Fruit

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Matt:12:31-32

So I tell you every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven - except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.

What exactly does it mean to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit? To attribute a definite work of the Holy Spirit to something else like chance or happenstance or luck or 'it so happened'. It can also be nullified attributing it to a result of your hard work and discipline.

So again, if you attribute the Holy Spirit's power to something which has no connection to Him. Even the demons have powers (though a little).

So how do we know? How do we discern? V:33

A tree is identified by its fruit. If it spreads the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, then it is from the Spirit. The enemy comes to steal and kill and destroy. Where as God has come so that we will have abundant life.

Yet, how is it in your life? Claiming to be children of God, claiming to possess the Spirit of God and if you show forth the fruits of sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and the like - then think. Do you blaspheme God's Spirit in you or do you glorify Him?

That is exactly why Jesus began by saying in v:30 - Anyone who isn't with me, opposes me.

Image credit: https://grangettos.com/blogs/fruit-trees-and-vines/add-some-fruit-trees-to-your-landscape

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The halfbaked Bard

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