Words of Jesus Podcast - Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

Episode Date: September 16, 2022

"When the Messiah comes will He do more works than this man?" In order to mature in the faith, we must discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts. How can we? By simply listening to what we say (our hearts leak through our mouths). Conversion takes time. Hear what you say and make changes. Those unable to hear and unwilling to obey create doubt by making accusations. The undeniable signs of healing where remarkably discredited. The crowds believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God. ***CHAPTER 26: JESUS HEALS A DUMB AND BLIND MAN A MAN both dumb and blind was healed when he was brought before Jesus.            Those who saw this miracle were amazed and said:            “Is not this the son of David?”            But when the scribes from Jerusalem and the Pharisees heard of it, they said:            “This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.”            Jesus knew their thoughts and responded:            “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself. How shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.  Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.             “Wherefore I say unto you, ‘All manner of sin and blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him’ but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.’ Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit.  O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” ***Scriptures: Matthew 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30; Luke 11:14-36

Think Red Ink Ministries presents The Words of Jesus series with Don C. Harris Hello, I'm Don Harris of Think Red Ink Ministries. My goal in this particular show, this series, is to reinforce Christianity, the wisdom and words of Jesus, which incidentally are recorded in your Bible in red. You know what Jesus said? You know what he did? What Jesus said to do? The series is based on Jesus. His life, his friends, his ministry, his relationship with his Father,

as recorded in the four Gospels. You might find that there's very little seminary teaching here, and there's very little, what I call, denominational sensitivity. I don't know. I'd love to apologize for it but the truth is there's just hardly any room for that because you know what the Lord has given us? He's hidden and it's gonna take the Spirit of God to show it to us. Don't make any mistake. These things have been hidden. But not hidden from us, but hidden for us. All right, let's get started in the words of Jesus.

We're in chapter 26 of the book, The Words of Jesus. And this is when Jesus heals a dumb and blind man. Now, this story, I'm going to set it off at the beginning giving you the subject of this particular story we're about to hear because I don't think people understand that this story is talking about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Probably in every Sunday school across the country, people have sat around and talked about blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, what exactly is that? Especially those who teach eternal security, once saved always saved, these kind of things. They are particularly

plagued by this particular scripture because it makes it very clear that if you commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit there is no forgiveness for that. Jesus actually said neither in this world nor in the world to come. So it's a very serious situation, and it does thwart the idea that once a person has been saved, that they're always safe. And so, you know, it's dealt with in a lot of different ways. One of the ways is, oh, if you're a Christian, you can't commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. I don't know why Jesus warned us about it if you can't do it. They play games with words like people can be possessed, or no, they can be obsessed with the devil but not possessed if they're saved. This is just stuff that a bunch of guys

get off in a back room somewhere and they just make this stuff up. Unfortunately there's people out there that are actually hinging, hanging their salvation on the words of men and it goes against the words of Christ. Jesus teaches blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is a horrible, horrible thing. And unfortunately, I can show you, hopefully we'll do that today, I can show you where this is done a lot.

And I just think that it's because of our own ignorance, thank God for ignorance, that we get away with this. Because if these kind of things were done in earnest, why there's no forgiveness for somebody that does this. No, not ever, ever, ever. And so let's take a look at this story and then we'll talk about some of the particulars. A man, both dumb and blind, was healed when he was brought before Jesus. Those who saw this miracle were amazed and said,

Is not this the son of David? But when scribes from Jerusalem, do you know what they were saying when they said that? They were saying that because he performed this miracle, isn't this the Messiah? That was the exclamation they were making. I don't want you to miss that. The scribes from Jerusalem and the Pharisees, when they heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils but by beelzebub

the prince of devils jesus knew their thoughts and responded now here you have people of no particular import no particular means uh they weren't particularly high-ups in the church. But the average man looked at Jesus as a matter of fact in one scripture somebody makes the comment, when the Messiah comes is he going to do more works than this? Which is a great question. But you see these kind of things were asked by laymen. The church on the other hand which i told you is your enemy not your friend um you know they're saying of course not

of course this isn't the messiah and i'll tell you why and they start dissecting the scripture and pointing out little problems that they have with it or whatever. But the average man out there, they understood exactly what was going on. Of course he's the Messiah. Well, when Jesus heard them say this say what? Well, he said he doesn't cast out devils by God. This man is not of God. He cast out devils by Beelzebub. Now, who is Beelzebub? Well Beelzebub was a god of Ekron

and he was known as Beelzebub which translates Lord of the Flies. Now this is an amazing thing because the flies that they were attributing here were flies that gather around where the sewage dumps. They were calling him the dung god. They were calling him, this was horrible, what they were saying about him. Oh yeah, he's a god, alright, he's a god, all right. He's a god of dung, is what he is.

