This transcript was generated automatically and may contain minor errors.

If you would, I invite you to take out your bible and turn to Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12. We'll read verses thirty one and thirty two together, but if you make the effort to turn to Matthew chapter 12, we'll actually look at the greater context from verse 22 through verse 37 over the course of our lesson. So it'd be helpful to you to open up your Bible to Matthew chapter 12 and verse 31. If you would like a handout for the lesson tonight, I know they are passing them out on your way in, But if you didn't get one of those and you'd like one of those, you can raise your hand.

Okay. Excellent. Well, I'm glad everyone that wants one has one for our lesson tonight. Thank you for being here. Whether you're in person or joining us online through streaming, we're grateful for your interest in spiritual things.

And we've reached the last month of our holy spirit class on Wednesday night, and so I'm going to address a few questions and issues that are more of rabbit trails away from the main discussion in a few Sunday night lessons over the next couple of months. Does that mean that I'm have more to cover than I have time to cover? Yes. That's exactly what that means. But I think these things would be helpful to us, and I and I wanna make this not just an intellectual exercise.

I love teaching. I love knowledge. I love explaining the text, but I do want it to be practical to you. So stick with me if you would tonight. I'm not gonna go over all of the possible positions.

I'm gonna try and make what I believe to be the biblical case and then make some applications regarding this concept of blasphemy against the holy spirit. If you're there in Matthew chapter 12, read with me in verse 31. Matthew chapter 12 and verse 31. Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the son of man, Jesus says, it will be forgiven him.

But whoever speaks against the holy spirit, it will not be forgiven him either in this age or the age which is to come. Now that's scary, isn't it? What exactly are we talking about here? Well, I'll say, first of all, that they had blasphemed and would be blaspheming Christ in many ways. But does this text mean that it doesn't matter what we say against Jesus?

Every word that we say ever blasphemy against Jesus, it's automatically forgiven? Is this what the text is saying? Of course not. We still have to do what? We still have to repent.

And the point is this, they could be forgiven of blasphemy against Christ if they repented. And in the events leading up to the cross and on the cross itself, many of the Jews blasphemed him. In all of those events, going all the way back to his interaction with the Jews and things about the Sabbath day and on the way to the cross and on the cross. And yet what is Jesus' response to all of this blasphemy? In Luke chapter twenty three thirty two through 34, father, forgive them.

They do not know what they do. And Paul himself confirms this idea in first Corinthians chapter two and verse eight, talking about the revealed mystery of God and Jesus on the cross. He says, which none of the rulers of this age knew for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Jesus knows, he knew that they did not fully understand what they're doing. He came to offer himself on the cross.

And Paul and Jesus both say, if they really knew and comprehended what they were doing, they wouldn't have done it. But isn't that true of practically all sin? How often do we sin against others without fully realizing what we're doing and the ramifications of our actions? The pain and the hurt that we're causing, and how much more freely could we forgive others if we realize that people often do not know what they're doing, at least not fully? If we knew and saw into their hearts and knew they didn't really comprehend what it was they were doing and sending against me, perhaps it would be easier to forgive.

But if we do know what we're doing and do it anyway, that's awfully bad. You know, our kids do that. They test us in this way. Right? I was talking to an elder when I was up in Bowling Green, and he was talking about his daughter when she was just a toddler, and how there were these I'm trying to think the exact words.

No no's. No no's that you're not supposed to touch. And one of the things that was a no no she was not supposed to touch was the and he says clearly, was working at the kitchen counter, and she walks up and she looks directly at me knowing that I'm seeing her, wanting to make sure that I see her, and she goes like this. And he says, that's a no no. Don't touch it.

And she goes, touch. And, of course, he goes and he consequences for that. And so he puts her back down. He goes back to the kitchen table with tears in her she runs back over there, and she goes like this. And he says, that's a no no.

Don't touch it. And she goes, touch. So the punishment goes up just a little bit higher, and then he puts her back down, and she goes runs over there and looks at him and goes like this. And he says, that's a no no. Don't touch it.

