There is so much packed into these thirty verses.
"There's nothing done or said that can't be forgiven. But if you deliberately persist in your slanders against God's Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives. If you reject the Son of Man out of some misunderstanding, the Holy Spirit can forgive you, but when you reject the Holy Spirit, you're sawing off the branch on which you're sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives." - Matthew 12:31-32
This is really serious stuff. First, Jesus is basically obliterating the idea that there are unforgivable sins: "There's nothing done or said that can't be forgiven." I'm still not exactly sure how this applies to suicide, but I suppose I'll just let God deal with that. Jesus does say that slandering and/or rejecting the Holy Spirit is bad news. But... I'm not exactly sure how one would go about rejecting the Holy Spirit. Thoughts?
"On Judgment Day, the Ninevites will stand up and give evidence that will condemn this generation, because when Jonah preached to them they changed their lives. A far greater preacher than Jonah is here, and you squabble about 'proofs.' On Judgment Day, the Queen of Sheba will come forward and bring evidence that will condemn this generation, because she traveled from a far corner of the earth to listen to wise Solomon. Wisdom far greater than Solomon's is right in front of you, and you quibble over 'evidence.'" - Matthew 12:41-42
This really puts into perspective what the Pharisees were doing. However, it applies to our generation and time, too. Churches today get so bogged down in silly, unimportant things without realizing they're missing all the good that's there. We have to keep praying that God will open our eyes to his wisdom and word.
Rejecting the Holy Spirit (or the Holy Ghost) is talking against and denying that God's spirit is real (when we know it is). Right in that passage is where he tells us that that is the only unforgivable sin, not in this life and the next.
ReplyDeleteWe can repent for all of our sins, as my thoughts for suicide, that is something that you cannot repent for, so it is in my opinion that you cannot go to heaven if you commit suicide.
I've never really thought of suicides as something that can't be forgiven. I've always held it in line with the idea that as long as one has accepted Jesus Christ into their heart as their savior, and has accepted God, that they will be accepted into Heaven regardless of how they die. At the time of a suicide, God knows exactly what is in that persons heart. Are they immediately sorry for ending the life God gave them? Do they die damning God and everything He created? Either way, God will know; but no matter what, I cannot think that if they die with both sorrow and God in their hearts that God would not welcome them. That has just always been my thought, though.
ReplyDeleteAs far as rejecting the Holy Spirit, my thoughts are along the same lines as Ashley H's. To me, this means rejecting God entirely - turning ones back on Him and deciding he isn't real or worth listening to.
I have to agree with you about Churches as well. I can't help but think that some of the silly/ridiculous/awful things that some Churches do have really brought down the image of God in some young peoples' eyes. What's worse, whenever a Church does something especially bad, it is focused on and amplified by the media, overshadowing all the good that other Churches do. It's quite unfair and downright awful, and I personally hate that the majority of young people I talk to who are atheists have a grudge not against God, but against organized religion.
I'm really glad you started this blog, Rachel. I've been wanting to find a church and start attending again, but I usually work all weekend so it has been tough. I have been praying to God to help me find a way to study his word and grow closer to Him, and I think your blog will be a great tool in helping me do that. :) So thank you for starting it!