These are horrible things being said here. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, probably heard these things before. Perhaps he overheard the word Beelzebub. Jesus responded to them by saying, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then shall his kingdom stand?

And if I, by Beelzebub, cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the spirit of god then the kingdom of god has come nigh unto you or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me. He that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Now, here he's saying that, first of all, your logic doesn't even hold water. It doesn't even work.

What's the matter with you? That doesn't make any sense. Here you have Jesus actually depending upon logic and semantics and grammar and such as that to show that, you know, what you're preaching and teaching, it doesn't even make sense. It doesn't even make sense. Do you believe that Satan has a kingdom? I do.

And I do happen to know that should he decide to work against himself, he's not going to be able to build a kingdom. And really, you know, you're just mad at me. Look, your children, you know, when Jesus called the 70 out, he gave them power over unclean spirits. They went out and they, you out and they came back and said, you know, even the demons are subject to us in your name. And you know who these people were?

They were sons and cousins and all of them related to these people in the Sanhedrin. So you're saying I cast them out by Beelzebub. What about your kids when they go out? Your children, your family, people that you love. When the people you love cast out devils, do you say they're of Beelzebub? Of course you don't.

Why don't you just admit you're mad at me? You don't like me. So, he continues to say uh that if if you don't you know if if you're against me uh i i consider you as somebody who is scattering the sheep not gathering the sheep and so how do you how do you really stand against Christ? Well, it's by comments like this. I'm not an idiot. I can hear what you're saying. These comments that you're making,

you need to know this is a very dangerous thing for you to do. I'm not concerned about you hurting my feelings here. This is very dangerous for you to do. He explains, Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men. But the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh the word against the Son of Man shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this

world, neither in the world to come. Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt. For the tree is known by its fruit. What generation of vipers? How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. This is why blasphemy is so bad.

Not because you said it with your mouth, but because it was in your heart and it has now come out. Which is very similar to what I was explaining earlier about Jesus saying, looking at a woman to lust after her. That's not a sin against the commandment to think it. As long as it's internal it's under your control. As soon as it comes out of your mouth as soon as it comes to fruition. You can hate your brother and not violate the sixth commandment however if you play with that idea you're going to end up doing it a good man out of the good

treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringing forth evil things but i say unto you that every idle word men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Wow, I thought we were condemned or justified by faith. Hmm, here he's saying it's by what we say. Why would that be? Because what you say comes from your heart and if you if you got any sense at all you're going to realize that when you say something

and you're going to have to decide where did that come from and the only answer to that question the honest answer is it came from my heart well let it condemn you and get back to wherever you need to be to make that change now here's here's what happens a fellow he wants to do right he wants to please god he wants to be part of the kingdom of god and he's ready and willing to do just that so he you know steps out of his front door of his house and he looks down the street and he sees all these steeples standing up and he's figuring well surely you know those are churches and inside are men that can help me well he doesn't know that's not true so off he goes and he And he goes down there, and he goes to the first whatever church.

And he listens to the sermon, and it touches his heart, and he cries. And they give an invitation, and he goes up front, and he bows at the altar. Do you folks still have altars in your churches? I'm Pentecostal way back when I was a kid. We had altars. and he goes up front you know and he prays he lifts his hands or whatever somebody comes and whispers in his ear and tells him takes him down the roman road or whatever else they do and uh so he's supposedly made some commitment to god and now they tell him you've been born again.

