If Kate had woken up to find a deadly snake in her bed, she might escape unharmed but the experience would have terrorized her, just like the thought she had woken up with terrorized her. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. My encouragement to you is to seek His mercy, commit yourself to pursue after Him to the end of your life, and to not let sin have dominion over you. This sin is an unpardonable sin. So in an attempt to discredit the Son of God, they slandered Him with a profoundly serious accusation. we do not wage war as the world does. He is ready to forgive our lies, thefts, sins of thought and speech, open sins and secret sins, sins from long ago, and sins repeated many times. Notice that the Pharisees did not say anything against the Holy Spirit, they credited exorcism and healing to the devil when it was clearly done by the power of the Holy Spirit. However, this forgiveness is not automatic, and a person must repent if he or she wants to be forgiven. You could just say because Jesus said so but I For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate. Where is the wise man? It is unhuman never to have unwanted thoughts, just as it is not human never to suffer temptation (even the holy Son of God was tempted). This willful defiance is a form of willful defiance. Her concern came out of Matthew 12:31, Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Had she, perchance, committed the unforgiveable sin? Are Blasphemous thoughts Unforgivable? But now, a year later, I am being attacked by more blasphemous thoughts. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. You didn't mean it. It also blocks the healing and salvation offered by the Lord. He has published articles in such journals as the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vigiliae Christianae, New Testament Studies, and Journal of Early Christian Studies. No matter what floods her mind, she is spiritually safe because she believes the truth about Jesus. In theory I know that in practice it is difficult Kate should try to be as unconcerned as she can about the repulsive thoughts buzzing around in her mind. I have studied Jesus words very carefully, and it simply means this: To The vivid, recurring memories would be most unwanted, but a perfectly natural reaction to a traumatic experience. People post sometimes that apparently don't have OCD and don't understand it and I wish they wouldn't. Examined in the cold light of day, however, it is not the slightest surprising she couldnt get those hideous thoughts out of her mind. Many more compassionate, inspiring, sometimes hilarious writings Therefore, Jesus goes on to claim that it is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. JavaScript is disabled. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Because of this, some people differentiate scrupulosity from Religious OCD. This website is enormous! Rather, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a failure to repent. by Grantley Morris available free at the following internet site God knows every thought and the feebleness of the human mind. Before including Jesuss comments about blasphemy against the Spirit and the unforgiveable sin, Matthew had already introduced the language of vipers and bearing fruit in relationship to the Pharisees through the words of John the Baptist. Please refuse to be hoodwinked into presuming that these webpages do not apply to you just because the thoughts or images bothering you are not specifically mentioned. Why did God make the human mind this way? Once committed, it cannot be undone. In the Christian Scriptures, there are three verses that take up the subject of unforgivable sin. Those who suffer from blasphemous thoughts are likely to resist them vigorously. He has a heart for God and ministry, has written many worship songs, and has served as a worship pastor in local church ministry. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Instead of becoming an apostate, he became an apostle. It has put my life on pause because I feel like I am going to be left behind and that terrifies me. For we are not unaware of his schemes. God declares through the pen of Paul that there is a spiritual war between the gospel and people who suppose they can connect with God without reliance upon what Christ achieved on the cross. So common is it to be tormented in this way that this dear woman has nothing to be embarrassed about. Ignore them and focus on other things (Php.4:8). Another teaching is that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit means to accuse Jesus Christ of being demon-possessed. Ocd attacks when I read my Bible (possible trigger warning ). The fear is awful but it is groundless. . Not to be sold. He is anauthor of various books, some academic (such as Polycarp and Paul), some semi-academic (such as What Are Spiritual Gifts? 