“So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. [Matthew 12.31]
This verse scares a lot of people ...as it should.
I and many others have wondered what this verse really means. I believe I am finally beginning to understand exactly what Jesus was talking about and, even though it still scares me, I would like to share it here...
Context is everything in understanding what Matthew 12.31 means. Jesus gave this response in the context of just having been accused of casting out Satan by the power of Satan.
First we must understand that the Holy Spirit is the power of God. Jesus did not deny the strength of Satan's deception, but very much recognized the power of the Holy Spirit as stronger:
For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. [Matthew 12.29]
Notice that Jesus was not speaking of Himself as being stronger. This must be understood. "Someone even stronger" is the Holy Spirit. All of God's power is manifest in the Holy Spirit. All of God's power is the Holy Spirit.
With this established, we can refer to the 3rd Commandment:
“You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.7]
Even though Jesus is Immanuel (God with us) in the flesh, it must be remembered that, in order to effectively accomplish redemption for mankind (John 3.16), He had to become a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2.9). In this position, it was actually necessary that man could speak against Him. But, not so with the Holy Spirit (and likewise not so with God the Father).
Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. [Matthew 12.32]
When Jesus cast out evil spirits, He did so by the power of the Holy Spirit - a privilege afforded every believer in the Name of God (John 14.12). Jesus even pointed out that the Pharisees had indeed operated in this same legitimate power. It was not their own power, but the power of God - the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit was never made a little lower than the angels, it is an unforgivable affront to the Name of God Himself to speak falsely against the Holy Spirit.
It should be recognized then that confusing God's power, His good Name, with evil is what the 3rd Commandment is all about. So we are all good, right? Not so fast...
In today's One Year Chronological Bible reading, we also find Jesus speaking of identifying a tree by its fruit - in the very same context of Matthew 12.31!
“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. [Matthew 12.33]
Do we dare associate the Holy Spirit with self-centric life? Do we dare associate the Holy Spirit with homosexuality? Do we dare associate the Holy Spirit with transgenderism? Do we dare associate the Holy Spirit with God-less living?
Do we?
Before saying "absolutely not!" consider the following: God's people alarmingly declare man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology to be "gifts from God" - inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit to meet the needs of man without paying attention to the advertisements of these industries depicting as normal all manner of lifestyles forbidden by God's Word? A tree is identified by its fruit (Jesus' words, not mine)!
It is misuse of (blasphemy against) the Name of God - the power of God - the Holy Spirit to declare God-less industries as "gifts from God."
God placed the 3rd Commandment about misuse of His Name immediately following the 2nd Commandment about idolatry for good reason: because it would forever be man's tendency to justify his idolatry by calling it the work of God.
Matthew 12.31 should indeed scare the idolatrous hell out of God's people. The fear of God should constrain His people to reject any and all association with bad-fruit-bearing idol industries of man's making. Refer to Commandment #1:
“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.2-3]
The conclusions drawn here are not resultant to the Word-less and prayerless life of those who show up at church every weekend destitute of God's Word and prayer in their preceding week. As I have intentionally read the Bible, responded to what I have read (in writing), and prayed with regularity, my eyes see and my ears hear differently. My life is proof-positive that God's Word and prayer changes the way I see God's Word and prayer! I do not say this in pride (as I am far from where I need to be), but in persuasion (that this direction is real) - we all need God's Word and prayer in our lives if we are ever to distinguish what is the power of the Holy Spirit and what instead is idolatry - Matthew 12.31 gives sufficient reason to do so!
Idol industries are the way of man - not of God. Their "power" is not the Holy Spirit, but instead deceptive self-sufficiency. Jesus was clear about the way of man:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]
When the Bible is read "as a whole," Matthew 16.24 best sums up the entire story.
Father, I ask that every reader of this article see for themselves what Your Word has been saying all along. May this article point people to Your Word. May we all be found giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.
