He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar and the truth is
not in him.
(1 John 2:4)
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Article Excerpts
Understandably, there is confusion regarding just what blasphemy is and what punishment it carries. There are biblical passages that speak of the blasphemer being put to death, others speak of his forgiveness. There are also the scriptures that speak of the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost which constitutes the unpardonable sin. Its not only imperative to understand how to avoid committing the unforgivable, but also to understand exactly why there is forgiveness for blasphemy against Jesus, but not against the Holy Spirit. Misunderstanding of this truth, sadly, has been used to give credence to the false teaching that Jesus is not God since blasphemy against Him is pardonable. What Is The Blasphemy Of The Holy Ghost And The Unpardonable Sin?
By Dr. Rita L. Betti
NOTE: The above author does not minister with Heavenly Manna but rather is an independent author. We do not endorse independent authors by the inclusion of their work/s on our website. Each piece of work is reviewed for its accuracy of biblical teaching. Heavenly Manna Ministries neither endorses the ministry of individual independent authors nor their teachings as a whole.
I just wanted to weigh in here on the issue of sin and sins. Easter is always a time of concentration on the reason Jesus came, what he accomplished and why we trust him as our savior. Reflecting on Christ’s redemptive work on the cross, it occurred to me that we get all mixed up in our theology and don't realize the scope of what He did.
We talk a lot about Christ dying for our sins, (both past and present) making his redemption a very personal thing. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this as long as it is kept in context. But let's make one thing clear . . . Christ came to die for Adam's SIN. And because he did, each individual IN ADAM has the good fortune to have their sins forgiven.
Well, you might say, what's the difference? Sin or sins, isn't that just semantics? No, there is a huge difference and one which I think most people don't understand. Because of this misunderstanding, we have divisions in the body of Christ.
I'm going to point out the difference with an illustration. When I lived in Washington (state), we had a terrible time keeping the wild blackberry bushes from taking over our yard. Every year I would pull out the new sprouts and cut back the canes to keep them from growing back. Alas, it was a losing battle and after five years of constant vigilance, I called a nursery and asked how to get rid of them. The gentleman I spoke to informed me I must kill the main root or crown. He explained it was most difficult because the crown was located deep in the soil and had to be poisoned at its very source. He also informed me that it could take up to three years to kill one crown, especially if it was a large and established plant.
Now, let's apply this to the sin/sins issue. Sins are the fruit of sin. As in the blackberry bush, each sin (sprout) originates from the main root and though we may cut them down, they cannot be eradicated unless the root is killed. See where I'm going? Christ died for our sin, the root, the originator of all the sins we commit. If you once grasp this fact, it can change the way you view sin, sinning, and redemption. A whole new possibility of holiness arises. The redemption of Christ takes on a new dimension because the cross then becomes the point of death to the source of sin, not just sins. Hope expands; grace is greater, freedom a bigger possibility.
Romans 5:18-19 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
Yes, Christ died for my sins but more than that, he died for humanity's sin, the root, the core problem. Posted by Rita L. Betti to Rita's Ravings at 4/19/2006 07:24:00 AM
NOTE: The above author does not minister with Heavenly Manna but rather is an independent author. We do not endorse independent authors by the inclusion of their work/s on our website. Each piece of work is reviewed for its accuracy of biblical teaching. Heavenly Manna Ministries neither endorses the ministry of individual independent authors nor their teachings as a whole.