No Room for Neutrality

"Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me. Matthew 12:30   Again, today's reading in Matthew brings us to a number of interesting scenes in Jesus' earthly ministry - casting out demons, confrontations with the Pharisees - as well as bringing us face-to-face with some challenging teaching regarding divided kingdoms, unforgivable sin, the words we speak and spiritual warfare.  Wow!   I'll address one area that stood out to me; I'd love to hear how God spoke to your heart as you wrestled with these difficult passages.   My thoughts on today's reading center around this idea: In our relationship to Jesus, there is no room for neutrality.  In the great struggle that we read about in vs. 25-30 between Jesus and Satan, between the Kingdom of Darkness and the Kingdom of Light, everyone must pick a side.  The claims that Jesus made about himself and His kingdom are so exclusive that those who are indifferent or apathetic are actually on the side of those who deny Him. Jesus is asserting His authority over Satan and, assuming that Jesus is still speaking to the Pharisees and the crowd that had gathered (vs 23-24), he seems to have used this opportunity to sound a warning: either you are for Me or you are against Me.  Following Jesus halfheartedly may be just as dangerous as opposing Him outright.   I won't pretend to fully understand what "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" means (vs 31), but I can tell you my simple interpretation of those passages.  (If I'm wrong, hopefully the professionals will step in!)   I believe that when Jesus says that "speaking against the Son of Man" is forgivable,  He is talking about not accepting the truth of the gospel.  As we know, there is repentance and forgiveness for those who do not yet believe, and Jesus came to seek and save the lost.  Until our dying day (witness the criminal crucified alongside Jesus), it is not too late to receive Him in faith.  It seems to me that the unforgivable sin of speaking against the Holy Spirit may be the very same rejection of the truth of the gospel except that it is done with full understanding of what is being done.  I think we are being warned in this reading, as well as in a couple of places in Hebrews, against a thoughtful, willful, and fully conscious turning away from Jesus.    When Jesus says that there is a sin that "will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come", we see  a very different Savior from one that many people have come to "know".  Many prefer the Savior that loves all, forgives all, accepts all....and requires nothing.  No repentance.  No brokenness.  No submission.  Especially no taking up your cross.  But Jesus, the REAL Jesus of scripture, told us in Matthew 7 that "the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it".      I know I need to keep wrestling with these difficult passages of scripture so that I can better know Jesus - not just the white-washed, sanitized, (dare I say Sunday School?) version of Jesus, but the One whose words are both convicting and affirming.       Lord Jesus, your words can be challenging, confusing and even scary, at times.  There are times when we read scripture and we have more questions when we're finished that when we began.  Thank you for not being angry or impatient with our lack of understanding.  We know that we must choose this day who we will serve; we cannot stay neutral.  Will you give us the faith to choose You?   We are resting in your care, Amen.    Karen