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NASB | Matthew 12:32 "Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 12:32 "Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit [by attributing the miracles done by Me to Satan] will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. [Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10] |
Subject: Thanks but.... |
Bible Note: Hello, searcher. I agree with you that receiving the Holy Spirit is "automatic" when we are saved. You made an excellent reference to John 16, which describes the work of the Holy Spirit. Some people think of the Holy Spirit only in terms of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but we should emphasize the person of the Holy Spirit. As to whether there is a "subsequent part," please consider John 20:22 and Acts 1-2. In John 20:22, on the day the empty tomb was discovered, Jesus breathed on the disciples, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit." They believed in Jesus as the Messiah and were saved. However, on another, later occasion, He told them that they would soon be "baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:5). When the disciples were baptized with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, there was a supernatural manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit that was apparent to all who observed. I think that you would agree that this type of manifestation does not always occur when a person receives the Holy Spirit at salvation. I think that the source of ngkh's concern is whether a person, like his brother-in-law, who does not believe in the manifestion of the power of the Holy Spirit as observable gifts is in danger of committing the unpardonable sin. Jesus did not say that failure to believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit was the unpardonable sin, but that the unpardonable sin was _blaspheming_, or speaking against, the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32). From ngkh's description of his attitude, it appears that his brother-in-law respects both the person and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I would think that he would not be in danger of committing the unpardonable sin. I agree with others that committing the unpardonable sin is deliberate and reflects an unchangeable hardness of heart toward the truth of God and the salvation He has provided for us through Jesus. I would add that the Holy Spirit's role in this process is crucial and ought not to be denigrated whether the Holy Spirit's work is quiet and apparent only to the individual believer or whether it is so obvious that those affected appear to be drunk as in Acts 2:13-15. |