Friday in Advent 1: When forgiveness is not desired

Opening Sentence

In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3

Creator of the Stars of Night



Commemoration: Channing Moore Williams

Almighty and everlasting God, we thank you for your Servant Channing, whom you called to preach the Gospel to the peoples of Asia. Raise up, we pray, in this and every land heralds and evangelists of your kingdom, that your Church may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Saviour Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Texts: Psalm 9-11 (M); Psalm 12-14 (E); Isaiah 14:3-27, Mark 3:13-34 (M); Isaiah 16-17, Revelation 10 (E)

"And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, 'He is possessed by Beelzebul,' and 'by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.'"

Not only was this claim by the scribes callous, it was also perilous, placing these self-proclaimed religious know-it-alls in danger of eternal separation from God. Jesus warns them, “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”

What was it which the scribes said which placed them outside the forgiveness of God? What was their "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?" Was it merely an outward act, a careless word spoken out of ignorance or hard-heartedness? Did the scribes' real sin involve only the words of their mouths, or did it involve, moreso, the attitude of their hearts? Were not their careless words merely a manifestation of a callous attitude which so clouded their perception that they could not even acknowledge, much less glorify, God even when the power of his Holy Spirit was on display right before their very eyes?

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin not because of any failure on God's part to forgive "all sins" and "whatever blasphemies" committed or uttered by "the children of men." Rather, "whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness" because such forgiveness is not desired. The merciful, forgiving, and healing God revealed in and through Jesus Christ is a total stranger to such a person, so much so that he is unable to give God all the glory, but instead gives the devil all the credit.

(JAG)

Wait for the Lord