“But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation…”
Mark 3:29
I heard a man say that the reason blasphemy of the Spirit has no pardon is that the Holy Spirit is defenseless as the dove to which he is compared. He forces no repentance and serves only to defend the name of the Father and the Son but makes no defense of his own.
Now, I’m not saying this is certain or even true, but it is an intriguing idea that I cannot rule out. There have been times in my life in which I have frustrated family and friends by applying this principle to my life—the no defense part, not the no forgiveness part.
I cannot say my detractors have ever felt any qualms about attacking me, except for one instance when a dying man said he should not have let me stand alone. He and I were both at peace about that.
I can with certainty say, I have never once regretted standing silent in the face of accusers or evil speakers. I’m not averse to confrontation when necessary for a cause or a principle. The defense of my own honor has never seemed necessary to me. Either my life tells a different story or it credits the libel. I will accept the consequences of whichever one is true.
I sight the example of Jesus like a lamb led silent to the slaughter. As with so many things I hold sacred, not all men (or women) have this knowledge. They take oaths and shout principles about refraining from speaking ill of others, but they say and do not—and there is a word for that.
I will say, for my part, this applies to verbal attacks only. Forced to physically defend myself is an entirely different matter. I have literally turned the other cheek, but have explained the consequences of slapping the second one to those so inclined only to have the offered cheek refused.
The scripture says that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. If I trust in God and my Creator credits me with righteousness sufficient to be in his divine fellowship, I cannot be harmed in a meaningful way by the words of men.
Does all this mean that I do not feel the blows of words? No, and neither does it mean that I won’t lose sleep evaluating the validity or lack thereof. I assess myself as less worthy than my detractors, how shall they harm me or make me feel small? The only words that I hope will move me to an impassioned response are, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Maranatha
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