Sam Weaver
Homosexuality and the unpardonable sin
By Sam Weaver
In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus defines an unforgivable (or, unpardonable) sin. This sin is blasphemy of (or speaking lies against) the Holy Spirit. The immediate context of this critical statement of Christ is Matthew 12:22-37.
Personally, I believe this passage (Matthew 12:22-37; see also Mark 3:20-35)* is one of the most important (albeit, perhaps, one of the most cryptic) of the Bible. I believe this because it is a direct statement of Jesus Christ outlining the one and only sin for which no man can be forgiven. (It is not so cryptic to one who follows faithfully the steps of the Holy Spirit.) I have read a great deal of commentary on this passage. Sadly, far too many Christians today do not even consider it.
What is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
Much, if not most of the commentary I have read goes something like this: Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit occurs whenever the thoughts, words and/or deeds of man or of demons are attributed to the Holy Spirit. This may very well be true, but it can be better and more completely stated. Please let me explain.
There is good, and there is evil.** The Holy Spirit embodies (encompasses) all thoughts (beliefs), words (statements) and deeds (actions) that are good – that glorify God and uplift man. The carnal, worldly nature of man and the deceptions of demons represent evil – glorification of self or purely selfish (worldly) ambitions; often at the expense of fellow humans. The Laws of God are for the good of all mankind. The breaking of God's Law is an act of evil and will always, sooner or later, result in bad consequences. God's Laws are embedded within the very soul of every sane, rational human being. It is called the conscience. The conscience is that little voice in your head that tells you not to do something that is bad (or evil). Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit happens whenever the conscience of an individual human being is completely seared or destroyed.
If you still have that voice in your mind that informs you that certain beliefs, statements and actions are wrong; or if you have a sense of guilt or remorse after doing something wrong, then you have not yet blasphemed the Holy Spirit. However, if you persist in doing something evil to the point that you no longer believe it to be wrong, then you have committed the unpardonable sin. You have substituted the Spirit of Truth with a spirit of lies.
Every sane and rational person who has not yet seared his conscience knows that any kind of premarital or extramarital sex act is wrong. If you have ever had sex outside of marriage, then DO NOT tell me that you had absolutely no inhibitions before, or regrets afterward! If you do, unless your conscience had previously been seared or destroyed, then you are telling me a lie.
Is this why so many homosexuals seek so adamantly the legalization (government sanction) of "'gay' marriage?" I don't think so. They (generally, though by no means universally) have no guilt or remorse. They, by and large, have seared their consciences. They (perhaps unwittingly) have a political, self-serving agenda to destroy the very precious and very long-standing institution of marriage.
Far too many Americans – even, sadly, Christians, seem to have forgotten that homosexual acts are egregious sexually immoral acts. (For just two of many examples, please see Romans 1:26-27 and Leviticus 18:22.)***
Is "'gay' marriage" a matter of civil rights?
America's Founding Document, the Declaration of Independence, states that the rights of man are "endowed by their Creator" and that "[G]overnments are instituted" for one purpose – "to secure these [God-endowed] rights." In other words, the rights of man come from God, not from men or from government!
Many who hate the Truth will tell you that these words were penned and ratified by wealthy white men who considered women and non-Caucasian ethnic groups as second-class citizens somehow unworthy of these rights. This is a lie! The same liars tell you and me with a straight face that government sanctions against interracial marriage and government sanctions against homosexual "marriage" are equivalent.
Nothing in the Word of God prohibits interracial marriage per se. Yes, there was a law (See Deuteronomy 7:3-4.) given to the Israelites against marrying Canaanite women, but this was to prevent an acceptance among the Israelites of Canaan idolatry. Moses, the "Law-giver" himself, apparently (albeit arguably, if not dubiously) married a Black woman. (See Numbers 12:1.) It is all but certain that Solomon, the wisest of all human beings had at least one Black wife. The Queen of Sheba is thought by some to be the heroine of Solomon's Song of Songs. In the Song of Solomon, the heroine – whoever she was – is described as black (or dark-skinned). The bottom line here is that nothing in the Word of God expressly prohibits a believer from marrying a believer of a different ethnicity. However, homosexuality and therefore homosexual unions are strictly forbidden in both the Old and the New Testaments. (See, again, Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:18-32; with special emphasis, perhaps, on verses 26 & 27.)
