And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. -- Luke 12:10. If a person locks himself away in a room and refuses to eat, he will eventually die.  It does not matter how much food is offered to him by another, he has to take the food and eat it.  

In order words, he has to cooperate with the individual offering the food. In the above text, Jesus talks about the unpardonable sin.  That is the sin against the Holy Spirit.  What is this sin Jesus talks about?  He says that to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is unpardonable.This does not mean that Jesus' teachings are in conflict with Scripture.  God's grace and mercy is still certain to all who trust in our Lord and Savior.  God hears us when we call upon His name and repent.

Scripture assures us that, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins."  It further tells us that, "He that believes on the Son of God has everlasting life".  In fact, as long as we live, we can find forgiveness of our sins.  God has promised us that He will forgive us when we repent.

If this is so, then what is Jesus talking about?  What is this unpardonable sin, the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which shall never be forgiven? This warning which Jesus speaks about was a common crime of the Pharisees.  They deliberately rejected the gospel.  They persistently hardened their hearts against the claims of Jesus, the Messiah, in the gospel.

The Holy Spirit calls and gathers.  He is the comforter whom Jesus said will come into the world and be with us.  He assured the disciples, "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."  The Spirit causes us to believe in Christ.  We cannot believe unless the Spirit guides us to the cross.

I am sure that many of you are wondering, "Have I committed this unpardonable sin? Have I blasphemed against the Holy Spirit?" The sin about which Jesus is talking, is the deadness and the hardening of the heart. The person, who refuses to seek forgiveness, will never have them forgiven. You cannot find forgiveness if you refuse to seek it.  Jesus went to the cross so that all may have life and have it more abundantly.

In the above illustration, the individual locked away in the room will die because he refuses to take the food that is offered to him.  Similarly, the person who rejects the Holy Spirit, will surely die because he refuses to cooperate with the Holy Spirit who offers life.

Jesus warns that life is offered to all, through the Holy Spirit.  However, if we reject the gift of life offered, we reject the Spirit of God.  Consequently, we commit the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Be reminded, whatever your sins, whatever difficulties you may encounter in this life, God, the creator of the havens and the earth, will forgive you when you repent.  Rejecting the Holy Spirit is the refusal to repent.  This subsequently brings eternal damnation.

When you call upon the name of Jesus and repent of your sin, you will be forgiven.   Christ came into this world, died, and rose from the dead to guarantee life eternal to all humans. The Spirit guides us to that life.  To reject the Spirit is an affront to God.  Amen
 
Rev. Samuel M. Boodle, pastor at The Lutheran Church of Nassau, can be reached at P.O. Box N 4794, Nassau, Bahamas, or telephone: 323-4107; E-mail: lutheranchurch@coralwave.com, Website: www.Nassaulutheranchurch.org.

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