Thursday, February 10, 2022

PT-1 "The Anthema" (Matt. 12:31-32)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/10/2022 9:34 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                            Focus:  PT-1 “The Anathema”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Matt. 12:31-32

 

            Message of the verses:  31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 "And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to come. 33 “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.”

 

            Now before we get into these verses I have to say that today we have three grand-kids with us and the day is very full, and so this will be like an introduction to these verses.  There are few passages of Scripture that have been more misinterpreted and misunderstood than these two verses.  Now it is because of their extreme seriousness and also their finality, it is critical to understand them correctly, and over the next few days that is what I want to try and do, and then hopefully then we will all understand their correct meaning and then perhaps the mystery of their interpretation will not be an issue.

 

            Now because of the shortness of time I will only quote one paragraph from MacArthur’s commentary on Matthew here to help us get started in our quest to better understand these very important verses.

 

            “Jesus first stated that any sin and blasphemy shall be forgive men.  Although blasphemy is a form of sin, in this passage and context the two are treated separately—with blasphemy representing the most extreme form of sin.  Sin here represents the full gamut of immoral and ungodly thoughts and actions, whereas blasphemy represents conscious denouncing and rejection of God.  Blasphemy is defiant irreverence, the uniquely terrible sin of intentionally and openly speaking evil against holy God or defaming or mocking Him (cf. Mark 2:7).  The Old Testament penalty for such blasphemy was death by stoning (Lev. 24:16).  In the last days blasphemy will be an outstanding characteristic of those who rebelliously and insolently oppose God (Rev. 13:5-6; 16:9; 17:3).” Verses that we will now look at.

 

 5 There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6  And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

 

9 Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.

 

3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.

2/10/2022 11:20 AM

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