In America, all rights come from God – not arbitrarily from government. This is what has made Americans free and has kept American society stable in comparison to virtually all other nations of the Earth.****
The Civil Rights movement began when (for the most part) Christians demanded – loudly – the recognition by society of the God-given rights and dignity of their fellow Black Americans. The abolitionist movement had begun the very same way well over 100 years before. The "'gay' marriage" movement, on the other hand, is driven by man's ideas of "relativism" and "equality." It comes from the false idea that man (or society, or government) can grant rights. (See Matthew 19:3-12 and Mark 10:2-12.) Homosexual "marriage" is not a right; it is an abomination!
Can propaganda destroy individual conscience?
Nazi propagandists are said to have stated, "Tell a Big Lie. Repeat it often and the people will come to believe it." While the quote may never have been written or uttered verbatim by either Hitler or Goebbels, Hitler did document this concept in his jailhouse screed, Mein Kampf (My Struggle). It is known to this day as Hitler's propaganda tactic: The Big Lie (Große Lüge). Yet, this propaganda tactic predates Hitler by at least a decade or two. (Actually, it predates Hitler by millennia!)
Absent relentless and ubiquitous propaganda in the Muslim world, for example, there would be very few, if any suicide bombers and not nearly so much deep-seated hatred of Israel. Without effective propaganda, the history of warfare – and, thus, of the world – would be completely different. Obviously, propaganda can be very effective. It can be exercised both for good and for evil. When it is used for evil, can propaganda destroy an individual's conscience? Can propaganda, in and of itself, cause a person to blaspheme the Holy Spirit and to commit the unpardonable sin?
For at least five decades, propagandists all over the world in "religious institutions" (seminaries and "mainline 'churches'"), academia, media and "popular culture" (Hollywood, TV and the music industry) have been relentlessly disseminating, promoting and advocating many Big Lies. In the last two decades, two Big Lies have become noticeably prominent: 1) that "alternative lifestyles" (lesbian, "gay," bisexual and transgender) are completely normal and that they must be accepted by society at large; and 2) that "If you disagree, then you are a bigot!"
No one wants to be called a bigot. Big Lie propaganda has been so powerfully effective in America that now even many Christians are willing to accept "'gay' marriage." But what if these same Christians were forced to watch two men engaging in a homosexual act? What if their son or daughter suddenly announced to them, "I'm 'gay.'"? What if they were propositioned to engage in homosexual behavior? Would they be totally okay with any of that? I kinda doubt it!
Propaganda can shape collective public opinion by painting a completely false picture of reality. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was specifically and brilliantly designed to guard against this!! Propaganda cannot force an individual to deny or to destroy his own conscience. Denial of one's conscience is a choice – a completely sovereign act of personal volition. Prolonged, willful denial of conscience, though, does lead to the destruction of conscience. Total destruction of conscience – absolute rejection of the Spirit of God and replacement with the "wisdom of man" (or, the "wisdom of this world")***** – is the unpardonable sin.
It is true that some people are born with traits that predispose them to homosexuality. Others are born with traits that predispose them toward such things as alcoholism, gambling or violent (or obsessive) behavior. The very first decision to act upon these traits is both a choice and a violation of conscience. Repeated violations of conscience result in...well, you know!
It is the duty of all Christians to love all people as they love themselves, and to encourage others to make the right choices. To "enable" others or to encourage their sin is an evil act against them.
Homosexuality is not the unpardonable sin. However, any one person – or any society – who truly and unequivocally believes that homosexual acts are not sins, and in the hardening of heart with no further ability to know Truth, be convicted of sin, losing all power of repentance, has most likely committed the unpardonable (unforgivable) sin.