2 Corinthians 10:5 Bringing into Captivity Every Thought, How Much Does God Love Me? So bringing into captivity every thought is not about an impossibly unhuman, machine-like control of ones mind, but the spiritual defeat of belief systems present in the non-Christian world that are opposed to the gospel message. Her reaction, in fact, was proof of her sincere devotion to Christ. Please could you help me to stop this? It is a deliberate, malicious act. For psychological reasons, worry might temporarily ease in response to rational proof but the anxiety will soon return. There are many forms of blasphemy, but it is most often rooted in religious beliefs. The General Mental Health Forum is now a Read Only Forum. Another type of blasphemy is the rejection of the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a grievous sin, Ahora, the last release of the Romo-Agri-Messiez, ranked in the top, Is it possible to buy an L-shaped sofa cover today, Unforgivable Sins Against the Holy Spirit. Fearing that God will not forgive us is like fearing a harmless spider. What is the unforgiveable sin? Blasphemy is a form of sin and an abomination to God. So which is it? While thoughts themselves are not sinful, they are related to the emotions we feel and the chemicals in our body. /r/Christianity is a subreddit to discuss Christianity and aspects of Christian life. So the topic of blasphemy was mentioned as a response of Jesus being called a devil for casting out a devil. I cant think of Jesus without seeing something blasphemous. When I was a teenager, I was bombarded with thoughts to say something wrong about the Holy Spirit. Some people worry about receiving Holy Communion because they think they have blasphemous thoughts. In other words, as the Scriptures affirm, they have to cease trying to find some convincing argument or supernatural sign, and take it by raw faith that despite their awful thoughts and worries they are cleansed through the blood of Jesus. They may become angry and desperate and begin to feel that their life force has been drained. Shocks of anxiety surge through your whole body. This article will explore some of the consequences of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Pharisees accused Jesus of delivering others by the power of demons. Quite a number of people, for example, are horrified to suffer uncontrollable thoughts or images of harming loved ones. Hailed as one of the best evangelical New Testament scholars (D. Stewart) and elsewhere called master New Testament exegete, Murray J. Harris specifically says in this commentary on 2 Corinthians 10:5, It is not a case of the Christians effort to force all his thoughts to be pleasing to Christ.. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Unsure if obedience is out of Love for Jesus or the act itself. Click to expand Report 0 D denise101 New Member Feb 3, 2016 2 0 48 Dallas County 112.00 By reviling God, a person calls into question his or her integrity and holiness. Similarly, Kate was experiencing a natural reaction to the trauma of waking to thoughts that shocked and repulsed her because they were so contrary to her heart-attitude to Jesus. Blasphemous thoughts, unwanted though they may be, seem to carry a power strong enough to snatch us out of Gods hand even though Jesus declared there is nothing It is such a terrible violation of her person that I refer to it as spiritual rape. 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. This is because the very nature of the affliction that causes intrusive thoughts is to suffer perpetual unease and worry. It is also a form of pride that separates Christians from one another. It defines the New Testament meaning of the word as . The law forbids blasphemy (Leviticus 24:10-16), which carries the death penalty. WebSuppose you have a thought that is heart-stopping blasphemous, maybe an image of yourself stabbing a loved one, an urge to desecrate a picture of Jesus, or an idea that you are a sexual pedophile. He plays dirty. Might be devil trying inject you those thoughts. WebIn addition to being bombarded with uncontrollable blasphemous thoughts, however, he has also deliberately called God every offensive swear word he could think of. (NIV), 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. These thoughts come from the devil. The greater the perceived danger, the harder it is to get it out of ones mind. Likewise, should the attacks continue, wouldnt it be tragic if the little boy thought his parents love depended on how much pain he continues to endure in further infuriating the man by vainly trying to fight him off? The Holy Spirit binds a Christian to protect himself from blasphemy, so he must guard himself against the temptation to utter it. But medication has the potential to stop some Christians from suffering needless torment. We dont have to own the thoughts that come to us, nor be disturbed by them. To learn more about the precious Holy Spirit, check out my e-book called Walking in the Holy Spirit. Your email address will not be published. Someone who hardens his or her heart against the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit and who refuses to repent of sin and turn to Christ in faith has committed a sin that never can be forgiven. Medication cant save anyones soul; only Jesus can. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. You get stuck on something and can't let it go. Physical Health still remains as it's own area within the entire Recovery area. All your prayers and efforts to stop unwanted thoughts have failed and will always fail, because the only way to please God is by faith in what Christ achieved on the cross without your prayers and effort. Love wouldn't hurt you. But you can let it go. noema is thus the general faculty of judgment, which can take decisions and pronounce verdicts right or wrong. In Matthew 12:31-32, when Jesus accuses the Pharisees of being close to committing the unforgivable sin, this is not what the Pharisees were saying, and is not even close to anything they ever would have said) Lets look together at the central passage in the discussion, Matthew 12:24-37. Get Your Very Own Revelation of Gods Love. But to reject continually the Spirits work will result in a person never being able to reach that point.