It's not gonna change. And she goes and goes off in place. Well, kids test us like that. But to be an adult and to have a knowledge of the will of God and say to ourselves, I know this is wrong, but I don't care. I'm gonna do it anyway.

That is the hardest kind of heart of all, and that is the kind of heart that Jesus is talking about when he says blasphemy against the holy spirit. Let's make clear that Jesus' statement on the cross is not asking God to change his nature and forgive the unrepentant. But what he is asking is for God's forgiveness on them if and when they repented, which by the grace and patience of God, they still had opportunity to do, and many of them did in Acts chapter two verses 36 through 39. Therefore, Peter says, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?

Peter said to them, repent. Let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the holy spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are far off as many as the Lord our God will call. You will receive this gift that the Holy Spirit is giving through the very words that Peter was saying of forgiveness of sins if they repented and were baptized. So it's getting a little ahead of ourselves in answering our question, but this passage is a good place to say this.

Blasphemy against the holy spirit would have been if they heard this sermon from Peter, they understood it, believed it to be true, and still refused to repent in arrogance and rebellion. And that's the context there in Matthew chapter 12. Hopefully, you're still there to that opening. Let's go back to where this really starts in verse 22. So this account begins in Matthew chapter 12 and verse 22.

Then one was brought to him who was demon possessed, blind and mute, And he healed him so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw, which is exactly what the holy spirit was gonna provide to the apostles. Just file that away in your mind. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, could this be the son of David? And when the Pharisees heard it, they said, they didn't see, they didn't hear, this fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler or prince of demons. But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house? He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad. And it's in that context that he talks about this blasphemy against the holy spirit. So it was by the spirit of God that Jesus was casting out demons, clearly showing the kingdom of God was upon them. They knew it.

They saw it, and they still rejected it. And they blasphemously said, it is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this man cast out demons. I mean, how much more blasphemous can you get than to say, Jesus is in league with Satan, and he's getting his power from Satan when he is the son of God. And if they rejected such a clear working of the holy spirit, just because they didn't like the message and the messenger that those works confirmed, then what hope did they have of repentance? There was still time.

But when the spirit came and inspired the apostles' message and they rejected that too, their hearts would be too hard to change. Jesus is telling them, there is still time to change your mind. But after I send the Holy Spirit and the message comes from the apostles, if you reject that too, there is no hope for your forgiveness. Chumley says in his commentary, if the gospel of grace revealed by the holy spirit through the apostles is refused, there is no other way by which one can be saved. Let's take a quick step back, and then I think we can probably define this pretty clearly.

What was the primary role of the holy spirit in the first century? Now we know that the holy spirit was working, continued to work, and is working today, but what was the primary role of the holy spirit in the first century? Well, two primary roles. Number one, the Holy Spirit's role was to reveal the truth, the words of God, the truth of God. I want you to turn to Luke chapter 12.

This is parallel account with Matthew 12. Turn to Luke chapter 12. Look there in verses 10 through 12. Luke chapter 12 verses 10 through 12. And anyone who speaks a word against the son of man, it will be forgiven him.

Again, if they confess and repent, repentance is still in view. But to him who blasphemes against the holy spirit, it will not be forgiven. Now notice in Luke's account that he then addresses the apostles. He says, now when they bring you to the synagogues and the magistrates and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer or what you should say for the holy spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. So here we find that the holy spirit's role was to reveal the truth and bring that truth to them.

I've got on the screen behind me John 16 and verse 13. However, when he, Jesus says to the apostles, the spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak, revealing this truth to the apostles. And then as we've studied from the book of Ephesians, you turn over to Ephesians chapter three for just a second. Ephesians chapter three.

Paul says, Ephesians chapter three and verse two, if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation. So Holy Spirit reveals these things. He made known to me the mystery as I have briefly written already by which when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed by the spirit to his holy apostles and prophets. So the role of the holy spirit was to reveal the truth, but also to confirm that truth, to bear witness in signs and miracles that this truth, these things that these apostles and prophets were saying is actually the truth because of the signs that were worked. We see that in the book of Hebrews.

