Grace and Space

Lk 12:8-12
Taught by the Spirit: Christians can give one of two responses to persecution: witness or denial. Each response carries with it a corresponding acknowledgment or denial by the Son of Man on the day of judgment.
However, “everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven” (v 10). In the first case, those who speak against the Son of Man can be forgiven because they do so out of ignorance; in Luke’s schema, the Holy Spirit has not yet been given to the Church. After the resurrection and once the Spirit is poured out on the Church at Pentecost, ignorance will be removed, and those who speak against Jesus will be blaspheming the Holy Spirit who will teach them what they should say at that moment.
Therefore, when Christians are subjected to persecution, they need not worry about how they should state their case or about what they are to say. As long as they have not blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, they will be given the wisdom and strength to witness to their faith in Jesus. As he had already told his followers, all they have to do is ask and the Father in heaven will give them the Holy Spirit (cf 11:13).