Luke 12:8-12
'I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.'
The Lord said here that "anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven." Why is the work of the Holy Spirit so important? Why didn't Lord say the same about blaspheming Father God or Holy Son, but only about Holy Spirit? That is because Holy Spirit is the only entity in the Trinity of God that works directly inside us. In the Trinity, Father God plans, Holy Son executes, and Holy Spirit is the one who actually completes the work of salvation in our life. The Holy Spirit enables us to blame ourselves for sin, righteousness and judgment, Holy Spirit gives us a new life, and Holy Spirit sanctifies us. Therefore, Holy Spirit has the closest relationship with us.
Paul, back in the New Testament time, didn't know Jesus and thus blasphemed His work; he had great zeal for God and persecuted the Christians, and even Jesus. When the Holy Spirit called him on his way to Damascus, however, he immediately obeyed the calling and did not blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Holy Spirit completed the work of salvation by Jesus Christ on Paul, and his sin of blaspheming Jesus was forgiven. Nevertheless, if someone continues to reject the work of Holy Spirit and refuses to repent, to the point that Holy Spirit stopped working, then he no longer has the opportunity to repent and be saved. In addition, because the Holy Spirit has the closest relationship with us, believers living the world must rely on Holy Spirit, and He will guide us on how to talk and act in our daily life. It's not just guidance through rational analysis or judgment by experience, but rather direct guidance in our daily circumstances.
In verse 12, Lord said that "the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say." First, you must believe that Holy Spirit can speak to us directly, and it can be immediate without delay. The reason why our faith can become routine and dull is because we lost the ability to listen to the immediate guidance from the Holy Spirit. Because Holy Spirit never stops speaking to us, as long as we are sensitive to Him, we will be able to receive. Second, when Holy Spirit is moving, He will not contradict against the word of God, and He will bring forth fruit of peace. This is a principle that can be tested. The Bible says that we can distinguish between the work of Holy Spirit and of evil spirit by the fruit. May God help us, give us a sensitive heart, and let us experience guidance by Holy Spirit everyday.
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