Morning Meditation: 10/18/14
GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT
Eph. 4:30
This morning I want us to look at the grieving of the Holy Spirit as he indwells us exercising the Lordship of Christ in our lives (2Cor 3:17).
First, lets look at the verse: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
The word “grieve” (lupeo) means according to Kittel: “pain, sorrow; to cause pain.” He goes on to explain: “Both physical pain and mental anguish are covered by the words.” When applied to mental pain, “it is especially the anguish of misfortune, death annoyance, insult and outrage.” This is a language definition used of the Holy Spirit to help us understand the “feeling” that the Holy Spirit has when He is not allowed in my life to guide, empower and control. It is a present active imperative verb. The present tense means that the Christians in Ephesus or any who read this Epistle are not to keep on causing the Holy Spirit to be grieved. Paul is addressing an on going problem. The active voice means that the believer has a choice. The filling of the Holy Spirit is a choice. We must choose to submit to His control. The imperative mood is a command expressing urgency. A believer can ruin another believer’s life by a bad example. When we grieve the Holy Spirit something important is wrong. At the time of grieving Him, we are in control. When we are in control, it is always flesh control. Flesh turns out death (Rom 8:7-8). When we walk after the flesh, the fruit of that walk is death. I am not saying that the Christian is dead. What I am saying is that the product of his walk is death. The fruit of the Spirit is only produced when the Spirit is in control.
The words “the holy Spirit of God” are used by Paul to remind them that the Spirit that indwells them is of God and He is holy. The God who loved us and gave his Son to die for us has given his holy Spirit to indwell us (John 14:17) to guide (John 16:13), to teach (John 14:26), to comfort (John 14:16) and to be permanent (John 14:16). The believer’s body is called the “temple of God” (1Cor 3:16) because of the indwelling of the holy Spirit. Paul wants the Christians in Ephesus to know that the Spirit in them is from God and is God and is grieved at things going on in their lives.
The words “whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” are words of assurance at the time of warning, rebuke and caution. The words “ye are sealed” (sphragizo) means “to set a seal upon, mark with a seal, to seal 1a) for security: from Satan 1b) since things sealed up are concealed (as the contents of a letter), to hide, keep in silence, keep secret 1c) in order to mark a person or a thing.” -Strong. The verb is aorist passive indicative. The aorist tense is a point of time divorced from time and perpetuated forever. It is once-for-all at a point of time in the past. The passive voice means that the sealing happened to them. God is the Actor. They are recipients of this action. God saves and seals. The word “whereby” means “in Whom.” The holy Spirit Himself is the Seal. The words “unto the day of redemption” tell the Christians at Ephesus that the holy Spirit is with us for the duration. The word redemption here refers to the completion of our salvation at the time of glorification. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Satan is the one who threatens us with the loss of salvation when we sin. This is not a license to sin. It is the way of God in grace!
Remember, he is talking to Christians who were grieving the holy Spirit at the time of the writing. Instead of threatening them with the loss of salvation, he appeals to them on the grounds of the grace of His indwelling and what their sins do to Him; he makes sure they understand that what is wrong in their lives does not threaten their security. What a motivation to holiness!
I read a story in Watchman Nee’s book on the Normal Christian Life that I will share with you. I’ll let him tell the story: “I remember, late one summer, I went for a prolonged period of rest to a hill-resort where accommodation was difficult to obtain, and while there it was necessary for me to sleep in one house and take my meals in another, the latter being the home of a mechanic and his wife. For the first two weeks of my visit, apart from asking a blessing at each meal, I said nothing to my hosts about the Gospel; and then one day my opportunity came to tell them about the Lord Jesus. They were ready to listen and to come to him in simple faith for the forgiveness of their sins. They were born again, and a new light and joy came into their lives, for theirs was a real conversion. I took care to make clear to them what happened, and then, as the weather turned colder, the time came for me to leave and return to Shanghai.”
“During the cold winter months the man was in the habit of drinking wine with his meals, and he was apt to do so to excess.. After my departure, with the return of the cold weather, the wine appeared on the table again, and that day, as he had become accustomed to do, the husband bowed his head to return thanks for the meal but no words would come. After one or two vain attempts he turned to his wife. ‘What is wrong?” he asked. ‘Why cannot we pray today? Fetch the Bible and see what it has to say about wine-drinking.’ I had left a copy of the Scriptures with them, but though the wife could read she was ignorant of the Word, and she turned the pages in vain seeking for light on the subject. They did not know how to consult God’s Book and it was impossible to consult God’s messenger, for I was many miles away and it might be months before they could see me. ‘Just drink your wine,’ said his wife. ‘We’ll refer the matter to brother Nee at the first opportunity.’ But still the man found he just could not return thanks to the Lord for that wine. ‘Take it away!” he said at length; and when she had done so, together they asked a blessing on their meal.”
“When eventually the man was able to visit Shanghai he told me the story. Using an expression familiar in Chinese: ‘Brother Nee,’ he said, ‘Resident Boss wouldn’t let me have that drink!’ ‘Very good brother,’ I said. ‘You always listen to Resident Boss!’”
Glory to God!! I am ecstatic at the moment. You’ll just have to pardon me. “Resident Boss?” Please pray for me that I will always listen to and obey “Resident Boss.”
May God bless these words to our heart.
In Christ