[3]. WebGod tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That sin is the only sin that never will be forgiven. If you are among the majority whose body tolerates it, however, and it helps you think more rationally about spiritual things and so helps you cling to the biblical truth that all sin is forgivable through simple faith in the power of Christ sacrifice then I see such medication as a plus. Jesus said, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. The New Living Translation makes this abundantly clear: We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. But, this doesnt mean we should be ashamed of our thoughts. This, in fact, is exactly what one would expect. You are worthy of all honor and praise. You wont regret it! I was scared and lived in fear, making sure I would not say anything against the Holy Spirit. This distinction is not meant to discourage people from confessing their sins if they do not wish to be judged. When we let Him fill us, we sin less. bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, (KJV). Wouldnt that end up giving you greater dignity? While thoughts themselves are not sinful, they are related to the emotions we feel and the chemicals in our body. Through greater revelation and understanding, that deficiency can be overcome, the person can repent, and the person can then find forgiveness of sin. Since they rarely speak to us in an audible voice, how do they tempt us? Copyright, 2004, 2015 Grantley Morris. Up until the night of Kates disturbing experience, everything had been going well for her. God isnt going to punish a thought that was completely unwanted and that I fought against is he? So, in context, blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is discrediting miracles, especially exorcisms of evil spirits. We overcome not by fearing thoughts, nor by fighting them, but by faith alone by resting in the fact that on the cross Christ has completed everything necessary to secure our salvation. It is not unusual for God to put thoughts and ideas into our minds that we mistake for our own thoughts. How dare he start his ambush when she was asleep! Who, according to this Scripture, took the holy Son of God to the top of the temple? Kate was so upset by those blasphemous thoughts because such blasphemy is disturbingly contrary to her own views of Christ. There is hope for you if you fell into the temptation of saying something under the pressure of intrusive thoughts, or committed it in ignorance. Wheres the Scriptural proof? you might ask. Blasphemous thoughts are no different than physical or mental torture. Back then, however, the word had a different meaning (it could mean stubbornness, or plotting or devising evil) and later translations (even, as quoted in a subsequent webpage, the New King James Version and the King James 2000 Bible) use a different word. The difficulty is that there are different types of thought, and English speakers are not used to differentiating between them when they communicate. The unforgivable sins are the ones that desecrate the faith of God. To be spiritual is to look not to ones thought life but to Christ alone. WebAre you scared you committed the unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Blasphemy is not the sin which cannot be forgiven. Because he has despised the word of the LORD Craig Blomberg makes the following comment about Matthew 12:33: Listeners steeped in the Old Testament would call to mind the laws that labeled particularly defiant sin as blasphemy and seemingly unforgivable (see esp. If you seek mercy in God through Christ your sin will be covered. In fact, it is inevitable. I have struggled with blasphemous thoughts over the course of a few months but God delivered me from it. This is the first time Ive obsessed over something religious and Im terrified of losing my eternity and being seperated from my Lord. For a few people it can have side-effects and what works well for one person might not be as effective for another. It is an unpardonable sin, but not all blasphemy is sinful. You are using an out of date browser. It is like living in hell. Any any that is related to emotions, self-esteem, insomnia, anger, relationship dynamics due to mental health and recovery and other issues that don't fit better in another forum would be examples of topics that might go there. The Pharisees honor the revival of yesterday and crucify Gods move today. Thus, the unforgiveable sin of blasphemy against the Spirit is not a wayward word uttered in a moment of anger. Once committed, it cannot be undone. Blasphemous thoughts may be unrepentant, but they are often unintentional. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is one of the most horrific sins. Since no amount of rational understanding of the cause of unwanted thoughts can change ones body chemistry, he kept feeling anxious. I am a Christian so I know the thought is utterly false, but I am so mortified that I cant get rid of thought. If we do that, then we are not blaspheming the Holy Spirit. . This is your opportunity to finally grasp what salvation is really about and abandon the heresy of salvation by works. It will never be forgiven, so the Bible says, and you cannot be redeemed for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. I have gotten over them in the past. The frustrating problem I face in explaining the meaning of bringing into captivity every thought, is that no amount of convincing proof can ever fully put to rest the mind of anyone worried about this. If the devil slipped that into the very mind of the sinless Son of God, we can expect no less. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. i had intrusive thoughts they went away with deliverance. So, in context, blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is discrediting miracles, especially exorcisms of evil spirits. You must do something to deal with it right now. . Salvation depends on Christs efforts, not your efforts. In Matthew 12 Jesus says that whoever commits the sin of blasphemy will not be forgiven. She loved the Lord and wanted her life to please him. They were educated rebels who could pass Bible exams, write first-class papers in Bible school, and yet refused to submit to Christs authority. He is the director of Bible Fluency: Sing It, See It, Study It. They indicate how evil our enemy is; they do nothing to suggest that we are ungodly. For these reasons, it is important to understand the causes of blasphemous thoughts and seek treatment. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unpardonable, eternal sin. I love God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit! By this time, I had already become a youth leader. There are fleeting, flippant, frenzied thoughts that come out of the blue and not from ones solid convictions. Not I have found that they are usually very sensitive people who are deeply shocked and disturbed by having such a thought, and their very reaction seems to inflame the situation. This anxiety kept driving his restless mind to find some sort of rational basis for his irrational anxiety some indication that he might be doing something displeasing to God. You will also discover that it is always unforgivable. However, it could have been committed in his absence. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. What Does It Mean When a Guy Calls You Chick or Chika? The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. She can simply ignore them and let the devil take the blame for them. I am in turmoil! Its because thoughts that flit through our mind are of no concern to God. It involves an act or thought that defies the Holy Spirit, and cannot be remedied. Matthew 12:28-29 says that we must ask for forgiveness when we repent of our sins. And even if someone had actually believed that in the past, it wouldnt matter, provided that person no longer believes it. In no instance except 2 Corinthians 10:5 is it translated thought, and the following occurrence is particularly illuminating as it highlights how it is the product of careful, deliberate, methodical thought: 2 Corinthians 2:11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. 4 Perfect Gifts Alternative. Kate knew that the lies speared into her head were not true. It should also be observed that the biblical description of the Holy Spirit convicting individuals of sin helps us understand why blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is such a grave issue. Why is Stairway to Heaven the Forbidden Riff. Blasphemy also includes foolishness, pride, and wickedness. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Whether or not these thoughts are unforgivable depends on what we intend to do with them. This interpretation is more than a stretchits simply not in the text. Everyone knows there is no mountain in the world from which ones natural eyes can see all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. The devil not only somehow managed to get Jesus body where he wanted it to be, he thrust a vision into Christs very mind. In summary, all of this teaches me how important the Holy Spirit is. (She was also needlessly afraid that saying blasphemous things might be unforgivable. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is a deliberate and calculated act of defiance against the Holy Spirit Himself against overwhelming evidence. The precise meaning of the Greek word translated thought in 2 Corinthians 10:5 is hard to express in English. The implication is that one who has committed the unforgiveable sin is not accidently saying some particular set of words, but is willfully rejecting the Lord. So in our case, we are almost certainly attacked by one of the devils henchmen, rather than the devil himself, but it makes little difference and so most Christians, myself included, often refer to him when it is technically one of his subordinates who actually does it. It is referring not to fleeting or superficial thoughts that one hardly believes, but to mindsets deliberate thoughts and ways of seeing things that are so consistently believed that they transform ones understanding of spiritual truth. That knowledge is all she needs to maintain her spiritual purity. I feel like I am going to be rejected by Jesus because of this and I am so afraid. However, scrupulosity does not necessarily apply to a religious context, as obsessions with the fear of immoral behavior are not restricted to any particular belief system. Not surprisingly, Thayers Greek Lexicon defines it as (an evil) purpose and, specifically in reference to 2 Corinthians 10:5, says it is devising evil against Christ. While many thoughts are innocent, others are not. However, you most exalt Christ, not by turning this into an obsessive ritual, but by relaxing and enjoying the fact that through Christ you are forgiven, no matter what unwanted thoughts plague you. All you have to do is believe Jesus is the Son of God and you are saved! . freely give. Holy Spirit does not come, because we are sinless. The higher off the ground you raise it, however, the more fear of falling will begin to grip you. It is unforgivable because God never forgives such a sin. Our thought life does not save us; Christ does. It is also related to the concept of slander. www.net-burst.net Freely you have received, Ironically, the more anxious one is to please God, the more severe the affliction. Therefore, it is unforgivable, as the sinner lacks the disposition to accept the Lords forgiveness. Furthermore, it is an issue of the heart that manifests in