Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is a mindset that is firmly set against God and unwilling to acknowledge Him even when one knows that they should. There is more to these short quotes, and I recommend reading the entire sermon. WebOne is that in Matthew 12:32 Jesus says, Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either in this age or the age to come. If the possibility of forgiveness were taken away only after death, then Jesus would not have said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable in this age as well as the one to come. If you committed the sin and were guilty you would not feel back about it. Many Christians have a fear that unwanted intrusive thoughts that are blasphemous in nature are unforgivable (more on that below). The Holy Spirit is the power and essence of God, not a separate entity or person that must somehow be held in higher esteem than Jesus Christ (for more clarification, see Is the Holy Spirit a Person?). Some scholars teach that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit refers to the sin of attributing Christ's miracles, wrought by the Holy Spirit, to the power of Satan. You are a fool. I cannot get away from this horrible temptation.. It may be some comfort to know that we are neither the first nor the last believers to attempt to overcome blasphemous thoughts. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. To such people we could quite rightly say that what is happening to them is due not to their own undue self-esteem but to the jealousy of the demons. The question comes in from a listener named Hayden. What does the Bible say about emotions?. Karen birds and leaves (intrusive thoughts) will fly/float by. THEN!!! By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Theres no illusion in the Bible or in Jesuss mind that the Christian life is easy in the sense of escaping suffering. The third and fourth rules discuss consolation and desolation, as spiritual seasons that we cycle between in our walk with God. He doesnt speak with a forked tongue. Blasphemous thoughts are unwanted thoughts that call Gods work evil. Well, here is the short answer If unwanted intrusive thoughts are causing you much distress, you are likely attaching meaning to a thought that means nothing. Blasphemous, harmful, and deviant thoughts and inclinations are part of spiritual warfare, and we need Gods help to fight them. Unwanted thoughts, no matter how repulsive, are merely pesky flies that refuse to be shooed away. Come to passages like Romans 5:6 and read them over and over again: For when we were still without strength,in due timeChrist died for the ungodly. PeaceSeeker, thank you for sharing your troubles and victory. Second, the belief or initial thought comes. Is he a hard master? 1. Thank you so much for sharing, and thank you Lord and I pray that all of us who has been struggling may find peace through Jesus who has brought all these tips and truths to light. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Some scholars teach that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit refers to the sin of attributing Christ's miracles, wrought by the Holy Spirit, to the power of Satan. Such a small rudder we steer, yet so very very!! Like Bunyan, Loyola also suffered from what would today be called Religious OCD. I feel condemned, please help me. messaging_plugin_https://scrupulosity.com/_106322400888133. Let me say a quick three things about this situation in the parable. The purpose of the cookie is to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. Try cleverly to fight it and you will end up by surrendering, for the man who tries to conquer spirits by talk is like someone hoping to lock up the winds. Second, resist the temptation to judge yourself for the disturbing thoughts. Rather, allow the thought to simply pass. An enemy has done this, you might say either your old self or Satan. Sin and corruption would as naturally bubble out of my heart as water would bubble out of a fountain. But wait. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. He barely speaks and then vanishes. Both passages explain that Christ was responding to an accusation from His detractors, who said, He has an unclean spirit in Mark 3:30 and, "Thisfellowdoes not cast out demons except byBeelzebub, the ruler of the demons" in Matthew 12:24. Notice how this understanding fits with Jesus' introductory comment just before He discussesblaspheming the Holy Spirit in Luke 12:8-9: "Whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man will also confess before the angels of God. Instead of condemning or beating yourself up, lets talk about how to manage and even stop the intrusive thoughts so you can get back to putting your energy into the things God has entrusted to you. I think that whoever committed blasphemy against the holy spirit is not able to ask about forgiveness. Blasphemous thoughts meaning When you have sinful thoughts, you may have thoughts and ideas that violate your religious beliefs. Those actions might be considered sinful if the thoughts lead to actions or behaviors. There is no pardon, either in this age or in the age to come, for a person who rejects the Spirits promptings to trust in Jesus Christ and then dies in unbelief. In the name of Jesus I address any demonic powers that would seek to exploit any physical or psychological weakness I may have. Easy? They ether die immediately (Acts 5:1-10) or are so fixed in their denial of the Holy Spirit that they don't want to repent. Shame and guilt are the feelings that flow from the thoughts. BUT the scripture says is SPEAKS, NOT THINKS. to set it,you have to speak it! Eph 3:20!! Spurgeon knew something about the disturbing blasphemous thoughts that torture believers. As a result, fear, guilt and shame can become overwhelming. These need to be absorbed into the soul by consistently focusing on them. