Don’t grieve the Spirit - 25 May 2010 |
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Ephesians 4:30 says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” This is an unusual phrase – it’s certainly not the way we usually express ourselves – and it’s therefore worth looking at the context to work out what it means.
Paul has just been talking about the importance of speaking to each other in encouraging, edifying ways: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (v. 29). He goes on to say more about the importance of godliness in the way we relate to each other: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (vv. 31-32).
This helps us to see what sorts of things grieve the Holy Spirit. We grieve the Holy Spirit every time we harbour bitterness against each other. We grieve the Holy Spirit whenever we speak evil of each other, and whenever we lack tenderness and understanding. We grieve the Holy Spirit whenever we hold grudges and fail to forgive. The Spirit is grieved by Christian disunity.
The reason this grieves the Holy Spirit is that he is the one who unites us with Christ, and therefore with each other in the body of Christ, the church. We are one in Christ, because we are all indwelled by the same Spirit. When our lives don’t reflect this oneness-in-Christ, it’s as if we’re standing against the Spirit’s work in us, opposing him rather than rejoicing in him.
Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Exhortations before confession, Minister's Blog