And, again, these are just representative passages, lots of places we could turn to illustrate these ideas. But look there in Hebrews chapter one verses one and two, and that sets the context for what we read in chapter two verses one through four. Hebrews chapter one verse one. God, who at various times and in various ways spoken times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things through whom also he made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. So God spoke through his son, but his son sent the holy spirit to speak as we look in chapter two in verse one.

Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the words spoken through angels prove steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward under the law of Moses, How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, Jesus spoke these things while he was on earth, and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, the eyewitnesses. God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders with various miracles and gifts of the holy spirit according to his own will. This is why the holy spirit enabled them to speak in tongues and work miracles to confirm that what they were saying was really from god, really from the holy spirit. And we see that throughout the spread of the gospel in the first century before the word of God was completed with the book of Revelation.

The work of the holy spirit was primarily about words. It's about truth that was being revealed, the words of God, and the sin against the spirit is about words too. Remember what he said in Matthew 12 verse 32? Whoever speaks against the holy spirit, this blasphemy against the holy spirit. The holy spirit is closely associated with speech, with revealing and confirming the word of God.

There's another sin against the holy spirit in Ephesians chapter four. I want you to turn over there. It relates back to what we're talking about here. In Ephesians chapter four, the apostle Paul is talking about lots of things that we put off and then have to put on. Notice what he says in verse 29.

Ephesians chapter four and verse 29. Let no corrupt or corrupting word proceed out of your mouth. But what is good for necessary edification, building up that it might impart grace to the hearers. So this is one of a long list of things where he says, don't do this. Do this instead.

So no corrupting words, instead words that build up that it might impart grace to the hearers. Well, he gives an additional reason in verse 30, And do not grieve the holy spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you. So he's talking about these things that relate to our speech. The speech that we have corrupting words that is bad, the speech that is good for necessary edification, anger and clamor and evil speaking versus speaking words of forgiveness.

Here's my question. Doesn't it grieve God the father when we speak this way? I hear you had that rattled this way or that way. Of course it does. Doesn't it grieve God the son when we speak this way?

Of course it does. So why does he specify that this grieves the holy spirit when we speak in this way? I think that's because the holy spirit is emphasized as being grieved because we are working contrary to him and his work specifically. The holy spirit is the giver of divine words, And we are using that power, the power of speech to corrupt instead of build up. Look at what Jesus says next back there in Matthew chapter 12.

This is all one text, all one occasion after he heals this demon possessed man. Notice what he says in verses 33 through 37. Either Jesus says, make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad, For a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good things, we might say out of his mouth, out of his lips. An evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it on the day of judgment. For by your words, you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned. Their words from their hearts against the giver of divine words would be their condemnation.

And both of these things that we see with the holy spirit, to reveal the truth and to confirm that truth are found there in Acts chapter two. In Acts chapter two verses one through 22, the holy spirit comes upon them. Peter stands up and says, this is what was prophesied by Joel. It is confirmed by the holy spirit that the words I'm about to speak to you are the words of life. And so in verses, really 23 through 40, but especially 37 through 40, we see that Paul Peter actually speaks those words.

So he reveals the truth about who Jesus is after the Holy Spirit has confirmed the truth of who Jesus is. Here are the words of salvation given by the Holy Spirit and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. And if they rejected this message from the spirit, there is no other path. There is no other avenue of salvation except what these apostles were preaching. So all that makes sense.

So what is blasphemy against the holy spirit? From that context, here's the way I would put it. It is not a one time sin, and I think people through the centuries have worried about that. Well, if I commit this sin, there's no coming back for it. There's no repentance.

It's not a one time sin, but a sinful, unrepentant attitude toward the truth that comes from God. Putting it another way, the sin against the holy spirit is not a case of God refusing to forgive. Oh, you do this. I'm not gonna forgive you. It's a case of someone refusing to seek to be forgiven.

I hear what you're saying, God. In fact, I believe it. It's true, but I'm not going to do it. That's blasphemy against the holy spirit who revealed that truth and revealed that path of salvation. You're looking at the clock.

