In times of spiritual aridity, I would think that I had done something wrong. Up until last week I believed intellectually that was not true. All of the great pastors talk about this being the time to be retreat from the world and be intimate with God. My heart always blamed my flesh, for invariably one way or another I had fallen short of the glory of God and therefore suspected that was the real reason for my dissuasion.
But I have realized that spiritual aridity actually has two sides - the obvious being a lack of inspiration. The second is a form of idolatry, and this is the real disconnection where God is not even considered in the times when the spirit does triumph over the flesh. I now believe that to be what blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. To struggle with a sin time and time again, and then to not even think of God when that temptation finally becomes unacceptable in the heart and flesh and is thoroughly rejected. Truly a stunning revelation for me on so many levels.
The first is that spiritual aridity is actually a coin with two sides. A coin where we make a withdrawal from our spiritual bank account, having put money in during times of inspiration and study. The second is that the person does not even see the victory and furthers that detachment even more to the apex of not praising God. The third, and most unbelievable revelation because it is the most disconcerting and elusive teaching of Jesus: the one unforgivable error - the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:30-31). I will conclude my piece with the definition of this unsettling warning.
With idolatry being my main focus of redemption after my conversion in July, I consider this an amazing gift and probably the reason I was for the first time empowered to resist the offence I have never in its full form been able to accomplish. It wasn't until days later when the amazement really sunk in during prayer that I realized God's praise was not even in the equation to that problem that HE solved!! Cue repentance.
The only way to reclaim our room in God's mansion is to apologize when we put Him behind anything else. it sounds harsh, it might even turn people away from God. Would I really lose my place in the kingdom of Heaven if I were to have died in that sin? Yes. It would have been better that I lived in my lesser sin than had conquered it and instead committed idolatry. When Jesus said that all sin will be forgiven except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, he was actually referring to the time when he will come like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:42-44). When the time comes for God to come for us, there won't be a knock at the door, no prep time, no window for last minute prayers of sorrow.
God is Love. God is also a Father. We have only one Father (Matthew 23.9). If we chose a counterfeit father, we disavow Him and will go to live with that counterfeit. Yes, we will most certainly lose our rightful inheritance and be removed from the book of life (Revelation 22.19). I was taught that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is to reject God's healing. Those are the only words I was taught, and until my conversion that was enough information. With time, training, and conviction, I now understand the deeper level of the surface definition. To reject God's healing also entails leaving God out in times of healing.
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is ultimately idolatry, the oldest sin in our history. That which started with the removal from paradise on earth, and will end with the denial of the mansion in heaven. The Good News is that we are given the armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17) to equipt us, plus the love of Christ which I believe will most certainly never let us die in this sin, which in its most basic structure is compete godlessness. I have also discovered that there is nothing to fear about this one unpardonable sin, because while it must exist, those who love God will most certainly be spared. If God will let His Son take on our curses and buy our debts, He will most certainly give us enough grace to repent before it is too late.
But I have realized that spiritual aridity actually has two sides - the obvious being a lack of inspiration. The second is a form of idolatry, and this is the real disconnection where God is not even considered in the times when the spirit does triumph over the flesh. I now believe that to be what blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. To struggle with a sin time and time again, and then to not even think of God when that temptation finally becomes unacceptable in the heart and flesh and is thoroughly rejected. Truly a stunning revelation for me on so many levels.
The first is that spiritual aridity is actually a coin with two sides. A coin where we make a withdrawal from our spiritual bank account, having put money in during times of inspiration and study. The second is that the person does not even see the victory and furthers that detachment even more to the apex of not praising God. The third, and most unbelievable revelation because it is the most disconcerting and elusive teaching of Jesus: the one unforgivable error - the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:30-31). I will conclude my piece with the definition of this unsettling warning.
With idolatry being my main focus of redemption after my conversion in July, I consider this an amazing gift and probably the reason I was for the first time empowered to resist the offence I have never in its full form been able to accomplish. It wasn't until days later when the amazement really sunk in during prayer that I realized God's praise was not even in the equation to that problem that HE solved!! Cue repentance.
The only way to reclaim our room in God's mansion is to apologize when we put Him behind anything else. it sounds harsh, it might even turn people away from God. Would I really lose my place in the kingdom of Heaven if I were to have died in that sin? Yes. It would have been better that I lived in my lesser sin than had conquered it and instead committed idolatry. When Jesus said that all sin will be forgiven except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, he was actually referring to the time when he will come like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:42-44). When the time comes for God to come for us, there won't be a knock at the door, no prep time, no window for last minute prayers of sorrow.
God is Love. God is also a Father. We have only one Father (Matthew 23.9). If we chose a counterfeit father, we disavow Him and will go to live with that counterfeit. Yes, we will most certainly lose our rightful inheritance and be removed from the book of life (Revelation 22.19). I was taught that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is to reject God's healing. Those are the only words I was taught, and until my conversion that was enough information. With time, training, and conviction, I now understand the deeper level of the surface definition. To reject God's healing also entails leaving God out in times of healing.
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is ultimately idolatry, the oldest sin in our history. That which started with the removal from paradise on earth, and will end with the denial of the mansion in heaven. The Good News is that we are given the armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17) to equipt us, plus the love of Christ which I believe will most certainly never let us die in this sin, which in its most basic structure is compete godlessness. I have also discovered that there is nothing to fear about this one unpardonable sin, because while it must exist, those who love God will most certainly be spared. If God will let His Son take on our curses and buy our debts, He will most certainly give us enough grace to repent before it is too late.
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