As individuals and as Christians, we must love all persons within the so-called "LGBT 'community'" and accept them as human beings who are loved by God. (See Romans 2:1-16.) We should be using the gifts of the Spirit (I Corinthians 12:7-11) to help all who are living in sin as the Holy Spirit guides and enlightens us. However, as a society – as a community, state and nation – we must NEVER allow the militant advocates/enforcers of the "LGBT 'community'" to destroy either the institution of marriage or the fundamental (Judeo-Christian) culture of these United States of America!
Is it too late? Have the foundations already been destroyed? I fear for my country; but my hope is in Him for which nothing is impossible!!
*Luke 11-14-28 is a third account of this event, yet it does not mention "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit." Is this a contradiction? Not at all! It is another perspective of what blasphemy of the Holy Spirit actually is; that is, being all but totally controlled (or occupied) by "spirits" (demons, ideas, philosophies, inadequacies, failures, etc.) that are not of the Spirit of God.
**Note that in the accounts of both Matthew and Luke, Jesus is quoted as saying, "He who is not with me is against me...." Mark (3:35) quotes Jesus as saying, "Whoever does God's Will is my brother and sister and mother." (NIV) There is no neutrality! There is only good and evil.
***No one sin is "more egregious" than any other in the eyes of God. Sin is sin and all sin deserves death. All humans are sinners, in need of a Redeemer! Conservatives err when they imply that homosexual behavior is somehow worse than any other kind of sex outside of marriage.
****Of course, there was the so-called "Civil War." The victors (namely, the North – or the Union; but more specifically, Northern Republicans) claimed that the "Civil War" was fought to end slavery and to preserve the union. Actually, it was much more complicated than that. Bottom line: The co-called "institution" of Black slavery had to end in the United States of America because it was a blatant violation of God's Law and, therefore, of fundamental American principles! However, as a result of that aggression – that instability, states began to lose their Ninth and Tenth Amendment covenants. There were violations of Law and abuses of rights on both sides.
*****Please examine carefully I Corinthians 1:18-31.
© Sam Weaver
March 3, 2014
In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus defines an unforgivable (or, unpardonable) sin. This sin is blasphemy of (or speaking lies against) the Holy Spirit. The immediate context of this critical statement of Christ is Matthew 12:22-37.
Personally, I believe this passage (Matthew 12:22-37; see also Mark 3:20-35)* is one of the most important (albeit, perhaps, one of the most cryptic) of the Bible. I believe this because it is a direct statement of Jesus Christ outlining the one and only sin for which no man can be forgiven. (It is not so cryptic to one who follows faithfully the steps of the Holy Spirit.) I have read a great deal of commentary on this passage. Sadly, far too many Christians today do not even consider it.
What is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
Much, if not most of the commentary I have read goes something like this: Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit occurs whenever the thoughts, words and/or deeds of man or of demons are attributed to the Holy Spirit. This may very well be true, but it can be better and more completely stated. Please let me explain.
There is good, and there is evil.** The Holy Spirit embodies (encompasses) all thoughts (beliefs), words (statements) and deeds (actions) that are good – that glorify God and uplift man. The carnal, worldly nature of man and the deceptions of demons represent evil – glorification of self or purely selfish (worldly) ambitions; often at the expense of fellow humans. The Laws of God are for the good of all mankind. The breaking of God's Law is an act of evil and will always, sooner or later, result in bad consequences. God's Laws are embedded within the very soul of every sane, rational human being. It is called the conscience. The conscience is that little voice in your head that tells you not to do something that is bad (or evil). Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit happens whenever the conscience of an individual human being is completely seared or destroyed.
If you still have that voice in your mind that informs you that certain beliefs, statements and actions are wrong; or if you have a sense of guilt or remorse after doing something wrong, then you have not yet blasphemed the Holy Spirit. However, if you persist in doing something evil to the point that you no longer believe it to be wrong, then you have committed the unpardonable sin. You have substituted the Spirit of Truth with a spirit of lies.