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is a mindset that is firmly set against God and unwilling to acknowledge Him even when one knows that they should. Then I fear that I am not saved at all because I dont perceive Jesus correctly. Ironically, the more anxious one is to please God, the more severe the affliction. Anyone with clinical anxiety will respond to such thoughts with negative judgment, focus on the thoughts and experience negative emotions such as fear, shame and embarrassment. By contrast, God holds people accountable for blaspheming the Holy Spirit if they continue to reject Jesus even after recognizing that He is the Son of God. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". There is no pardon, either in this age or in the age to come, for a person who rejects the Spirits promptings to trust in Jesus Christ and then dies in unbelief. You had thoughts against the Holy Spirit but have the sense not to say them, so, no, you arent going to Hell because of your unavoidable thoughts. In these persons the good spirit uses the opposite method, pricking them and biting their consciences through the process of reason. Therefore they shall be your judges. What does he say? Climacus wrote to those who trembled at such trials: If you have blasphemous thoughts, do not think that you are to blame. Six thousand people used to cram into his Baptist church in London, England to hear Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) preach. Anyone disturbed by the spirit of blasphemy and wishing to be rid of it should bear in mind that thoughts of this type do not originate in his own soul but are caused by that unclean devil who once said to the Lord, I will give you all this if only You fall down and adore me (Matt. Copyright 2023 Scrupulosity Solutions, LLC., All Rights Reserved. [but now] I began to take some measure of encouragement, to come close to them, to read them and consider them, and to weigh their scope and tendencyI found their visage changed; for they looked not so grimly on me as before.. ( proverbs 18:21!) They arent who you are. Death and life are in the power of the tongue! I'M KEEPING THIS ARTICLE, IT REMINDS ME WHAT TO DO WHEN I HAVE A TERRIBLE THOUGHT. Let us say, Get behind me, Satan! As C. H. Spurgeon brilliantly implied, we might as well try to fight off a swarm of attacking bees with a sword than try to stop blasphemous thoughts from swarming in our minds. What Does It Mean to Blaspheme the Holy Spirit? This cookie is used to track the user's interaction with facebook chat widget. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Are you doing something to manage your emotions? If you think you hate God, go talk to Him about what you are feeling, and why you feel that way. How do you merge these two concepts without falling into the trap of letting it pass and not fixating whilst taking it captive? This means that the presence of a thought in your mind is not necessarily a mark of your own identity in Christ. So in summary, satan putting blasphemous thoughts into the minds of Christians is not unusual or uncommon. The word "blaspheme" comes directly from the Greek blasphemia, which most nearly means "evil speaking." Sister Evan! They register anonymous statistical data on for example how many times the video is displayed and what settings are used for playback.No sensitive data is collected unless you log in to your google account, in that case your choices are linked with your account, for example if you click like on a video. This verse was not intended to bring further despair or overwhelm on anyone struggling with intrusive thoughts. Anyone disturbed by the spirit of blasphemy and wishing to be rid of it should bear in mind that thoughts of this type do not originate in his own soul but are caused by that unclean devil who once said to the Lord, I will give you all this if only You fall down and adore me (Matt. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. He loves to have these open and honest conversations with us about who He truly is and how much He truly loves us no matter what. Were on a mission to change that. Or, The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him (2 Chronicles 16:9). BUT to speak and live! It was while in prison that Bunyan wrote the book Pilgrims Progress, one of the best-selling Christian books of all time. A casual discussion forum - ask questions to Christians of various backgrounds. As a result we work even harder to push the thoughts away and end up fixating on the very thoughts we want to get rid of. For how can you take a grip on, seize, or grapple with someone who flits into the heart quicker than the wind, talks more rapidly than a flash, and then immediately vanishes? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. WebTruly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin for they were saying, He has an unclean spirit. If God can save him and powerfully use him to expand his kingdom, then He can use you and I! We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Far better news the gospel brings: What does the Bible say about emotions. For more information, please see our Do you tend to withdraw and isolate? What Jesus is saying is, If you really believe that, you would have acted differently. Hes not schizophrenic. For a more detailed explanation of what it means for blaspheming the Holy Spirit to become the unpardonable sin, please see What is the unpardonable sin? So, basically its say to refuse the gift of salvation God offers. I've reassured myself a couple of times, but it's like a cycle, I am at ease for a few hours after getting reassurance THEN worry again, it's killing me. 4. One biographer described the pre-believing Loyola as a fancy dressera womanizerand a rough punkish swordsman. But God had a plan for this young man, and after a close encounter with a cannonball that left him with a limp for the rest of his life, he turned to religion. I feel numb and insecure and it seems like the light in my eyes has gone. I like how Grantley Morris (who has been writing about scrupulosity for over two decades) phrases it: For effective medical treatment one must take identical pills day after day. May your word and your effort rebound on you, and your blasphemies come down on your own head now and in the world to come. To fight against the demon of blasphemy in any way other than this is to be like a man trying to hold lightning in his hands. What sin won't God forgive? God can use trials to strengthen and mature us. But let that journey draw you closer & closer to Him. WELL PRAISE GOD!!! God bless you. For more information about how blaspheming the Holy Spirit can becomethe unpardonable sin, please see What is the unpardonable sin? Next, we believe and think something is wrong with us and then experience negative emotions (typically guilt and shame). This will happen when we become convinced that although they are in our own head, the thoughts we hate are no more our responsibility than we are responsible for total strangers cursing God. I have studied Jesus words very carefully, and it simply means this: To In the absence of clinical anxiety, experiencing an intrusive thought will be easily let go and not assigned any meaning at all. Finally, this emotion will move us to isolate, withdraw and ultimately hide from God and others. Other times the unwanted thoughts can simply pop into our mind for no apparent reason. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. One of these great temptations seemed to be blasphemous thoughts. Give the thoughts right to Jesus in prayer and ask Him to help you. Once again, remember that all fall short and nothing is too big for the forgiveness Christ offers. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I rebuke you and command you to leave! Rather than a ferocious battle to avoid these thoughts (which, in and of itself, bound his attention to them), Bunyan was able to objectify the thoughts and see them as separate from himself. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. But hes gracious, so he loves to say, Well done., Finally, number three, what if the thought goes through your head, But Jesus does say that the way is hard that leads to life? Take Jesus hand. I LOVED THIS ARTICLE. Youre wrong. Get it out of your face swat it. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". How can we ever hope to be able to overcome such awful blasphemies? Lewis said, Christ is hard to satisfy and easy to please, which simply means (and I think thats right) his standards are infinitely high he is God but oh how ready he is to say, well done to a faithful, imperfect servant. WebThis shows that in most cases, uncontrollable blasphemous thoughts are not a theological matter or even a spiritual one, but the product of a psychological condition that is not only most unpleasant, but exceedingly unfair. But Karen, there is hope! This step will be more straightforward. The answer has been pretty consistent for centuries: These truths will be as a guiding light to us in our darkest moments. These observations I hope will change Haydens or anybodys perception of Christ as a hard master. His emphasis on Romans 5:6 lays a foundation for truly learning to overcome blasphemous thoughts. Thanks and God bless for this article. Much love in Jesus. To resist that conviction and willfully remain unrepentant is to blaspheme the Spirit. so that my faith can grow!! Unfortunately, some of the young monks who went to the desert to deny their passions and find holiness through self-denial encountered great temptations along the way. BUT the scripture says is SPEAKS, NOT THINKS. Previously known as Saul, he killed Christians, persecuting and exterminating anyone who professed Christ. But not this one. