Matthew 12:31-32

Week 6 Memory Verse

 

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart

brings forth good things,

and 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 in the day of judgment. 

For by your words you will be justified,

and by your words you will be condemned.”

 

Matthew 12:35-37

 

 

Matthew 12:31-32 (Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost)
 

Matthew 12:31-32 (NKJV) ³¹ “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the (Holy)Spirit will not be forgiven men. ³² Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

This is a most difficult and frightening scripture.  (And we should have Godly fear regarding forgiveness of sin.  The consequences of not being forgiven are awful and eternal!)  We must look at the preceding scriptures to see the context of Jesus statement.  A man who was blind and couldn't speak because he was possessed with a demon had been brought to Jesus.  Jesus cast out the demon, healing the man of his blind and dumb condition.  The Pharisees promptly accused Jesus of receiving his power to heal from Beelzebub, the prince of devils.  Jesus then gave a lengthy discourse concerning good and evil in which he made the statements which we are discussing concerning blasphemy. 

God is willing to forgive any sin which is confessed to him.  The Apostle Paul states that he was a blasphemer who was forgiven by God. 1 Timothy 1:12-15 (NKJV)

¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, ¹³ although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

There are many examples of blasphemy against Jesus. Peter denied him, John 18:25-27.  Paul was a blasphemer before his conversion.  Jesus was blasphemed at his crucifixion both by those who crucified him and by those who stood and jeered.  All these blasphemies were forgiven if the blasphemer confessed it as sin and repented of the sin.

 

The difference between the Apostle Paul, who was a blasphemer, and the Pharisees, who also blasphemed through their unbelief, was in their response when they were confronted face to face with Jesus.  Paul was confronted with Jesus in a supernatural way on the road to Damascus when Jesus appeared to him.  His response was submission. He said, "Who are you, Lord?"  Acts 9:1-5.  (He too was a Pharisee, Acts 23:6) On the other hand the Pharisees were confronted with Jesus as he walked the roads of Israel.  They witnessed his mighty works of healing and deliverance and they heard his sermons about the kingdom of God yet they rejected him and attributed his mighty works to Satan.  If they maintained their rejection unto their deaths, this is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  Sadly, because of the hardness of their hearts this was most likely the case. 

I believe that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the resistance to the wooing and conviction of the Holy Spirit which leads to trust in Jesus Christ for remission of sins. 

 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  JULIA KILPATRICK is the wife of 45 years to Bro. Shannon Kilpatrick, mother to 7 adult children, and grandmother of 23 grandchildren.  Bro. Shannon and Mrs. Julia have been pastoring Freedom Fellowship in Silsbee, Texas since 1995.