing John the Baptist to be beheaded (Matthew 14:10). God the Son (Jesus Christ) comes to present Himself to Israel as King, but again, they reject Him and crucify Him. Interestingly, while Jesus is hanging on the cross, He asks the Father to forgive them (Luke 23:34).
After Christ's resurrection and ascension, God the Father forgives Israel as the Son requested, and this is the purpose of Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts 2… to urge Israel to repent (change their mind) and to tell Israel their King has resurrected, and that He is still willing to bring in the Kingdom. Still, only a small remnant of Israel chooses to have faith in Christ.
Now, in Acts 7, Stephen is also filled with the Holy Spirit, and again, most of Israel is still refusing to embrace Jesus as their King/Christ. Instead, they hate Stephen's message (they feel convicted by God's Truth), and STONE Stephen, thereby rejecting the Holy Spirit—this was also blaspheming against the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:55-60)!
So, returning to Matthew 12:31-32, we read "and whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him." And remember, God the Father forgave Israel of killing their King. Now, verse 32 says "but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."
"The world to come" was Israel's future Kingdom. If those Jews rejected the Holy Spirit in Acts 7, they rejected the last person of the Godhead… they'd already rejected the Father, and already killed the Son! As the saying goes, "three strikes and you're out." Any Jew who rejected/spoke against the Holy Spirit, they'd be purged out (destroyed), and not be allowed to enter into that Kingdom. But, in His grace, and despite their wickedness, God will one day bring in that promised Kingdom to Israel… we know it as the "Millennial (1,000-Year) Reign of Christ."