Blasphemes against the Holy Spirit

The lack of understanding of a true doctrine of Salvation due to not acknowledging the Holy Spirit. When a person do NOT acknowledge the Holy Spirit, that is explained in Mark 3:29 "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!" The Holy Spirit is the only person that can quicken people to be saved. 1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 1 Thessalonians 4:8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, we will not REPENT. We cannot repent on our own. We are to repent with the help from the Holy Spirit who will help us TRANSFORM us to the image of God. Are people willing to acknowledge the conviction of the Holy Spirit is the question. Since sin often ignores the Holy Spirit... not many will acknowledge. People will (as 2 Timothy 3:7 says) always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

Discern or Judging

Are we judging Christians and non-Cristians? For as we judge others so we will be judged by God. Are we heavenly minded or earthy minded? In Romans 14:5 "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind." 1 Corinthians 10:28-29 "both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience' sake, the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience?" Romans 14:10 "You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat." Judging relates to pride that magnifies the faults of other Christians and diminishes their graces, while it diminishes the faults and magnifies the graces of its subject. Appearance is one thing but fruit of the Spirit is the other. "You should not judge", is not the same as "fruit inspector", or "discerning true and false teachings". We have to be careful how we discern to make sure that we are not "judging" when we are discerning. To avoid causing others to stumble when judging is itself strong incentive to walk by the Spirit. Biblically, Christians are no longer "in the flesh": "You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him" (Rom 8:9). For me as a believer to reach out to those who are lost is a privilege and a responsibility. I have to be careful to do it for God's glory and not mine. Discern between right and wrong Hebrews 5:14 (New Living Translation) "Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right."

More about Salvation

Regarding Salvation... its a tough issue and often I leave this with the Lord. I just go with the flow and watch the fruits. Its not just Universalism but lack of understanding of a true doctrine of Salvation due to not acknowledging the Holy Spirit. When a person do NOT acknowledge the Holy Spirit, that is explained in Mark 3:29 "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!" Acts 15:8 "God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us." Often so-called Christians are "selective hearing" on the doctrine of Salvation. From the "surface", so-called Christians are looking doctrines the way people WANT to hear so they could give their time to pursuits more to their liking. In regards to tithing, Jesus spoke the issues of a person's heart and a Christian's motive. "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." — 2 Timothy 4:3 There will always be people who will dispute God's sovereignty and His plans for Salvation. But they are scared because of the world we live in. People can preach by using human fear or preach by using faith in God's sovereignty. Salvation is free through Grace (undeserve kindness) of God and His unconditional love. Is God's grace cheap? Becoming a disciple, following Jesus Christ requires personal cost, giving up your selfish "me" and become like Christ. People get saved because Jesus said in John 16:8 "When He (Holy Spirit) comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." Later in the New Testament, 1 Thessalonians 1:5 "because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction." People can talk all they want what they think about Doctrine of Salvation. People who don't discern regarding salvation are those who are spiritual "ignorance". Ephesians 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope." No matter how sincere Christians may be, Christians without discernment are sure to err. Christians speaking, even quoting Scripture, are not the same as practicing their faith. Faith will express itself in faith deeds not just words. Is our Christian practice consistent with Jesus Christ?