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. But where sin increase, grace increased all the more, Romans 5:20, Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. No. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. While Jesus' teaching about blaspheming the Holy Spiritmay sound like an absolute condemnation of a one-time sin, He was actually warning against a persistent failure to submit to the power of God when one comes into the knowledge of God's existence and sovereignty. I have a question though when taking captive intrusive thoughts, it seems like someone might fixate on it whilst going through the steps rather than just let it pass. Dont let them condemn you they dont have that authority). These cookies are set via embedded youtube-videos. First, the intrusive thought pops into your mind. The Spirit currently convicts the unsaved world of sin, righteousness, and judgment ( John 16:8 ). You are using an out of date browser. What is the unpardonable sin / unforgivable sin? Please remember that the above was written by the man who broke through all this torment to bless multiplied millions of Christians. But, once again, resist the temptation to believe this means something about you. Frequently at my work a dreadful suggestion forces itself upon me, and even on my bed I am startled from my sleep by whispers of the evil one. Thou shall sinned with thought, speech, deed against god and neglect towards god and his commandments. Pay attention to your reaction. Anyone disturbed by the spirit of blasphemy and wishing to be rid of it should bear in mind that thoughts of this type do not originate in his own soul but are caused by that unclean devil who once said to the Lord, I will give you all this if only You fall down and adore me (Matt. Ask God to liberate you from this harassment. I am so thankful to Holy Spirit for this! Third, God calls us to take thoughts captive. The Spirit currently convicts the unsaved world of sin, righteousness, and judgment ( John 16:8 ). Until they recognized that Jesus was in fact the Messiah sent from God, they could be forgiven for not believing in Him. Climacus is best remembered for his book, Ladder of Divine Ascent, which describes an idea that was very much in vogue in the 7th century: that by asceticism and bodily denial, you could raise your soul to union with the divine. WebOne is that in Matthew 12:32 Jesus says, Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either in this age or the age to come. If the possibility of forgiveness were taken away only after death, then Jesus would not have said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable in this age as well as the one to come. John Bunyan was a Puritan preacher in old England. There is no pardon, either in this age or in the age to come, for a person who rejects the Spirits promptings to trust in Jesus Christ and then dies in unbelief. WebThis shows that in most cases, uncontrollable blasphemous thoughts are not a theological matter or even a spiritual one, but the product of a psychological condition that is not only most unpleasant, but exceedingly unfair. I dont think Jesus accepts that assessment of himself by that man whom he gave the one talent to. Very little is known or agreed upon about Climacus life, but it is believed that he worked in law or administration of some type until his 40s. Isaiah 12:2, The law was brought in so that the trespasses might increase. Jesus states clearly that those who deny Him before menthat is, who deny His identity as the Son of God and the position of rulership accompanyingthat statuswill also be denied before God the Father (see also Matthew 10:33). Ironically, the more anxious one is to please God, the more severe the affliction. (I know thats hard, but it is possible. Well, until big government decided to arrest him for preaching without permission. Next, we will experience emotions from the thoughts. Hold this foe in contempt and you will be liberated from its torments. Typically, these are people who have scrupulosity, also known as religious OCD. I want to treasure Christ above all, but I often fear that I dont, because these thoughts harass me. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.. We have to identify if we are attaching lies to ourselves- the letting the thought pass would be what we do as a result of taking thoughts captive. Doesnt the second rule sound exactly like the experience of scrupulosity? Its really helpful! But our words can stop this from taking place as many have found out! Above I spoke of intrusive thoughts in a very general way. We can gain more perspective by examining the parallel accounts in Matthew and Mark. So there are two issues it seems to me. So you haven't. Certainly, nobody desires to experience lustful thoughts or violent thoughts. If theres anything you walk away with today let it be this: first, everyone experiences unwanted intrusive thoughts at times. