Notes for8 April 2025

We usually perceive Christ’s words that any sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven as a measure of God’s mercy limitation. Here, it seems to us, there is something that God can’t (or doesn’t want) forgive. And all the interest here is to know: what is this shit that God refuses to forgive.

We lose a fabulous, unbelievable thing that says Jesus behind these words: any sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people. It is substantial that we don’t have a modal category here: can be forgiven. In the Greek original, as in the English text is just the future tense: will be forgiven. However, this doesn’t cancel another Saviour’s word: ask and it shall be given to you. There is no doubt we should seek forgiveness, that is: a) need it {forgiveness}, b)ask it, and c)practice it in our lives. But it is also important for us the promise that our hope for forgiveness is realizing. Limitation is the lot of creation, but forgiveness as God’s affair can’t be limited.

What stands up then behind these Jesus’ words, that any blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven? Let’s try to rephrase them for apparency. Water can humidify anything except water, Fire can burn anything except fire itself. Anything can be forgiven, except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Forgiveness is not just a gift, but more than that, it is an action and a manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit; if this presence undergoes blasphemy and is not accepted by us, then the fire of forgiveness will not kindle.