Mt. 12 contains an account of Jesus healing a deaf and mute man. The enemies of Jesus attributed his power to heal to the power of the Devil. Jesus responds by saying this…
“… Every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
Contextually, the sin that cannot be forgiven is the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Many have played with this verse and said things like the unforgivable sin is the sin that is not repented of or it is suicide because that is a sin one cannot repent of. I suspect the reason for saying these things is compassion… compassion to turn those who have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit to come back to God.
Why would God refuse to forgive those who blaspheme against him?
Notice 1 Sam 2:24 and 1 Sam. 2:13-14…
“If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the LORD, who will intercede for them?”
“For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
The sin of blaspheming (speaking against) God is so grievous to him that he does not offer a sacrifice to atone for it. Therefore there is no forgiveness for it.
We may not like the consequences for those who blaspheme God because of our compassion for loved ones who are in that position but that should not lead us to change the meaning of Matthew 12. Instead we should teach and preach about the seriousness of blaspheming God so that people will think twice before sinning the sin that cannot be forgiven.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Adult Classes Winter Quarter
Sunday/Wednesday
Adult 1 - "Life of Abraham". David Smitherman
Sunday Morning Only
Adult 2 - "Esther". Rob Perkins
Adult 3 - International Student Class. Jeff Carr
Wednesday Night Only
Adult 2 - "Romans". Joseph Vaughan
Sunday Night
Auditorium - Old Testament Studies. Various Speakers
Adult 1 - "Ephesians". David Smitherman
Adult 1 - "Life of Abraham". David Smitherman
Sunday Morning Only
Adult 2 - "Esther". Rob Perkins
Adult 3 - International Student Class. Jeff Carr
Wednesday Night Only
Adult 2 - "Romans". Joseph Vaughan
Sunday Night
Auditorium - Old Testament Studies. Various Speakers
Adult 1 - "Ephesians". David Smitherman
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Ineffective Parenting
Eli was the High Priest over Israel his two sons, Hophni and Phineas, assisted him as Priests in the work.
“Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD”
Eli’s sons abused their position by having sex with the women who served and by handling the sacrifices improperly. Eli was aware of his son’s evil behavior and reprimanded them.
“Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the LORD’s people is not good. If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the LORD, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke”
Because of Eli’s ineffectual parenting God killed the two sons and punished Eli.
“At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.”
“The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years.”
Eli was not effective as a parent. He had the means at his disposal to control his sons but did not use it. Minimally as a parent he reprimanded them and perhaps convinced himself that he was doing all he could do but he was a failure.
Parents should never tolerate a child’s misbehavior. Don’t be like Eli and use one tool and give up. Children can be controlled and it’s in their best interests that they be controlled. Study God’s Word and read the story of Helen Keller.
“Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD”
Eli’s sons abused their position by having sex with the women who served and by handling the sacrifices improperly. Eli was aware of his son’s evil behavior and reprimanded them.
“Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the LORD’s people is not good. If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the LORD, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke”
Because of Eli’s ineffectual parenting God killed the two sons and punished Eli.
“At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.”
“The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years.”
Eli was not effective as a parent. He had the means at his disposal to control his sons but did not use it. Minimally as a parent he reprimanded them and perhaps convinced himself that he was doing all he could do but he was a failure.
Parents should never tolerate a child’s misbehavior. Don’t be like Eli and use one tool and give up. Children can be controlled and it’s in their best interests that they be controlled. Study God’s Word and read the story of Helen Keller.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
"Spiritual Defined and the Use of Faciltities"
I've been on a discussion list involving the definition of what "spiritual" means. The discussion has moved to how we can use the facilities that belong to the church. I copied the following post to Walker and his response follows.
Maybe we differ on what the work of the church is. I understand from the scriptures that the work of the church is the bringing it's members to full spiritual maturity. Among it's tools are encouragement, edification and admonishment. In addition, the church is a place where believers can exercise their spiritual responsibilities to God and to each other.
Spiritual responsibilities are spiritual imperatives and principles revealed in the scriptures by direct command, example and inference. The application of those spiritual responsibilities are also spiritual. The church and it's resources can be used to accomplish the work of the church in both the bringing of it's members to spiritual maturity and the exercise of their spiritual responsibilities to each other.
From Walker...
You repeat yourself, all of the underlined terms are synonymous. Possibly, I would have reworded it as follows:
The Elders and the resources at their disposal must accomplish the work of the Gospel in bringing the church to spiritual maturity.
Rather than considering the church itself to be an institution with resources and tasks, remember that the church is people acting collectively with a unified set of motives. These people have selected administrators in a manner consistent with their unified set of motives for the purpose of accomplishing the collective will of the people that desire to act in concert with God's will.
If the people are ignorant, than the appropriate course of action would be for the elders/adminstrators to educate--thus, Bible classes.
If the people are disconnected from one another then it is the appropriate course of action for the elders/administrators to make provision to draw them together--thus, social functions.
A multipurpose room open for communal use is merely the most basic and natural expedient to either of these ends, both of which are subject to the same set of unified motives
My response to Walker...
Using synonymous terms to define a concept is a well known teaching tool.
Maybe we differ on what the work of the church is. I understand from the scriptures that the work of the church is the bringing it's members to full spiritual maturity. Among it's tools are encouragement, edification and admonishment. In addition, the church is a place where believers can exercise their spiritual responsibilities to God and to each other.
Spiritual responsibilities are spiritual imperatives and principles revealed in the scriptures by direct command, example and inference. The application of those spiritual responsibilities are also spiritual. The church and it's resources can be used to accomplish the work of the church in both the bringing of it's members to spiritual maturity and the exercise of their spiritual responsibilities to each other.
From Walker...
You repeat yourself, all of the underlined terms are synonymous. Possibly, I would have reworded it as follows:
The Elders and the resources at their disposal must accomplish the work of the Gospel in bringing the church to spiritual maturity.
Rather than considering the church itself to be an institution with resources and tasks, remember that the church is people acting collectively with a unified set of motives. These people have selected administrators in a manner consistent with their unified set of motives for the purpose of accomplishing the collective will of the people that desire to act in concert with God's will.
If the people are ignorant, than the appropriate course of action would be for the elders/adminstrators to educate--thus, Bible classes.
If the people are disconnected from one another then it is the appropriate course of action for the elders/administrators to make provision to draw them together--thus, social functions.
A multipurpose room open for communal use is merely the most basic and natural expedient to either of these ends, both of which are subject to the same set of unified motives
My response to Walker...
Using synonymous terms to define a concept is a well known teaching tool.
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