Direct Answer
Jesus' words show a God who is patient and far bigger than human mistakes about Him. Christians should still correct error, while refusing the spirit that wants people condemned.
Support from the Message
- Jesus said every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, and any word spoken against the Son of Man will be forgiven. The one exception is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, described as denying an obvious work of the Spirit. - The spirit at Nicaea acted as if Jesus should refuse to forgive people who had things wrong. - The people in these disputes were trying to explain God, and they were not trying to blaspheme. - A father would not be upset by what a 3-year-old believes about his marriage, and humans should not think themselves so important that God is upset by every misunderstanding. - David Bercot adds that this does not make it okay to go around teaching heresy.
Discussion Follow-up
Where are you tempted to be less forgiving toward wrong ideas than Jesus said He would be? What would change if you saw those people the way He does?