God holds us accountable for what we know. Christians must avoid the temptation to attach meaning to such thoughts. Second, the real picture of the master in this parable is found in Matthew 25:21 and Matthew 25:23, where he is thrilled with the first two servants, one man with five talents that became five more and another man with two talents that became two more. I struggle with intrusive thoughts daily for that past few months, and the birds and leaves analogy has helped me realize how insignificant the thoughts are, and how they are not holding on to me, but I am just holding onto and looking at a meaningless leaf. At other times, I thought I would lose my mind; for instead of praising and magnifying the Lord with others, if I but heard Him spoken of, presently some most horrible blasphemous thought or other would bolt out of my heart against HimThese things did sink me into very deep despair, for I concluded that such things could not possibly be found among those who loved God. If you think you hate God, go talk to Him about what you are feeling, and why you feel that way. We also cant control that a leaf floats by us in the river, but we can let it keep floating out of sight, or we can pick it up. Ironically, the more anxious one is to please God, the more severe the affliction. But Karen, there is hope! This cookie is set by doubleclick.net. WebTruly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin for they were saying, He has an unclean spirit. I feel I have battled with these intrusive thoughts for so long that they have completely taking over my life. In these persons the good spirit uses the opposite method, pricking them and biting their consciences through the process of reason. These observations I hope will change Haydens or anybodys perception of Christ as a hard master. BTW,the only way something can NOT BE FORGIVEN is if you are dead.Only then is it too late. Next, we will experience emotions from the thoughts. The conclusion is: if you are sorry and want to repent then you have not committed blasphemy against the holy spirit! May the peace of God rule in your heart. Be careful not to make too much of thoughts that enter your mind. WebThis shows that in most cases, uncontrollable blasphemous thoughts are not a theological matter or even a spiritual one, but the product of a psychological condition that is not only most unpleasant, but exceedingly unfair. But there are certain Biblical ideas that deeply affect the way we interact with our doubts and fears. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Lets summarize intrusive thoughts activate a sequence of thoughts and emotions within us. The question comes in from a listener named Hayden. If you think you hate God, go talk to Him about what you are feeling, and why you feel that way. Obsessive compulsive disorder (simply defined) is a pattern of distressing thoughts and fears (obsession) that lead to repetitive behaviors (compulsion) in an effort to decrease or manage the distress experienced from the thoughts. The word for hard in Matthew 7:14 is afflicted, beset with all kinds of pressing, hard experiences in life. Therefore, this verse is best understood as a restatement of the reality Jesus had just pointed out: "Blaspheming the Holy Spirit" means to deny the power of the true God and salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Lewis said, Christ is hard to satisfy and easy to please, which simply means (and I think thats right) his standards are infinitely high he is God but oh how ready he is to say, well done to a faithful, imperfect servant. There is a way out.Blog on how to overcome the fear of the unpardonable sin: https://www.paulandkathleenministries.org/post/overcoming-the-fear-of-the-unpardonable-sin-1 Typically, these are people who have scrupulosity, also known as religious OCD. The sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit in the verses that followwas therefore not merely about insulting the power of God inignorance, but because theyknew Jesus was the Son of God and refusedto admit it out of selfish pride. Often I fear that I am the wicked servant who said of the master, I was afraid, because I knew you were a hard man (Luke 19:21). Dont be discouraged. Blasphemous thoughts are unwanted thoughts that call Gods work evil. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form. Frequently at my work a dreadful suggestion forces itself upon me, and even on my bed I am startled from my sleep by whispers of the evil one. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I feel condemned, please help me. For the heavenly-minded, temptations are of an altogether different nature. I fell!! Lets take a brief look at how our spiritual forefathers found relief. A true bible based, Jesus centered online community. One of these great temptations seemed to be blasphemous thoughts. As a result we work even harder to push the thoughts away and end up fixating on the very thoughts we want to get rid of. Used to track the information of the embedded YouTube videos on a website. Glad it was helpful, Ivan! What are you saying to yourself about the thoughts? When you sin against the Holy Spirit then you feel no remorse for sin, sin delights you, and encourages you onwards in your sinful path. These cookies are set via embedded youtube-videos. How to Overcome Blasphemous Thoughts: 4 Key Lessons. Choose some Scriptures to confront what youre saying to yourself. These accusers were implying that Jesus' authority came from Satan rather than God. Some scholars teach that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit refers to the sin of attributing Christ's miracles, wrought by the Holy Spirit, to the power of Satan. I thought maybe the most helpful thing I could do here, rather than jumping all over the Bible for a bunch of texts, would be to stay pretty much with the parable where Hayden got the trouble (Matthew 25:1430). It is not a blasphemous thought to think that you hate God. That is why we speak!! Bunyan did suffer from what modern-day folks would call Religious OCD, and struggled fiercely against doubt, fear, and intrusive religious thoughts urging him to deny Christ. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I am posting this testimony of the spiritual battle I have been in, because I have noticed that some people are concerned about. If you want to make changes in your spiritual life, save it for a time when youre thinking rationally and non-emotionally. The Word affect us!! But wait. And how do we respond? Praise God! Name those uncomfortable emotions. Today, we would say he performed exposure therapy on himself. To resist that conviction and willfully remain unrepentant is to blaspheme the Spirit. First, due to shame often being associated with the intrusive thought, if we try to pin it on something external, then it feels less shameful. Ironically, the more anxious one is to please God, the more severe the affliction. Give the thoughts right to Jesus in prayer and ask Him to help you. I am freaking out so much, I heard that unintentional or thoughts that you can't control will still hold you accountable and that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit can be committed unintentionally/accidentally in your thoughts. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. I also dont think someone who had turrets syndrome would go to Another teaching is that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit means to accuse Jesus Christ of being demon-possessed. Yes thats what unwanted intrusive thoughts are in nature. Ultimately, facing and objectifying these thoughts allowed Bunyans anxiety to decrease enough that he could ignore and overcome the blasphemous thoughts. It has struck at people living in the world, and also at those leading the monastic life, whispering that there is no salvation in store for them, murmuring that they are more to be pitied than any unbeliever or pagan. I do not wonder you feel that you are without strength to stop these hideous and abominable thoughts which Satan pours into your soul; but yet I would remind you of the Scripture, When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.. Youre in the company of many others from ages past who struggled with the same thoughts. Easy? Keep putting one foot in front of another. A hug from here. Anyone disturbed by the spirit of blasphemy and wishing to be rid of it should bear in mind that thoughts of this type do not originate in his own soul but are caused by that unclean devil who once said to the Lord, I will give you all this if only You fall down and adore me (Matt. BUT the scripture says is SPEAKS, NOT THINKS. He loves to have these open and honest conversations with us about who He truly is and how much He truly loves us no matter what. Struggling against these thoughts would take up hours and hours of time each day. Please share Talk Jesus community on every platform you have to give conservatives an outlet and safe community to be apart of. What is blasphemy? As C. H. Spurgeon brilliantly implied, we might as well try to fight off a swarm of attacking bees with a sword than try to stop blasphemous thoughts from swarming in our minds. Its an alien thought. A Christians salvation and identity are in Christ alone and completely secure. Powerful! Climacus made two simple points: first of all, recognize that these thoughts are not from you. WebThis shows that in most cases, uncontrollable blasphemous thoughts are not a theological matter or even a spiritual one, but the product of a psychological condition that is not only most unpleasant, but exceedingly unfair. Eventually, Loyola was able to classify his intrusive thoughts as temptations rather than something he could claim as his own. Im really struggling with intrusive blasphemous thoughts.. but my sin is that Ive worried that much, dwelt on them, trued tl work out if I meant them or did on purpose etc, to the point where they are triggered so easily and I feel like Ive thought them (said them in my head) and agreed with the thought, so now I think Ive completely blown it with God, when I didnt want these thought in the first place.. Im a mess.. Hi Karen, I get where you are coming from. WebOne is that in Matthew 12:32 Jesus says, Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either in this age or the age to come. If the possibility of forgiveness were taken away only after death, then Jesus would not have said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable in this age as well as the one to come. Your email address will not be published. We can gain more perspective by examining the parallel accounts in Matthew and Mark. I would have exchanged hearts with anybody. In other words, a person who refuses to accept Jesus will eventually be condemned if they do not repent. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives today? This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. Someone who may have clinical anxiety or OCD may have an unwanted intrusive thought and are more likely to view their thoughts as bad, immoral, shameful, sinful, etc. Whereas someone who does not have clinical anxiety is more likely to dismiss the thought and move on with their day without giving the unwanted intrusive thought more headspace. A thought is just a thought let it go! My faith is not in the presence or absence of guilt feelings, or some other quirky sign, but exclusively in the saving power of Jesus who died for the sins of the entire world. In 2 Corinthians 9:8, Paul says, God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. God does not load his children with burdens and then watch to see how they do. Its even the first human emotion identified in the Bible all the way back in Genesis regarding Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit. I dont believe that that freedom is always instant. I appreciate your recommendation of these blogs because I am always searching for OCD blogs. Jesus explained how illogical and knowingly false their accusation was: "If I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons castthemout? WebThe scripture says, No one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. What does the Bible say about emotions?. I am still working at it, and will always will. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. What is the unpardonable sin? Amen, this is a great lesson for believers. While this sounds simple it is difficult. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. BUT the scripture says is SPEAKS, NOT THINKS. I also dont think someone who had turrets syndrome would go to Ignore the urge to do more (compulsive spirituality) or do less (compulsive avoidance). 4:9). If this is the case, seek professional help. But Gods role in that includes meeting every need we have. Bunyans great torment lasted several years. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. This cookies is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos. These are truths that have been like a healing balm to tortured, obsessive souls for the last 14 centuries. What is your response to those emotions? Unwanted thoughts, no matter how repulsive, are merely pesky flies that refuse to be shooed away. I have studied Jesus words very carefully, and it simply means this: To Unwanted thoughts about God or religion happen to every spiritually inclined person. In this video, Kathleen shares in brief how she finally got rid of unwanted intrusive blasphemous thoughts against the Holy Spirit with God's help and by His mercy. BUT the scripture says is SPEAKS, NOT THINKS. We dont have time to read the whole thing, but here is the idea: This is the parable of the talents, where five talents are given to one person, two are given to another, and one is given to the last person. It may be for Hayden that the bigger issue than the fact of harassment is the content of the harassing thought namely, that Christ is a hard master. You can choose to dwell on them or just let them go. (More on that shortly.). He doesnt speak with a forked tongue. I refuse to be duped out of my Christ-bought rights. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.. So in summary, satan putting blasphemous thoughts into the minds of Christians is not unusual or uncommon. I'M SO SCARED. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God,surely the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matthew 12:25-29). This can be encouraging to know youre not alone. ( proverbs 18:21!) There is no pardon, either in this age or in the age to come, for a person who rejects the Spirits promptings to trust in Jesus Christ and then dies in unbelief. He says at the last day, Enter into the joy of your master. Thats not a hard master. Unfortunately, some of the young monks who went to the desert to deny their passions and find holiness through self-denial encountered great temptations along the way. To the worldly-minded, the devils temptations are of pleasure and vice. In other words- we attach meaning to intrusive thoughts, to ourselves. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is not something that a person can say or do in a moment by accident or ignorance. All of us experience it: blasphemous thoughts about God emerge in our minds. Here is the main difference; how the thoughts are judged! Thanks you all! You must log in or register to reply here. Shame and guilt are the feelings that flow from the thoughts. Paul gives the principle in 2 Corinthians 8:12. The first thing Hayden should do with the harassing thought that Christ is hard, the way this man says hes hard, is to say to that thought, No, hes not. WebUnholy Commandments of Sacred Blasphemy 5. Another teaching is that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit means to accuse Jesus Christ of being demon-possessed. WebTruly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin for they were saying, He has an unclean spirit. The following is from Charles Spurgeons book, All of Grace. tqb-impression-2045-tqb-user-60f57081ee1b65_56201664, tqb-impression-2045-tqb-user-60f570f671e497_32882585, tqb-impression-2189-tqb-user-60f57080d8efc3_26603292, tqb-impression-2189-tqb-user-60f570a35906b8_59176067, tqb-impression-2341-tqb-user-60f5708568cea4_21812820, tqb-impression-2924-tqb-user-60f570d6a0d8d6_62640332, tqb-impression-2924-tqb-user-60f57106889ba2_61578013, tqb-impression-3075-tqb-user-60f570e23bf777_45533188, tqb-impression-3123-tqb-user-60f570750f80f8_87645952. Is he a hard master? For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:2830). WELL PRAISE GOD!!! Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Man it's tough being Catholic, I don't know what to do anymore. Your email address will not be published. Blasphemy, or sin against the Holy Spirit, is when you take the true work of the Holy Spirit and you speak evil of it, attributing his work to the devil. and our Blasphemy - one of the sins mentioned in Scripture that can strike fear into the hearts of people and is considered to be unforgivable. Web5.1K views 10 months ago. Get information on Christian counseling and life coaching here. Dont condemn yourself for that. And, as Charles Spurgeon and other devout Christians and Bible scholars affirm. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that it would be better to ignore these thoughts rather than fight with them. The amount of terror that they shock into a believer is enough to bring us to a standstill. Unwanted thoughts about God or religion happen to every spiritually inclined person. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Dear Pastor John, for seven long years, Ive had hard thoughts of Christ. Shame, guilt, and fear are common negative emotions associated with intrusive thoughts. What do you do when you believe or think that Christ is a hard master? Psalms 23:1-3. Maybe something triggered it or maybe the unwanted thought just appeared. to set it,you have to speak it! The best solution is to change what we believe about the intrusive thought rather than trying to avoid the intrusive thought. But eventually, he overcame this great struggle of the mind and faith. These discouragements and blasphemous thoughts are pare of an insidious tactic being used against you. If theres anything you walk away with today let it be this: first, everyone experiences unwanted intrusive thoughts at times. I feel condemned, please help me. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit means denying the power of God and is mentioned by Jesus in connection with the unpardonable sin. It refers to great disrespect shown to God. 30 Apr 2023 15:53:35 Let me say a quick three things about this situation in the parable. But why then does it make a distinction that speaking against the Son of Man will be forgiven while blasphemy against the Spirit will not? Labeling unwelcome intrusive thoughts as sinful thoughts or bad thoughts is not a productive way to address such thoughts. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is a mindset that is firmly set against God and unwilling to acknowledge Him even when one knows that they should. I have studied Jesus words very carefully, and it simply means this: To These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Remember, research shows nearly everyone experiences unwanted intrusive thoughts, although many researchers believe everyone has thoughts at times that are violent, sexual, blasphemous, bizarre or negative and dark in nature. We surprise Satan and win the fight with an unexpected strategy: admitting we ARE horrible sinners, capable of blasphemy and much worse but praise God, when we were yet without strength, Christ died for the ungodly!, Recognize your blasphemous thoughts as not yours, If tempted to avoid them, learn to face them head-on; if tempted to argue with them, learn to casually dismiss-and-redirect, When in times of spiritual desolation, keep right on going with what youve always done, despite the negative feelings, Cling to Christ as your very personal Savior, a Savior of weak sinners who are without strength to earn acceptance. Here is your talent. Like Bunyan, Loyola also suffered from what would today be called Religious OCD. The sin against the Holy Spirit is not just to think blasphemous thoughts about the Holy Spirit, but to deny that Jesus is your Saviour even though you know He is. Hi old friend, I reached out a few years ago, and you respnded and Jesus responded, my heart was gladdened. In other words, its a way to manage the emotion of shame. The path we walk,is governed both by what we say, or speak,and what we do! He doesnt accept