You're saying, it can't be done. Well, there's some other passages that I think this really helps us with. We're just gonna look at a couple of these. Let's go to first John chapter one. And, really, I'm trying to get to first John chapter five, but we gotta read from first John chapter one before we can understand correctly what he's saying in first John chapter five.

Go there in first John chapter one and verse let's go back to verse seven. Go back to verse seven. So we're supposed to walk in the light, not walk in darkness, the path of life, our willful habitual living. Right? Verse seven.

But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses us from every sin against blasphemy except blasphemy against the holy spirit. No. He cleanses us from all sin. If we hate say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from most unrighteousness.

No. All unrighteousness. If we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

The power of Jesus' blood is powerful enough to cleanse every sin that has ever been committed if people were willing to repent. So all sin can be forgiven by what it is that Jesus has done on the cross. But if we go to chapter five of first John, we find something very interesting. Verse 16. First John chapter five and verse 16.

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask and he will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. So we're talking about spiritual death, separation from God here, and he says there are some sins that lead to death.

There are some sins that don't lead to spiritual death. Now keep in mind, he's talking to Christians here. This isn't talking about people who are outside of Christ. Specifically, he's about Christians. And he says, there is a sin not leading to spiritual death.

And so I ask you, what is a sin not leading to spiritual death? Well, it's the sin that you confess and repent of. That's exactly what he talked about in chapter one and chapter two. Right? If you confess and repent, Jesus' blood is capable of cleansing you from all sin.

God is faithful and just to forgive us, like we read in chapter one and two. A brother sins, but it doesn't lead to his spiritual death because he's forgiven of that sin. Now for the Christian, what's the other side? What is the sin that leads to our spiritual death? I'm a Christian.

I've been saved in Jesus Christ, but now I'm committing sin that leads to my spiritual death and separation from God. It's just the opposite. When you do not confess and repent of that sin. It's not that Jesus' blood isn't strong enough. It's not that God refuses to forgive.

It's that we refuse to seek that forgiveness. And what he says here is, I don't say that you should pray in such a way that God's gonna forgive something that people refuse to repent of. Woods adds, the sin unto death is a disposition of the heart, a perverseness of attitude, and an unwillingness of mind to acknowledge one's sin and to turn from it. Such a disposition effectively closes the door of heaven in one's face. This kind of attitude will not be forgiven by God, and we should not pray for God to forgive that kind of attitude.

It is unforgivable because it reveals an attitude that will not seek forgiveness. Let's go to one more passage. Go to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. There are at least two more that I can think of that speak in these terms, but we'll look at here in Hebrews chapter 10, and then we'll make some applications.

Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 26. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 26. For if we sin willfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. Now wait a second. We just read that Jesus' blood can forgive all sins.

The whole world can be forgiven if they choose to repent. So what does this mean? There no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. Instead, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Of how much worse punishment do you suppose? The Hebrew writer says, you answer this question for yourself. Of how much worse punishment do you suppose will he be thought worthy who has trampled the son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing. Now that's where I've always emphasized in this passage. You are just kicking dirt on the blood of Jesus, and then you're asking God somehow to save you outside of that.

But I want you to notice the last phrase there in verse 29, and insulted the spirit of grace. Jesus Christ came and died on a cross. And if you sin willfully against his will, you're kicking blood on kicking dirt on his blood. But, also, if you're sinning willfully after receiving this knowledge of the truth, and I know this is right, I know what God wants from me, but I'm gonna go down this road, and I'm gonna live in this darkness and I'm gonna wallow in this mud and I don't care. That's insulting the spirit of grace.

And so what Jesus says all the way back there in Matthew 12, what Paul and the Hebrew writer and John tell us as well is careful. If you have this attitude where I'm gonna put God to the test, I know and hear and see the truth, but I don't care. I'm gonna live against it anyway. Be careful that your heart does not become so hardened that you will never seek forgiveness. They sin willfully, he says in verse 26.

They know the truth revealed by the holy spirit, and they still reject it. Don't expect some other form of salvation outside of what Jesus has already done and the holy spirit has revealed this. This is all the direction we get. And some saw Lazarus raised from the dead and did not believe. And Abraham said to the rich man in torments, if they will not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if someone raises from the dead.

