Luke 12:1

The Bible says in Luke 12:1-3, “In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware you of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid that shall not be known. Therefore what you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which you have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” It is very significant to note that Jesus told His own disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were not saved. They were not believers in Jesus. But because Jesus told His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, we know that Christians can become infected with the same mistake made by the Pharisees.

Jesus made it very clear what He meant by the “leaven of the Pharisees.” He said it was their hypocrisy. Why were the Pharisees hypocrites? Why is hypocrisy something that can afflict anyone who is involved in organized religion? What is it about the situation that religious leaders find themselves in that gives them the potential to be hypocrites? It’s because their duties and responsibilities find them so often in front of groups of people speaking, leading, and teaching. They are in the public eye. They are in front of people.

Because religious leaders and teachers are so often in front of people in so many public settings, they spend much thought and time preparing to be in front of people. They become conscious of what they do and say while in front of people. They become more and more polished. They become better and better at standing in front of people. Their priority easily becomes what they say and do while in front of people. Because of this, they become tempted to not have a priority to be careful of what they say and do in private, and it becomes their downfall. If this happens to a religious person, then that person becomes a hypocrite just like the Pharisees who opposed Jesus.

In order to be a true servant of God, your top priority must be to serve God no matter what is your circumstance, and no matter who you are around. Religious people like the Pharisees become good at standing in front of people and presenting themselves in a public way, but they never develop a personal spiritual life or a personal relationship with God. If you are going to serve God, your priority must always be your own personal life and walk with God. It’s more important what Jesus knows you to be than what man thinks you to be. The wise person and the spiritual person wants to serve God in every situation.

If more religious people understood the truth of what Jesus said in Luke 12:2-3, then they would realize more clearly that attempting to lead a double life will eventually cost them dearly both in this life and in the next. The truth will always come out sooner or later. You cannot hide it forever. The truth is a powerful force that always finds its way to the surface in spite of man’s best efforts to keep it secret. Jesus said, “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid that shall not be known.”

Have you ever said something that you thought was in secret and that was intended for the ears of only a few, but found out later that it was overheard or repeated and that actually many more came to know the words that you said? Sometimes it’s almost as though the walls have ears. Most people have experienced this at some time in their life. You should not be surprised. Jesus said that things would happen this way. If they are not repeated now, then they will be repeated at the judgment. If you have something to say that would embarrass you if it were made public, then maybe you should not say it. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech be always with grace.” “Always” means in public and private.

In Luke 12:4-5 Jesus said, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear him which after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” Notice the term that Jesus used when He addressed the disciples. He called them “my friends.” Of course, throughout the Bible there are many great and endearing words used by God for his believers. He calls us His children and the sheep of His pasture. He calls us priests and kings. Abraham was called the friend of God, and here Jesus lets us know that we are His friends, if we believe.

Many times in the gospels Jesus tells us to fear not and to “be not afraid.” If you have faith, the right kind of faith and the right amount of faith, then you will not have fear. Where faith is, fear is cast away. Here Jesus is speaking of one of the most common fears of human beings: the fear of death. It’s easy to see why some people fear death, especially those who have no hope beyond the grave. Death can be frightening because of the loss and the pain and the finality and the separation involved. Death can be frightening for some because of the darkness and the unknown on the other side of the grave. But the message of Jesus is also a positive message of hope and promises about the future and life after death. Death could not hold Jesus, and it will not hold His believers either.

Those who fear death also fear those who they think can cause their death. But Jesus said, “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.” Rather think of what your attitude should be to Him who kills the body, and then also decides your eternal destiny. God is the giver of life, and He is the taker thereof. No man can take any life unless God permits it. God decides who dies and when they die. There is nothing to fear if you have the right kind of reverential respect and fear of God. You can trust the Great Shepherd to lead you even through the valley of the shadow of death, and while you are there you can be without fear.

God cares about us. The degree to which God cares about us is demonstrated by Christ in Luke 12:6-7 where He says, “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.” Jesus tells us not to fear because of God’s attribute of omniscience. God knows all things. Every moment of every day He is aware of every detail of the universe. He is a God of details. He knows all the statistics and all the facts. Every facet of His universe is important to Him. He sustains it; He guides it down to every molecule and every atom. God knows how many hairs are in each person’s scalp. The next time you brush your hair and a few hairs fall out, He knows how many are left. No one else keeps track of such details, but God does. God is with the sparrows and every other creature in His universe. He enjoys them, He watches them, He sustains them. Obviously, He values the animals highly that He has created. If He cares about them, and how much more He cares about each of us, according to Jesus!