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. I feel condemned, please help me. Unwanted thoughts, no matter how repulsive, are merely pesky flies that refuse to be shooed away. Like all sin, this was completely unacceptable to God; therefore, Jesus warned them that they would not be forgiven if they did not repent. Well my flesh is just to weak in this area,well it is! Listen to what he writes: I have heard someone say, I am tormented with horrible thoughts. Its an alien thought. Everyone includes Christians having unwanted intrusive thoughts, as well. Many religions consider these ideas to be sacrilegious. Or Isaiah 64:4: From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. Who is a God like you, who works for those who wait for him, who carries our burden? Im constantly smiling a fake smile and just trying to keep whoever I talk to from peeking into the messed up head that is mine. Many Christians have a fear that unwanted intrusive thoughts that are blasphemous in nature are unforgivable (more on that below). BTW,the only way something can NOT BE FORGIVEN is if you are dead.Only then is it too late. What is wrong with me? WebThe Holy Spirit knows your heart, so He knows what thoughts are wanted and what thoughts are unwanted. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God,surely the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matthew 12:25-29). 4:10). WebOne is that in Matthew 12:32 Jesus says, Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either in this age or the age to come. If the possibility of forgiveness were taken away only after death, then Jesus would not have said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable in this age as well as the one to come. When you look up the definition of intrusive, it is defined as causing disruption or annoyance through being unwelcome or uninvited. But gives us neither feet nor hands. Its torturing me! Almost every day, I receive comments, emails, and personal interactions asking the same question: how can I overcome blasphemous thoughts? People tend to ask if an intrusive thought can be triggered for a couple of reasons. 3. This difference in accountability based on one's knowledge explains why both Luke 12:9 and Matthew 10:33 state that denying Christ will result in being denied before God, which might appear to contradict being forgiven for speaking against Jesus in Luke 12:10 if not properly put in context. I refuse to be duped out of my Christ-bought rights. He doesnt say, Enter into the loyal workforce of your master Im recruiting really effective slaves.. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors. First, due to shame often being associated with the intrusive thought, if we try to pin it on something external, then it feels less shameful. Thanks for the testimony and posting about Charles Spurgeon Been thinking to read one about him just lately where, he too fight some kind of struggle. Friend, I know what you mean, for I have myself by hunted by this wolf. Let the earth hear HIS voice. To blaspheme the Spirit is to reject God even when we know His power and sovereignty. After reading it, my mind has been filled with AWFUL thoughts against the Holy Spirit. Christians must avoid the temptation to attach meaning to such thoughts. It just wont go away! Thanks you all! As a result, fear, guilt and shame can become overwhelming. These accusers were implying that Jesus' authority came from Satan rather than God. Thou shall sinned with thought, speech, deed against god and neglect towards god and his commandments. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is a mindset that is firmly set against God and unwilling to acknowledge Him even when one knows that they should. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I have studied Jesus words very carefully, and it simply means this: To I used to be fearful of God in an unhealthy way as a child. If you are reading this article, youre probably experiencing intrusive or unwanted thoughts. This is the. However, if Gods Word calls us to do something such as taking thoughts captive, we can trust God to help us, empower and enable us to do His will. Powerful! Its even the first human emotion identified in the Bible all the way back in Genesis regarding Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit. Bunyans great torment lasted several years. All of us experience it: blasphemous thoughts about God emerge in our minds. There were many Pharisees who spoke against the Son of Man while He was there with them in the flesh because they did not truly understand who He was. tqb-impression-2045-tqb-user-60f57081ee1b65_56201664, tqb-impression-2045-tqb-user-60f570f671e497_32882585, tqb-impression-2189-tqb-user-60f57080d8efc3_26603292, tqb-impression-2189-tqb-user-60f570a35906b8_59176067, tqb-impression-2341-tqb-user-60f5708568cea4_21812820, tqb-impression-2924-tqb-user-60f570d6a0d8d6_62640332, tqb-impression-2924-tqb-user-60f57106889ba2_61578013, tqb-impression-3075-tqb-user-60f570e23bf777_45533188, tqb-impression-3123-tqb-user-60f570750f80f8_87645952. Web5.1K views 10 months ago. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Please no silly answers, serious answers only. Im not a hard master. I have studied Jesus words very carefully, and it simply means this: To
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