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Bro. Ostis Wilson Jr.'s Commentary |
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Holy Spirit |
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Questions Concerning . . . |
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(Click on a heading to read
the respective article.) |
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Receiving the Holy Ghost
Question: Please comment on John 20:22: "And when he
had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them,
Receive ye the Holy Ghost." I have heard that some people
teach that is the way to receive the Holy Ghost.
Answer: First of all, I would like to say that there is
no special specified way for people to receive the Holy
Spirit. In Acts 19:6 the Holy Spirit was received through the
laying on of the apostle Paul's hands. Again in Acts 8:17 they
received the Holy Spirit through the laying on of the hands of
the apostles Peter and John. These were the people of Samaria
who had heard and believed the preaching of Philip as he
preached Christ unto them, and were consequently ready to
receive the Holy Spirit. Again in Acts 10:44, as Peter
preached Christ unto the household of Cornelius, they opened
their hearts and minds to the Lord and believed the words they
were hearing, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. In this case
there was no laying on of hands nor breathing on anyone or any
other kind of maneuver just an open heart and mind reception
of the Word as it was preached unto them. Also in Acts 2:1-4,
the apostles and their companions (about 120 in number)
tarried before the Lord in fasting and prayer for about ten
days; when the day of Pentecost was fully come, the Holy
Spirit came upon them and filled all of them. In this case
there was no one doing anything at all to anyone; but they
were just all fasting, praying, and waiting as they had been
instructed to do. Again in Acts 4:31, we read, "And when they
had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled
together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,..."
This was a company of about 5000 men who were all believers
and were under persecution and threat; they prayed,
consecrated, and dedicated their lives unto God and literally
laid their lives on the line before God; He accepted their
sacrifice and filled them with the Holy Spirit. In all these
cases we see there is no specified way, or maneuver, or ritual
for the receiving of the Holy Spirit but just meeting the
conditions to make them eligible for receiving the Holy Spirit
consecration, dedication, obedience and faith.
Also, I consider John 20:22 as a rather prophetic statement of
something to come, and do not believe that the apostles
received the Holy Spirit at that time for the following
reasons. The first nine verses of the first chapter of Acts
describe the last meeting on this earth between Christ and His
apostles. In verse 4, He "...commanded them that they should
not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the
Father,..." Then in verse 5, He clarifies what He was
referring to : "...Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost
not many days hence." It seems clear here that they did not
yet have the Holy Spirit at this time. Also Luke 24:49 is
another scripture which runs parallel with this one: "And,
behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye
in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from
on high." Luke 24:36, 53 contains a description of Christ's
last meeting with His apostles, and it is again clear that at
this time they did not have the Holy Spirit.
The apostles were instructed in Luke 24:49 to tarry in
Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. But
when was this to be? Acts 1:8 gives the answer; "But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon
you:..." The infilling of the Holy Spirit is the source of
this power to witness effectually for Christ, so again it is
clear they did not yet have Him.
Jesus said in John 16:7 that if He did not go away, the
Comforter would not come; but if He went away he would send
Him. In John 14:26 Jesus declared that the Comforter is the
Holy Spirit. Jesus had been gone back to heaven about ten days
when the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost.
For all of these reasons I believe that Jesus' statement in
John 20:22 was a kind of prophetic statement of something yet
to come. His "breathing" on them possibly corresponds with the
creation of Adam, and God breathing the breath of life into
his nostrils and he becoming a living soul. In this case,
Jesus' breathing on His apostles seems to have been a kind of
symbolic imparting of spiritual inspiration and vision
(without which no person can possibly be an effective witness
and servant of Christ) to bring a quickening and regenerating
grace into men's souls which these apostles did not realize
and possess in its fullness until they were filled with the
Holy Spirit. |
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Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost
Question: I do not understand Matthew 12:31-32. Please
explain.
Answer: First I will insert this passage, "Wherefore I
say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be
forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost
shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word
against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but
whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be
forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to
come."
The first question to be determined to intelligently discuss
these verses is, "What is blasphemy?" Webster defines
"blasphemy" as "to speak in an impious or irreverent manner
of; to speak ill or to the prejudice of; to use insulting or
abusive language." Further Webster defines blasphemy as "evil
or profane speaking and irreverence of God, derogating from
His power or claiming His attributes; the expression of
defiant impiety and irreverence against God or things held
sacred."
Jesus discusses this matter of blasphemy against the Holy
Spirit in Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-29 and Luke 12:10. The
entire context of these scriptures, which is helpful in
understanding and would be good for the reader to read in this
connection, is Matthew 12:22-33, Mark 3:22-30 and Luke 12:10.
In all these scriptures we find Jesus using this language, "He
that shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be
forgiven him but whosoever shall blaspheme the Holy Ghost, it
shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the
world to come." We see here that Jesus uses the terms "speak
against" and "blaspheme" interchangeably and this corresponds
with Webster's definition given above.
Then, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit would be to speak impiously
or irreverently of Him and His power and operation or to hold
that attitude towards Him. It is specified in Mark 3:30 that
Jesus spake these words, "Because they said, He hath an
unclean spirit," thus downgrading and derogating the Holy
Spirit and attributing work which could only be done by Him to
the devil. Adam Clarke says that it is evident that this and
nothing else is what is meant here. I agree that it is.
Let us keep in mind all the time that we are discussing
something very specific here and we should discuss it in a
specific way and not in any general terms. If we speak in
reference to "the sin against the Holy Spirit" let us specify
it as "blasphemy" with an understanding of what that term
means. All unrighteousness is sin and all sin is against the
Holy Spirit and is grievous to Him. But the common category of
sin such as pride, foolishness, an evil eye, uncleanness,
backbiting, malice, evil speaking, tale bearing, gossip,
slander, deceit and all such else as may be mentioned in the
Word of God are against Him only in the sense that His nature
is that of absolute holiness and consequently all
unrighteousness and unholiness is grievous and vexatious to
His holy nature.
