Blasphemy!!

Recent events have made the topic of blasphemy rather prominent… and that may be putting it mildly. When imagery confronts us… gives us that proverbial gut punch… and our soul recognizes that which we hold as sacred being profaned… when the holy is polluted… not identified with the commoner in all of us — saturated with an awareness of our unworthiness, but instead someone unrepentantly self-aggrandizing.

But blasphemy… what really is it? Is it more than merely what makes us cringe with shock and shake our heads in disgust?

Blasphemy has to do with slandering, profaning, or desecrating things that are sacred or holy. Recognizing this can be muted by aspects of our culture and society that increasingly hold everything as common and nothing as holy – but that is often with the caveat of personal/individual “truth” and interpretation of what may be offensive.

Identifying and naming that which is blasphemous or heretical is important for the sake of rebuke and exhortation. But it is also important for us to take this opportunity for some self-reflection. As believers in the Messiah we believe has been blasphemed, how sacred do we hold this temple within us the He has chosen to fill with His Spirit? (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Do our attitudes, words, and actions in any way profane that which Jesus has made holy by His presence?

May the ardent sincerity of our beliefs be reflected in the equally ardent sincerity of our confession and repentance as well. (Luke 6:41-42)