Instantaneously, you walked in a sinner, you're walking out a saint. God's imputed to you the righteousness of Jesus. And when you stand before God, he won't see you. The only thing he'll see is Jesus. Okay. More seminary stuff. But, well, I mean, scriptures teach clearly that every man's going to give an account of the deeds done in the flesh i'm not going to give an account of what jesus did i'm going to give an account of what i did and so will you no anybody tell you any different now this guy you know he's a christian now and uh he goes home Monday morning, he puts his britches on and goes

to work. And he finds that, really? Not much has changed. Now, some people get ecstatic and get happy, and that lasts for a few weeks or a few months or whatever. And then all of a sudden, it starts to occur to them. But a more honest man, more down-to-earth, logical-thinking guy, he's going to realize that, you know, not much here you know what's going on well why is he expecting much to be changed here well because that's what he was told he was told you know that once you accept jesus why behold all things have passed away behold all things have become new and you know you're new in christ and you're saved you're born again or whatever but he doesn't feel anything he goes back to the preacher and says i don't feel saved i don't feel any different well brother

you know we got you know and so he pulls out his little flannel graph or his charts or or he draws it on paper or whatever he does you've been there you've been in the pastor's study and uh you know he draws a little freight train faith fact and feeling you know the the feelings might the feelings come afterwards you know you you got saved you put faith in christ and it's a fact that you're saved. But the feelings, they come afterwards. Well, yeah, but I just feel like I need to do something. And so here he's talking to a preacher that is going to try his best to defend his denomination and what he's been teaching about instantaneous salvation.

He's going to try his best to defend what he stood for all these years. And I don't know how I could blame him. I mean, it's really kind of silly, almost stupid behavior, but everybody does it. And so he wants to, he wants to help. It's not that he wants to condemn the poor guy. He wants to tell him the truth, but he doesn't even know the truth. Chances are he's never been born again himself because he followed pretty much the formula that he gave this poor guy. But he's learned that when he gets these feelings in him

that he's not born again. Now listen to me he gets these feelings in him that he's not born again the preacher this guy you me all of us what's the answer to that question that's the devil telling you that you're not saved. You're telling me that. That the spirit of God has moved in this situation. The Holy Ghost. Has moved in this situation. It's done its work.

And. Now you're saying that whatever voice he hears that he needs to be born again, is the devil speaking to him? Let me ask you, friend, since when has the devil become an evangelist for Jesus Christ? The preacher is supposed to tell him that he needs to be born again. I get that. Perhaps the Bible will tell him that he needs to be born again. I get that. Perhaps the Bible will tell him that he needs to be born again. I get that. The Holy Spirit of God will tell him that he needs to be born again. I get that. But you're telling me that Satan is telling him now that he's not born again, that he needs to be born again, that he's still in his sins? Is that what we're trying to say that the that the devil is some kind of an

evangelist now this is this is just borderline stupidity borderline wickedness but what you have done my friend think about this if it is the spirit of god that is in this man that is telling him like he was you know 12 hours ago when he was at your altar that he needs to be born again and nothing has changed up into this point don't you think that it's time to tell him the truth now friend there's not been any spiritual birth here but there has been the seed of christ planted within you you take care of that seed you do what he says to do you keep his commandments you live in the way that he wants you to live. That seed will grow. And what did Paul say? Till Christ be formed in you. You see, there's a pregnancy that has occurred. Conception has

occurred, but gestation has not occurred. That's going to be a long period of time. And he has something to look forward to. Now, is he in trouble is he in in some kind of danger and some kind of jeopardy at this point absolutely not the lord made it clear through the prophet ezekiel as soon as you decide to go my way and turn your turn from your way i'll never remember anything you did wrong there's the deal we want't it? Why don't we teach people the Bible? Why don't we teach them this instead of tracts? Why don't we teach them this instead of, you know, seminary clap trap? Why don't we teach them what the scriptures say? You know what? He'll wake up Monday morning. He won't feel saved or he won't feel like he's any different,

but he'll know that within him is a seed. No, you don't feel any different. Does a woman feel any different the night she conceives? Well, of course not. Some say they do. I don't know. But I mean, it just doesn't happen. I mean, it will happen. you just create an environment that's that's conducive to this pregnancy help this pregnancy along and one day you'll be born again why not tell him the truth he can walk out of there knowing that everything's just fine i've decided to go god's way no it's not going to be easy people are going going to make fun of me. I'm going to have difficulty, but I'm going his way. You see, it just works when you teach the scriptures. But here's what I want you to know and what I want to close with.

