Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 3 HCSB; Ch. 4 NIV

Associate Producers

Anonymous, Michael Haner

Podcast Introduction

This is Gospel Saturday. Our reading will be Mark 3-4. I’m calling this episode, “Ya Better Hang On!” 

It is, of course Christmas Eve. which is also my middle son, Steven’s birthday. So happy birthday, son. Your mom and I love you very much. Lifespring! family Berean, Brother Paul of Seattle sent a fun Christmas question, so James will answer that one, and then tomorrow I’ll have my last question for James Cooper of whychristmas.com.

Design: SWS | Photo: Ritabrata Das on Unsplash

Comments on Mark 3-4

Thoughts on Mark 3

28I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme. 29But whoever blasphemes  against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” 30because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” 

Mark 3:28-30 HCSB

This passage receives a lot of attention. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the one unforgivable sin. So what is it? 

To answer the question, let's first put these three verses into context. The scribes had just said of Jesus. "“He has Beelzebul in Him! ” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons! ” 

Jesus had been performing miracles healing people, casting demons out of people and forgiving people. And the scribes said He did that by the power of satan. 

Jesus' answer to their accusation was, of course, perfect:  “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished!" In saying this, Jesus was pointing out to them that satan would never work against himself. 

Next he gave them an illustration, or parable: 27“On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man’s house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he will rob his house." In this parable, satan is the strong man guarding what belongs to him. Jesus was saying, "I am not in league with satan. I am demonstrating that I am stronger than he is." By casting demons out of people, Jesus was taking from satan what belonged to him one life...one soul...at a time. As one commentator said, "There is *nothing* in our life that *must* stay under satan's domination." 

Jesus binds the strong man and plunders his house.

Now, let's get back to answering the question at hand: What is blaspheming the Holy Spirit?

Let's look at what the Holy Spirit's ministry is. Jesus tells us in John 15:26. 26“When the Counselor comes, the One I will send to you from the Father — the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father — He will testify about Me." The Counselor is the Holy Spirit. How do we know this? In John 14:26 Jesus said, "26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit — the Father will send Him in My name — will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you."

So the Holy Spirit is Who tells us the truth about Jesus.  

By blaspheming the Holy Spirit, a person is in the sorrowful state of rejecting Jesus. If a person continually rejects Jesus, they are rejecting the forgiveness that is only available *through* Jesus. It is not that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is too big a sin to be forgiven, it is that this person has cut off the only way he or she *can* be forgiven. 

H. A. Ironside put it this way: “These words were never intended to torment anxious souls honestly desiring to know Christ, but they stand out as a blazing beacon warning of the danger of persisting in the rejection of the Spirit’s testimony of Christ, until the seared conscience no longer responds to the gospel message.”

This is a sin that puts terror into my heart when I hear someone reject Jesus. What gives me hope is that until that person draws their last ...