But blasphemy against the Holy Spirit stands alone in a
category all by itself and is declared to be the only
unpardonable sin and, therefore, should be referred to in a
very specific way and not be mentioned in connection with any
of the common catalog of sins mentioned in the Bible.
Blasphemous words against the Holy Spirit are the worst kind
of sin and unpardonable. Jesus said, "...All manner of
sin...shall be forgiven unto men:..." (Matthew 12:31.)
Blasphemy against God, a sin immediately touching His name and
honor shall be forgiven. Words spoken against the Son of man
shall be forgiven even as it was to those who reviled Him at
His death, many of whom repented and found mercy. "...All
manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men:..."
said Jesus, but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy
Spirit, "...it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this
world, neither in the world to come." (Matthew 12:31-32.)
What is meant here is the individual who knowingly, with a
fixed purpose and full exercise of his own will, maliciously
opposes, defiantly blasphemes, impiously and irreverently
speaks of and despises the Person of the Holy Spirit and His
operations.
Matthew Henry comments on this point: "It is adjudged in our
law that an act of indemnity shall be construed in favor of
that grace and clemency which is the intention of the act.
Therefore the exceptions in the act are not to be extended any
further than needs be. The gospel is an act of indemnity. It
is necessarily construed in favor of grace and clemency and
its terms are extended as far as they possibly can be without
reacting against God's justice and holiness in order to make
room for everyone possible to be made partakers of its mercy
and benefits and the one and only exception is the person that
blasphemes the Holy Spirit and should therefore be construed
in the narrowest sense. This one exception, and it a somewhat
narrow one, is made not because of any defect in God's mercy;
not because He does not love those who are guilty of it; not
because he who becomes a blasphemer against the Holy Spirit
was originally overlooked in the "Whosoever will" invitation;
not that he was one singled out by the Almighty God as an
object of contempt and one to be punished from the beginning;
but because to be guilty of it inevitably leaves the sinner in
infidelity and impenitence."
But now the question remains, "Why is the blasphemy against
the Holy Spirit so eternally fatal when all other blasphemy
can be forgiven?" Jesus said, "...All manner of sin and
blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men:..." (Matthew 12:31.)
Note: This statement of Jesus included all manner of
blasphemy. But Jesus moved right on to say in the same verse,
"...But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be
forgiven unto men." But why this distinction? The answer is
rather simple when we understand the nature of the God-head,
the plan of salvation and the unfolding of the Divine
revelation of Himself and His truth unto men.
The God-head is a Trinity composed of three in one God the
Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. These
three have all cooperated together in the plan of salvation in
their various roles and capacities. God devised the plan of
salvation and sent His Son into the world to confirm it and
then sent the Holy Spirit into the world to execute it. God
had a dispensation in which He dealt with men directly and
personally. But men in general did not understand God and
consequently were not true in their allegiance to Him. Then He
dealt with men in a more indirect and impersonal way through
the law and the prophets, and in different types, shadows and
figures tried to reveal Himself more clearly to men through
the types and rituals of the law. But though they did not
understand Him and love and serve Him as they should, He was
merciful unto them and long-suffering with a purpose to send
His Son, Jesus, into the world to reveal Himself fully in Him
and perchance men would be convinced of their error and turn
to Him. Hebrews 1:3 declares the Son to be the "...brightness
of his glory, and the express image of His person,..."
Colossians 1:15 and II Corinthians 4:4 declare that Christ is
the "image of God." In John 14:9 Jesus said, "...He that hath
seen me hath seen the Father;..." Colossians 1:19 says that
all fulness dwelt in Him. Therefore it was a part of the
mission of Christ to reveal God to mankind in a full and
complete sense and to bring men to God.
Many were gained and brought to God through Jesus' revelation
of God to them, but in general they did not understand Him nor
believe in Him either. But that was not necessarily fatal,
because there was still another who was to come and reveal
Christ to them in a full measure and convince them of the
error of their ways. This was the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in
John 16:14, "He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of
mine, and shall shew it unto you." Also He said in John
16:8-9, "...He will reprove the world of sin,...because they
believe not on me." We see here it was the work of the Holy
Spirit to reveal Christ to men and convince and convict them
that they had missed the mark and erred greatly in not
believing in Him.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity and
completes the God-head. This is His dispensation in which we
now live and it is the last one. God's Word said in Acts 2:17,
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will
pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:..." and Peter declared
this that happened on the day of Pentecost to be a fulfillment
of a prophecy found in Joel 2:28. But the Holy Spirit was to
be poured out upon all flesh in the last days. Therefore this
is the last days and the last dispensation of time. There is
no other to come after the Holy Spirit to accomplish anything
more in the salvation of men. This is it! It is now or never!
All who fail to be convinced of their error in rejecting
Christ through the convicting power and influence of the Holy
Spirit and continue on in their unbelief and blasphemy are now
and were then sinning against the last remedy for sin and were
left without pardon. The Holy Spirit is the last agent of
conviction and the last means of access to God. Jesus said,
"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me
draw him:..." But the Holy Spirit is the agent through which
God draws men unto Himself and without His drawing, convicting
power we cannot get to God at all.
Since the Holy Spirit is the last remedy for sin and the last
means of access to God, to despise and irreverence Him leaves
one without any other source of help and means of access to
God, and consequently doomed. To blaspheme Him inevitably
leaves one in total and permanent impenitence and consequently
unforgiven and therefore eternally condemned. |
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