You realize, of course, that when you attribute the works of the Holy Spirit, which is the convicting power of God? Didn't the Bible say he will convince the world of sin? That's part of his ministry. That's what the Spirit of God does. He convinces the world of sin. And you're telling this guy that whatever voice there is in his head that's telling him he's still a sinner, that he needs to be careful. This is a narrow road. You need to walk this narrow.

You're telling him that that voice is the work of Satan? What have you done differently than what those scribes and Pharisees did that day when Jesus healed that man and they said, he doesn't cast out devils by the Spirit of God. He does it by the Beelzebub. He does it by the devil. Jesus said, friend, I will forgive anybody of anything except that. Boy, that's quite a statement.

I'll forgive anybody of anything except that. Except what? Attributing the works of God, the obvious works of the Spirit of God to Satan. That is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. You want to sit around in your Sunday school class and hash this out? Decide, you know, what is it?

What exactly is it? Who could commit it? What happens when you do that? And come up with all these little formulas. Well, you know, if you really committed blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, then you wouldn't care because the only reason you care is because you have the Spirit of God.

So you really haven't committed. Oh, man, all these mental calisthenics that we have to go through. Let's just teach them the Scriptures. Why don't we do that? Is there a reason why we don't want to do that? Paul is very clear about about salvation that you know a person who decides to to enter the kingdom of god like jesus told that rich young ruler you want to enter the kingdom of god keep the commandments that's what he said to him that's the way that question was answered four out of

four times it was asked. But we don't want to teach anybody that. What do we want to teach them? Come to church. Keep coming to church. Just get around us here, and pretty soon you're going to be talking like us and acting like us and dressing like us. You're going to look like one of us,

and nobody's going to doubt this, even you. I had a preacher say that to me once i thought wow man did i just join the elks club did i just join the sirtoma club did i just join what what did i just join here i thought I was going to be different. Well, I found out that I was lied to. And I found out that it was my decision to go his way that made me safe. It will be my decision to stay in his way that'll make me saved. And there's no sense in talking about little choo-choo trains carrying different cars. There's no sense in playing all these little word games and stuff like that. Just go by the Scriptures. You decide to go His way, I'll never remember anything you did wrong.

That's the deal. Okay, I'll take it. And you take that, and you start keeping His commandments. What did Jesus say would happen if you started keeping His commandments? He said, me and my Father will love you. I thought God loved everybody. not according to the scriptures says he loves those that keeps his commandments jesus said don't go around saying you know what a friend we have in jesus you can sing that if you want to but my friends they do what i say you want to be a servant of christ you're going to do what i say you want to be a servant of Christ you're going to do what I say

you're going to keep my commandments so you keep his commandments what did Jesus say if you did that me and my father will love you we'll move in we'll take up our abode in you we'll live in there and we'll lead you and guide you

by the spirit of God into all A-L-L truth all truth all truth you will receive from the inside up now friend that's a that's a beautiful thing and a beautiful promise why aren't we teaching that can somebody tell me why that's anathema i don't know but it seems to be well you don't want to tell people to obey the spirit of God because you never know it might be the devil talking to you wow man really I just had God speak to him and you told me that was the devil I don't know the difference. Well, you know, he appears as an angel of light. Oh, yeah?

Well, here's what my Lord Jesus said. Keep my commandments. Do what I say to do. Eat of this bread. You'll never hunger again. Drink this water. There'll be a wellspring of life springing up from within your soul.

Oh, yeah, but what about about guidance my sheep know my voice and a stranger they will not follow they know not the voice of strangers now you can either tear that out of your bible you can either you can go in there and and redact it if you want to i i don't know what you're going to do with that scripture, but that scripture says you're all wet if you're telling people to stay away from the Spirit of God. Only get your instructions through preachers. Only get your instructions through the Bible. You're going against what this book says,

and that is you're to be led by the Spirit of God. How does time go by so fast? The clocks run faster when the show's on. All right, I want you to do something for me. I need to hear from you. I want you to tell me who you are, where you're listening, and how you're listening to the broadcast. Send your questions or your comments to me. I'd love to get those you can just email me at don at thinkredink.com or write to Think Red Ink Ministries 718 Pytown, New Mexico alright

until next time Think Red Ink bye bye you've been listening to don c harris of think red ink ministries ThinkRedInc.com. That's ThinkRedInc.com. Join us again for the next episode in the Words of Jesus series. you