In this passage of scripture Jesus has been addressing some of the fears that people sometimes have. Some people fear that they are of no value. They fear that maybe life has passed them by and somehow they have missed their chance and missed what they could have been. But Jesus is saying to everyone that you are of great value to God. He has given you life. He is interested in you, and He is there working in your life to accomplish what He wants to accomplish. You are always on God’s mind. You are of great value to God. No matter what has happened to this point, you still have today in which you can experience the Christian life and live by faith and be thankful to God for whatever He brings your way.

In the next two verses Jesus talks about another fear that some people have: the fear of man. This is a very common fear. It keeps many believers from being witnesses for Him. Jesus said in Luke 12:8:9, “Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” The word “confess” is a very descriptive word in the Bible. It means literally in the Greek “to say the same thing as.” We are very familiar with it in its usage concerning confessing our sins. When we confess our sins, we are saying the same thing about our sins that God is saying about them. God says that we did something that we ought not to have done, and we agree with Him. We confess: we say the same thing that God says about our sins.

In this passage Jesus said, “Whosoever shall confess me before men.” To confess Jesus before men simply means to say the same thing about Jesus that God has said about Him. God spoke from heaven and said, “This is my beloved Son, hear Him.” Jesus asked the disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?” If you say the name of Jesus Christ and if you say that He is the Son of God, and if you say it to the people of the world, then you are confessing Jesus. You’re saying the same thing about Him that God has said about Him. It does not take a lot. Just say His name reverently and respectfully in public and in the hearing of the people of the world.

For those who do confess Jesus in this world, there is a special promise given. Jesus said, “Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the son of man also confess before the angels of God.” What did Jesus mean by saying that He would confess us before the angels of God? Perhaps it speaks of some future honor that will be a part of the rewards to be gained or lost by believers. Jesus said that He will confess us before the angels of God. To confess means to say the same thing as. Jesus will say the same thing about us in heaven that we say about Him on earth. That’s the righteous judgment of God. If we honor Him before men, He will honor us before angels.

Of course, we know that angels are ministers of God and servants of God. God sends angels to do specific tasks for the furtherance of the will of God. Jacob saw angels ascending and descending to and from heaven on a ladder. Angels constantly are being sent from the presence of God to do His bidding. Without a doubt many times they are sent for the assistance of believers. Angels were sent to Abraham and Lot. Angels were sent to Mary and Joseph and the shepherds. Angels were sent to John to assist him in the writing of the book of Revelation, and believers in general are told to be hospitable to strangers because in so doing some have entertained angels. Perhaps when Jesus said that He will confess us before the angels of God, He meant that He will send an extra number of angels in our behalf as a benefit and a reward for confessing Him before men.

If you do not speak for Jesus Christ, then you will probably speak against Him. There is no middle ground on this issue. You are either for Christ or against Christ. You are either saved or unsaved. You are either under the guilt of your sins or you are totally free from all condemnation by faith in Christ. Jesus told us about the great blessing and honor that will be given to those who confess His name. What about those who speak against Him? Jesus said in Luke 12:10, “And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but unto him that blasphemes against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.”

Forgiveness is a wonderful thing. Because it is so important to speak in favor of Jesus Christ in this world, it is a very great sin to speak against Him. But Jesus said that such a sin could be forgiven. After all, He came into the world to save sinners, not to condemn us. However according to this Bible verse from the words of Jesus, we know that there is one sin that cannot be forgiven. It’s more than a sin: it’s an attitude of rebellion and rejection. Jesus said, “But unto him that blasphemes against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.” To blaspheme means to speak against. In this context when we say “to speak against,” the emphasis is on “against.” Someone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit resists, opposes, and rejects the Holy Spirit. The reason that this cannot be forgiven is because the Holy Spirit is the One who brings to someone the offer of salvation through faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin. The Holy Spirit points to Jesus Christ and attempts to reveal Him to a lost soul. The Holy Spirit says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

Jesus said, “That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit.” You must be born again in order to be forgiven of your sins. A person is spiritually reborn by the power of the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, a person who blasphemes the Holy Spirit, who resists and refuses the Holy Spirit, and who speaks against the Holy Spirit cannot be saved and cannot be forgiven.

If you have already been born again through faith in Christ, then this verse will never apply to you because you did not blaspheme the Holy Spirit when He brought salvation to you. You responded positively and looked to Christ. You said “yes” to the Holy Spirit instead of saying “no.” There is a great power in the will of man and the decision of man. Your own eternal destiny will be decided by the final decision that you make. Don’t make the mistake of resisting God or the call of the Holy Spirit in your life. Yield to Him today and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

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