your words. Manage Settings To those who look to supernatural signs or human reasoning to confirm spiritual truth, the gospel message (the message of the cross) seems weak and foolish but those who abandon trying to confirm spiritual truth this way and instead choose to believe (put their faith in) the message of the cross (Christ securing our full acceptance with God the forgiveness of all our sins through his death) will be saved and they will connect with the genuine power and wisdom of God. Wouldnt it be better, however, for God to allow you to be normal so that you can eventually overcome your ridiculous fear? Blasphemy involves the deliberate denunciation of God. I am not in any way saying we should sin so that grace will abound (compare Romans 6:1-2). In blasphemous thoughts, it is important to remember that extreme scrupulosity has been associated with some of historys most influential religious figures. Blasphemy comes from the heart, from a hatred of God in your soul. Besides 2 Corinthians 10:5, it is used only five times and only one of these is outside of 2 Corinthians. I was reading about the unpardonable sin and then blasphemous thoughts started to pop into my head. Lets return to the analogy of finding a snake in ones bed. Blasphemy is a choice we make when our thoughts are not in agreement with what God says. Thus, the unforgivable sin is committed only by unbelievers. It was often used to refer to other forms of obsessive thinking. Try telling yourself, Whatever I do, I must not think of elephants in polka dot pajamas. The very act of trying not to think of them will cause you to think of them. Obviously the Enemy of our souls hates that. Upon reading that he was again having blasphemous thoughts, I wrote: Wonderful! She was not committing the unpardonable sin. Another worthwhile observation is that this saying of Jesus is probably intertextually connected to Numbers 15:30-31: But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. The more nervous you become, the more likely it is that your very nervousness will make you unsteady and cause you to fall. I thought The Holy Spirit is the Devil. and then I heard a voice say Go on. If you attack miracles, you will not attract miracles, because that attitude grieves the Holy Spirit. .. Why Do I Feel a Strong Connection With Someone? I dare not! Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. All this week Ive been blocking out blasphemous thoughts out, but one got through. Jesus taught against blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. What it means is, rather than trying to battle the thoughts yourself, entrust them to Christ, your Savior who has demolished everything that could separate us from God. The experience might have lasted just a couple of seconds. Jesus responded by saying that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Can You Blaspheme the Holy Spirit Mentally? Be cheered you who have blasphemed! To the person who gets stuck on the concept, such as in OCD, Generalized Anxiety, and/or scrupulosity, misery would not be too strong of a word to Moreover, a blasphemous thought must be unique to qualify as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Get Your Very Own Revelation of Gods Love A separate, very important series, Demons The beginning of a series of webpages, Dealing with Depression and Discouragement, God & Suffering Coping with fears that God might be harsh and unloving, Becoming a Winner Breaking addictions and besetting sins. I did not know much about spiritual warfare at the time, nor did I have a greater understanding of the Holy Spirit as I have now, but I loved the Holy Spirit and knew that these thoughts were not mine. The Fatima Crusader Jesus said that "anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven". The more I try, the more it comes back, she agonized. [4] F. F. Bruce, The Hard Sayings of Jesus (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1983), 90. Theres Hope! Its like walking on a plank that is lying on the ground. Many Christians have a fear that unwanted intrusive thoughts that are blasphemous in nature are unforgivable (more on that below). It refers to ones powers of thought in using logic and reasoning not to wandering, scatterbrain thoughts, but to carefully thought through conclusions. None of us will ever stop the devil and his horde from being evil, so we can just let them do their thing and focus on glorifying our Lord. The frustrating, unavoidable reality is that the very act of not thinking about something forces us to direct our thoughts to those very matters, thus ensuring we are spending more time than ever thinking the thought we are desperately trying not to think. Jesus made it clear that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is never forgiven. the sinning with a high hand of Num 15:30-31)the flagrant, willful, and persistent rejection of God and his commands.[1] Notice Blombergs connection between sinning defiantly and blaspheming, which brings us squarely into the language of Matthew 12:31. I dont believe it in my heart AT ALL and would NEVER say it out loud but its been bothering me all day. Pray for forgiveness, and learn what blasphemous thoughts are and what it means to be unforgivable. Note the choice of words: devising implies meticulous planning, not something that comes unbidden or unwanted into the mind. WebIf 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. Why did Jesus talk about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? My goal and I believe Gods goal is not to stop blasphemous thoughts but to build faith in the power of the cross to forgive all sin and keep us holy in Gods eyes.