that he was a hard master. (Psalms 119:169-176!!) Additionally, the level of distress that is caused by such thoughts will vary based on how we view and evaluate the thoughts that were experiencing. Experiencing bizarre or paranoid thoughts is another type of disturbing thought you may experience. Get it out of your face swat it. I have studied Jesus words very carefully, and it simply means this: To Here are some illustrations that are also helpful: We cant control that a bird flies over our head, but we can keep it from making a nest in our hair. Eph 3:20!! Take your confidence from Philippians 4:67: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And here is it.. LOL, From what I understand the pharisees who witnessed Christ's miracles and said they were from satan are the only ones able to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. But they are slowly killing me. What does the Bible say about emotions. Say with John Bunyan (oh how I love this little poem). Be careful not to make too much of thoughts that enter your mind. 19952023 All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@ucg.org. THEN!!! C.S. If you are reading this article, youre probably experiencing intrusive or unwanted thoughts. What does it mean that a house divided cannot stand? Thought. THANK YOU! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Christians who are dealing with unwanted intrusive thoughts wonder, are blasphemous thoughts unforgivable? All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. 4:9). It stirs up the dirtiest and most obscene thoughts within us, thereby trying to force us to give up praying or to fall into despair. Rome wasnt toppled in a day, and neither can we overcome blasphemous thoughts by haphazardly applying good practices once or twice. I also dont think someone who had turrets syndrome would go to They are a deception from the father of lies, who is a murderer, Unwanted thoughts of any kind are thoughts promoted by the enemy of our souls. Ask God to liberate you from this harassment. The purpose of the cookie is to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. Speak, I say, Speak the Word of God without fear! Also, hearing about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit DEFINITELY doesn't help either, considering that it makes me 10000000x more nervous. He hardly appears and is gone again immediately. Working with a counselor really helped me. But, the reality is that everyone does experience such thoughts. While I was in this torment, I often found in my mind a sudden urge to curse and swear, or to speak some grievous thing against God, Christ His Son, or of the Scriptures. We know what we need to do. Thank you for the essay Jamie, much appreciated. Friend, I know what you mean, for I have myself by hunted by this wolf. He feared to step incorrectly, lest he place his foot by accident upon two pieces of straw overlaid in the shape of a cross. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement". Blasphemy - one of the sins mentioned in Scripture that can strike fear into the hearts of people and is considered to be unforgivable. Wherever I go, blasphemies steal in upon me. People tend to ask if an intrusive thought can be triggered for a couple of reasons. Second, resist the temptation to judge yourself for the disturbing thoughts. As your scrupulosity coach, Im here to help you get out of your head and rediscover a thriving relationship with God. org about blaspheming the Spirit. Let us say, Get behind me, Satan! This means that the presence of a thought in your mind is not necessarily a mark of your own identity in Christ. So were praying that there would be a guard from God not to let that happen. messaging_plugin_https://scrupulosity.com/_106322400888133. I cannot get away from this horrible temptation.. He says to both of them exuberantly, Well done, good and faithful servants. Then he adds something, and this is why I said its exuberant. He writes, I thought they would destroy meI dared scarce cast mine eye [upon them]. Jesus doesnt contradict himself. What sin won't God forgive? Back to the birds & leaves they will come, but you can let them just keep on going out of sight. I have a question though when taking captive intrusive thoughts, it seems like someone might fixate on it whilst going through the steps rather than just let it pass. Thanks for the testimony and posting about Charles Spurgeon Been thinking to read one about him just lately where, he too fight some kind of struggle. So where do these thoughts come from? After the death of his wife, he entered the monastery in the Sinai peninsula of Egypt (today called Saint Catherines Monastery). In this article, we will examine the meaning of this phrase in more detail. This is evident from Peter's moving sermon in Acts 2:36-38, where he urges those who demanded Jesus' death to open their eyes and realize that Jesus actually was the Son of God as He claimed to be so that they could repent and receive forgiveness. LET IT!! Is it a sin if you have intrusive thoughts? The word "blaspheme" comes directly from the Greek blasphemia, which most nearly means "evil speaking."