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 Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:12 am
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 6:09 am
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 9:14 am
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 6:30 pm
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Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 5:13 am
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The Blasphemy Challenge' Tempts Teens To Curse God
September 12, 2014 | Alex McFarland
Though only 17, high school senior Perri Frost has met more than her share of atheists and agnostics. For several years she has been reaching out to fellow teens who are skeptics, including some who post videos on the internet insulting God.
"Some of the teens who seem most hostile toward God are the same ones who emphasize that they are rational thinkers," she says. "It seems odd to want to insult Someone who supposedly isn't there."
Regarding the videos, Frost is referring to "The Blasphemy Challenge," an Internet-related activity that encourages people to post a clip of themselves cursing God or renouncing the Holy Spirit's work in their life. The more brazen clips include assertions that the person willingly accepts the consequences this action (including hell) incurs should it turn out that God does exist.
Blasphemy-challenge promoters make no secret of their desire to promote atheism among teens. One website offered to send a free DVD documentary against Christianity to teens who post a video rejection of God online. One of the project's organizers told Fox News, "It (the blasphemy challenge) exposes the crock that is Christian doctrine."
Some Needed Clarifications
Online atheists base their so-called "blasphemy challenge" on Scriptures such as Mark 3:29 in which Jesus says, "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin" (ESV). On the basis of this Scripture, some atheists fault God for apparently being unable or unwilling to forgive this specific sin.
But what exactly is blasphemy? Are there unforgivable or unpardonable sins? How does one know whether or not they have "crossed the line" and passed beyond the point of God's forgiveness?
Biblical examples of blasphemy imply irreverence or slander against God. But the term also means, "to spurn." The Scriptures alluding to "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" imply a two-fold indictment against the leaders who personally encountered Jesus while He was here on Earth: They refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, plus they accused Him of being empowered by Satan. To say the least, they spurned Jesus.
Considering the Context
Barry Leventhal, Ph.D., is director the Jewish studies program at Southern Evangelical Seminary. Regarding passages that deal with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, Leventhal states, "There is a difference between an unpardonable sin, and the unpardonable sin. The sin which ultimately places a person beyond God's forgiveness is to live and die in the act of unbelief. That is, to reject Christ."
Most scholars agree that Jesus' ominous warnings about "blaspheming the Holy Spirit" represent a situation unique to the time that Christ was on Earth. Leventhal explains, "Jesus had presented Himself as Messiah to the Jewish leaders. With irrefutable evidence, He had done everything necessary to validate who He was."
Because the religious leaders were intimately familiar with all of the Old Testament Scriptures—and because the incarnate Lord was right in front of them—these particular Jewish leaders had been entrusted with an unparalleled amount of revelation. "For them to stubbornly maintain that posture of unbelief and then to attribute Christ's work to the devil—this rejection of God's overtures was the inexcusable, unpardonable, "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit," Leventhal explained.
Could a Christian Commit the Unpardonable Sin?
Some Christians struggle with a nagging fear that they may have committed an unforgivable sin. Verses like 1 John 1:9 reminds us that when people come to God in repentance and faith, "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." Rom. 8:1 assures believers: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Jesus taught that part of the Holy Spirit's work in the world would be to reveal to people their sinfulness and need for salvation (John 16). A healthy concern about sin evidences the fact that the Holy Spirit is still at work in a person's life. To feel contrite about sin is proof that one hasn't committed something unpardonable.
Effective Witness in an Age of Doubt
Interestingly, the taunts of blasphemy-challenge videos are directed almost exclusively at the God of Christianity.
"The online atheists and teens who are into the blasphemy challenge are almost exclusively opposed to Christianity," says Frost. "There are almost no complaints against other faiths. Virtually all of the atheists rail against Christianity only."
The rise of spiritual skepticism and outright blasphemy are vivid reminders that Christians must strive to be authentic. After listing the spiritual qualities that ought to be tangibly present in a Christian's life, Gal. 5:23 says that "against such things there is no law." In other words, "it can't be argued against." The blasphemy of an unbelieving world is tangibly answered by a testimony of Christ-likeness on the part of God's people.
Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2014/September12/125.html#Mriy7EzEbBjtxtIj.99
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Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:16 pm
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Garland-Green Most scholars agree that Jesus' ominous warnings about "blaspheming the Holy Spirit" represent a situation unique to the time that Christ was on Earth. Leventhal explains, "Jesus had presented Himself as Messiah to the Jewish leaders. With irrefutable evidence, He had done everything necessary to validate who He was."
I disagree.
A person can commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit after Jesus' earthly ministry too: the miracles Jesus' apostles displayed in the power of the Holy Spirit (and what Jesus' disciples demonstrate today in the power of the Holy Spirit)—is the Holy Spirit doing it. If someone gets healed of something incurable after praying in Jesus' name, or raises from the dead, and a person rejects after witnessing that miracle, it is no different than the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit back when Jesus walked the earth.
We're not explicitly told, but I think Ananias' and Sapphira's case was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11). They fell dead. They're not denying Jesus as Messiah. They're sinning against the Holy Spirit.
Acts 5:1-11 (NIV)
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
Were Ananias and Sapphira forgiven? I don't think so. And they won't be forgiven in the next age either.
Matthew 12:30-32 (NIV)
32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Also, we have the epistles to the Hebrews—written after Jesus resurrected and later ascended (so, not during Jesus' earthly ministry)—talking about receiving no forgiveness/not being able to repent again after partaking of the Holy Spirit and deciding to abandon the faith (Hebrews 6:4-6).
Hebrews 6:4-6 (NIV)
4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[a] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Footnotes:
a. Hebrews 6:6 Or age, 6 if they fall
Both cases are after Jesus' earthly ministry.
We will not be forgiven for committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (with or without Jesus present). Anyone who rejects/acts against the truth—after being convicted of the truth—will not be forgiven. Needless to say, most of these kids are not committing this sin if they never believed/witnessed a miracle. You would have to be convicted of the truth first, and then act against that truth, in order to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. |
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