Every sane and rational person who has not yet seared his conscience knows that any kind of premarital or extramarital sex act is wrong. If you have ever had sex outside of marriage, then DO NOT tell me that you had absolutely no inhibitions before, or regrets afterward! If you do, unless your conscience had previously been seared or destroyed, then you are telling me a lie.
Is this why so many homosexuals seek so adamantly the legalization (government sanction) of "'gay' marriage?" I don't think so. They (generally, though by no means universally) have no guilt or remorse. They, by and large, have seared their consciences. They (perhaps unwittingly) have a political, self-serving agenda to destroy the very precious and very long-standing institution of marriage.
Far too many Americans – even, sadly, Christians, seem to have forgotten that homosexual acts are egregious sexually immoral acts. (For just two of many examples, please see Romans 1:26-27 and Leviticus 18:22.)***
Is "'gay' marriage" a matter of civil rights?
America's Founding Document, the Declaration of Independence, states that the rights of man are "endowed by their Creator" and that "[G]overnments are instituted" for one purpose – "to secure these [God-endowed] rights." In other words, the rights of man come from God, not from men or from government!
Many who hate the Truth will tell you that these words were penned and ratified by wealthy white men who considered women and non-Caucasian ethnic groups as second-class citizens somehow unworthy of these rights. This is a lie! The same liars tell you and me with a straight face that government sanctions against interracial marriage and government sanctions against homosexual "marriage" are equivalent.
Nothing in the Word of God prohibits interracial marriage per se. Yes, there was a law (See Deuteronomy 7:3-4.) given to the Israelites against marrying Canaanite women, but this was to prevent an acceptance among the Israelites of Canaan idolatry. Moses, the "Law-giver" himself, apparently (albeit arguably, if not dubiously) married a Black woman. (See Numbers 12:1.) It is all but certain that Solomon, the wisest of all human beings had at least one Black wife. The Queen of Sheba is thought by some to be the heroine of Solomon's Song of Songs. In the Song of Solomon, the heroine – whoever she was – is described as black (or dark-skinned). The bottom line here is that nothing in the Word of God expressly prohibits a believer from marrying a believer of a different ethnicity. However, homosexuality and therefore homosexual unions are strictly forbidden in both the Old and the New Testaments. (See, again, Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:18-32; with special emphasis, perhaps, on verses 26 & 27.)
In America, all rights come from God – not arbitrarily from government. This is what has made Americans free and has kept American society stable in comparison to virtually all other nations of the Earth.****
The Civil Rights movement began when (for the most part) Christians demanded – loudly – the recognition by society of the God-given rights and dignity of their fellow Black Americans. The abolitionist movement had begun the very same way well over 100 years before. The "'gay' marriage" movement, on the other hand, is driven by man's ideas of "relativism" and "equality." It comes from the false idea that man (or society, or government) can grant rights. (See Matthew 19:3-12 and Mark 10:2-12.) Homosexual "marriage" is not a right; it is an abomination!
Can propaganda destroy individual conscience?
Nazi propagandists are said to have stated, "Tell a Big Lie. Repeat it often and the people will come to believe it." While the quote may never have been written or uttered verbatim by either Hitler or Goebbels, Hitler did document this concept in his jailhouse screed, Mein Kampf (My Struggle). It is known to this day as Hitler's propaganda tactic: The Big Lie (Große Lüge). Yet, this propaganda tactic predates Hitler by at least a decade or two. (Actually, it predates Hitler by millennia!)
Absent relentless and ubiquitous propaganda in the Muslim world, for example, there would be very few, if any suicide bombers and not nearly so much deep-seated hatred of Israel. Without effective propaganda, the history of warfare – and, thus, of the world – would be completely different. Obviously, propaganda can be very effective. It can be exercised both for good and for evil. When it is used for evil, can propaganda destroy an individual's conscience? Can propaganda, in and of itself, cause a person to blaspheme the Holy Spirit and to commit the unpardonable sin?