And so blasphemy against the holy spirit is that kind of attitude. It's the truth, and I don't care. What does that mean for you and me? Well, understanding this sin specifically, blasphemy against the holy spirit, I think practically does four things for us. Number one, it highlights the role of the holy spirit in communicating God's will to us.

That this is the primary function and job of the holy spirit in the New Testament. Turn to first Corinthians chapter one. This is our last, passage to which we'll turn. First Corinthians chapter one. We really, kind of started our class on the holy spirit with some of these verses.

First Corinthians chapter one and verse seven. But we speak, Paul says, speaking of the apostles, but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew. For had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, eye has not seen nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things which god has prepared for those who love him, but god has revealed them to us through his spirit. For the spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of god.

For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of God with spirit of man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit who is from God that we might know the things which have been freely given to us by God. And these things we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the holy spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual. This is why the holy spirit is so closely tied to the word of God.

The word is the tool the holy spirit uses in communicating the words of God to us today in such a way that we might hear them, believe them, and respond to them. Secondly, understanding this sin clarifies what our attitude should be toward unrepentant sin. We should love people and desire their repentance. We should proclaim the truth into their lives. We should live in such a way that we are salt and light.

We can and should pray diligently that their attitude would change, that their heart would be soft and tender to respond to the words from God. We should pray and work to see that they see the error of their ways and repent. But what we should not do is pray that God will change his character to forgive those who have arrogantly and rebelliously sought no repentance. Repentance is the thing, and that's what God wants to bring about. Number three, understanding blasphemy against the holy spirit and how it's tied to his words and our words, that should caution us in how important words are to the holy spirit.

I don't wanna grieve the holy spirit of God by the things that I say. And I've been personally tempted in my life, maybe because I've occasionally had a quick and a sharp tongue. I've never had a vile tongue, you know, like profanity and that sort of thing has never been particularly tempting to me, but I've thought to myself on a number of occasions, they're just words. They're just what all words are sounds. Right?

They're just sounds. We only assign them meaning because of our minds and the way we look at them. And while that's true in one sense, the meaning assigned to those words reveals what's in our heart. And I would take it a step further. If we're actually saying those things out loud, that's an additional step that we're taking them, to say those words out loud from our mind to our mouth or in our society to write those words out loud.

We need to be oh so careful about how we use this great power that God has given us, a reflection of the power of the holy spirit. Be careful about your words because by them, you will be justified, but also by them, you can be condemned. And then finally, number four, this idea of blasphemy against the holy spirit. If we understand that it's talking about this kind of rebellious, hard hearted attitude that refuses to repent, I think understanding that sin, number four, emphasizes the need for immediate confession, repentance, and baptism upon understanding the truth. There is such an incredible contrast in the book of Acts between Acts chapter two and the people who were cut to the heart because the truth of Peter's words rang true, And they repented and were baptized and received the gift that the Holy Spirit was giving them, salvation in Jesus Christ, according to all the promises of God and Abraham.

What an incredible change of mind and heart was brought about by the Holy Spirit. And yet, you go a few chapters forward in the book of Acts, Acts chapter seven, And Stephen, by the Holy Spirit, reveals the words of God, and they too were cut to the heart. And yet they gnashed their teeth and ran upon him and stoned him with stones. Each saw the truth of what was being preached. But if we put off what we know we need to do, all that does is give opportunity for the devil to harden our heart to where eventually we just refuse to do what we need to do.

And if you're here tonight and you've been putting off confession and repentance like we talked about in John one and two, if you're a Christian and you've been putting those things off, make it right tonight. Don't go to sleep again before making it right with your Lord and striving to make it right with anyone you've sinned against. And if you're here tonight and you've not yet repented and be bapt and have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, Don't put it off a moment longer. Lay your head on your pillow tonight knowing that you are right with God, that your heart is soft, that the Holy Spirit has spoken, and you have responded in faith. If we can help you with that even tonight, won't you come while together we stand and while we sing?