04/04/18 LEARN NOT TO BLASPHEME
(documentation for my video by the same name)
To BLASPHEME or to commit BLASPHEMY is to SPEAK AGAINST. We usually think of Blasphemy in connection with the extreme case of "Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit," which cannot be forgiven, according to the Bible.
However, it is possible for a person to Blaspheme God the Father and God the Son also. Both of these sins, these crimes against God, are serious and can end in a person being separated from God forever, but it is also possible for a person who has spoken against the Father and the Son to find reconciliation with God. But a person who speaks against the Holy Spirit is cutting off the only way of coming back to God.
Look at it this way.
God the Father wanted to reconcile the lost world to Himself, therefore He sent His Son, as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world.
Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost and He gave His life as a sacrifice for the entire world.
Jesus then sent the Holy Spirit into the world to convict, convince and convert the world.
If a person cuts the Holy Spirit off by ascribing
Divine actions and attributes to Satan or ascribing demonic actions and
attributes to the Holy Spirit, or by resisting the call of the Holy
Spirit, then there is no other way to believe on Christ and receive the
gift of salvation.
Needless to say, it is dangerous to speak against God in any fashion. But Blasphemy, "speaking against," God's word and against God's salvation and against God's church and against individual believers is also dangerous and can result in being cut off from God.
Blasphemy (speaking against) the Father, the Son, God's salvation, God's Church and God's people needs to be repented of, otherwise if will lead a person into more headstrong and heart hardening sins. Everyone guilty of Blasphemy needs to confess, repent, reconcile, restore whatever relationships they have violated by speaking against God (Blasphemy).
Anyone can Blaspheme. Paul admitted that he had been a Blasphemer before his conversion. Paul spoke against the Church, against Jesus, against salvation, against believers.
1 Timothy 1:12-14
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
But notice, Paul said that he blasphemed in ignorance and unbelief. This indicates that those who Blaspheme knowingly, those who speak against God and His will, having been taught, having been warned, are in greater jeopardy.
Just a few verses later, Paul charges, directs, orders Timothy to fight the good spiritual warfare by holding faith and a good conscience. A person must guard against Blasphemy. Paul told Timothy that others had made shipwreck of their lives through Blasphemy, including Alexander. Paul told Timothy that he had turned Alexander over to Satan so that he might learn not to Blaspheme.
1 Timothy 1:18-20
18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the
prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a
good warfare;
19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Notice that the sinner can Blaspheme and the believer can revert to Blasphemy.
Notice that there are different levels of accountability.
Paul indicated this by saying that he did it in ignorance.
He also pointed out that Alexander was turned over to Satan so that he might LEARN NOT TO BLASPHEME.
This is heavy. It takes extreme circumstances for a Christian to turn another Christian over to Satan.
I won't deal with the specifics of Alexander's Blasphemy against Paul, and I won't address Paul's discipline of Alexander at this time. Suffice it to say, Paul, in 2 Timothy gives an update concerning Alexanders refusal to yield to Biblical counsel.
We all want salvation for others, we want them to be reconciled, restored to a right relationship with God and with ourselves, whether the offenders are Christians or sinners, friends or enemies. Often times, the offender needs to make restitution to those they have spoken against.
Sadly, most Christians are not willing to address those who have sinned against them. Churches fail to deal with those who have attacked the church. This does not promote reconciliation, but rather it confirms the Blasphemer in his/her sins. It is not the loving thing to let people slide unconfronted, from sin into church and church relationships. Christians and the local church must hold the standard of repentance. This may require cutting people off from fellowship. It may mean turning loved ones over to Satan. This is not a bridge builder as far as the sinner understands it. But if Biblical discipline is sidestepped then the weak and disobedient Christian is contributing to the eternal loss of the Blasphemer.
Blasphemers can repent. If they don't, they will not be reconciled. This is eternally damning.
Remember, Biblical discipline is for restoration, not for ridicule or revenge.
When a Blasphemer fails to return Biblically in repentance, they are not simply at odds with another person, they are at odds with God.