For at least five decades, propagandists all over the world in "religious institutions" (seminaries and "mainline 'churches'"), academia, media and "popular culture" (Hollywood, TV and the music industry) have been relentlessly disseminating, promoting and advocating many Big Lies. In the last two decades, two Big Lies have become noticeably prominent: 1) that "alternative lifestyles" (lesbian, "gay," bisexual and transgender) are completely normal and that they must be accepted by society at large; and 2) that "If you disagree, then you are a bigot!"
No one wants to be called a bigot. Big Lie propaganda has been so powerfully effective in America that now even many Christians are willing to accept "'gay' marriage." But what if these same Christians were forced to watch two men engaging in a homosexual act? What if their son or daughter suddenly announced to them, "I'm 'gay.'"? What if they were propositioned to engage in homosexual behavior? Would they be totally okay with any of that? I kinda doubt it!
Propaganda can shape collective public opinion by painting a completely false picture of reality. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was specifically and brilliantly designed to guard against this!! Propaganda cannot force an individual to deny or to destroy his own conscience. Denial of one's conscience is a choice – a completely sovereign act of personal volition. Prolonged, willful denial of conscience, though, does lead to the destruction of conscience. Total destruction of conscience – absolute rejection of the Spirit of God and replacement with the "wisdom of man" (or, the "wisdom of this world")***** – is the unpardonable sin.
It is true that some people are born with traits that predispose them to homosexuality. Others are born with traits that predispose them toward such things as alcoholism, gambling or violent (or obsessive) behavior. The very first decision to act upon these traits is both a choice and a violation of conscience. Repeated violations of conscience result in...well, you know!
It is the duty of all Christians to love all people as they love themselves, and to encourage others to make the right choices. To "enable" others or to encourage their sin is an evil act against them.
Homosexuality is not the unpardonable sin. However, any one person – or any society – who truly and unequivocally believes that homosexual acts are not sins, and in the hardening of heart with no further ability to know Truth, be convicted of sin, losing all power of repentance, has most likely committed the unpardonable (unforgivable) sin.
As individuals and as Christians, we must love all persons within the so-called "LGBT 'community'" and accept them as human beings who are loved by God. (See Romans 2:1-16.) We should be using the gifts of the Spirit (I Corinthians 12:7-11) to help all who are living in sin as the Holy Spirit guides and enlightens us. However, as a society – as a community, state and nation – we must NEVER allow the militant advocates/enforcers of the "LGBT 'community'" to destroy either the institution of marriage or the fundamental (Judeo-Christian) culture of these United States of America!
Is it too late? Have the foundations already been destroyed? I fear for my country; but my hope is in Him for which nothing is impossible!!
*Luke 11-14-28 is a third account of this event, yet it does not mention "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit." Is this a contradiction? Not at all! It is another perspective of what blasphemy of the Holy Spirit actually is; that is, being all but totally controlled (or occupied) by "spirits" (demons, ideas, philosophies, inadequacies, failures, etc.) that are not of the Spirit of God.
**Note that in the accounts of both Matthew and Luke, Jesus is quoted as saying, "He who is not with me is against me...." Mark (3:35) quotes Jesus as saying, "Whoever does God's Will is my brother and sister and mother." (NIV) There is no neutrality! There is only good and evil.
***No one sin is "more egregious" than any other in the eyes of God. Sin is sin and all sin deserves death. All humans are sinners, in need of a Redeemer! Conservatives err when they imply that homosexual behavior is somehow worse than any other kind of sex outside of marriage.
****Of course, there was the so-called "Civil War." The victors (namely, the North – or the Union; but more specifically, Northern Republicans) claimed that the "Civil War" was fought to end slavery and to preserve the union. Actually, it was much more complicated than that. Bottom line: The co-called "institution" of Black slavery had to end in the United States of America because it was a blatant violation of God's Law and, therefore, of fundamental American principles! However, as a result of that aggression – that instability, states began to lose their Ninth and Tenth Amendment covenants. There were violations of Law and abuses of rights on both sides.
*****Please examine carefully I Corinthians 1:18-31.
© Sam Weaver
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