The Book of Ephesians Pt. 39 Do Not Grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

The apostle Paul has given us the doctrine of Jesus Christ and the application of the truths that we learned. We learned that we are called to walk a worthy walk that reflects Christ in us. 

Paul effectively uses "put offs" and "put on" to help us practically live by walking in newness of life. Each "put off" is followed by a "put on" so that we are in an ongoing process of putting off the things that lead us astray or that dishonor God. At the same time we are in an ongoing process to "put on" the things that help us walk closer with the Lord and that honor Him.

So far we have seen that we need to "put off" lying, anger, wrath, stealing and corrupt communication. 

Grieve not the Holy Spirit!

Ephesians 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

The context of this verse indicates that a believer committing any of the sins mentioned above will grieve the Spirit of God. Sin is unholy and He is the Holy Spirit who indwells us. Therefore, we are commanded to live a life that is pleasing to God. 

The word "grieve" means to make someone sorrowful or to cause someone to be filled with grief over our actions. This word is translated "grieve" or "sorrow" 24 of the 34 times it is used. Most of us have experienced times when something bad has happened to one of our loved ones and our heart becomes heavy, weighted down with sorrow because of what happened. That is the idea of what grieving the Spirit means. 

Unbelief grieves the Holy Spirit

Psalm 78:40  How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! 

When Jehovah redeemed Israel and led them out of Egyptian bondage by the hand of Moses, those people constantly murmured, complained and doubted God. They saw His presence on Mount Sinai, heard His mighty voice and witnessed countless miracles, and yet they had stubborn  unbelief. Thus, their unbelief grieved God during that time. 

Unbelief caused an entire generation of Hebrews to perish in the wilderness. However, Paul is addressing believers to make us aware that we too, can grieve the Spirit of God. We are not unbelievers because we have been born again, yet it is sobering to realize that each of us can still grieve the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

We have carefully studied Ephesians 4 and we have the context necessary to understand what it means to grieve God's Spirit. In simple terms, doing things that God forbids (Do not commit adultery) will grieve Him or failing to do those things which God commands us to do (Remember the Sabbath day) will grieve Him.

Pride

If we are proud instead of being meek and lowly like Jesus, we will grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:2).

Impatience and unloving attitude

If we are not patient and loving toward others like Christ, then we will grieve the Holy Spirit (4:2)

Causing discord instead of unity

If we do not seek to keep the unity of the Spirit within the church then we will grieve the Holy Spirit (4:3).

Not growing in our faith

If we are like children who are tossed back and forth by false doctrine and false teachers then we will grieve the Holy Spirit (4:14). 

Filling our mind with worthless things

If we walk in the vanity of our minds then we will grieve the Holy Spirit (4:17).

Doing what we used to to before salvation

If we are not "putting off" our old man ways then we will grieve the Holy Spirit (4:22).

Failing to renew our mind

If we are not "putting on" our new man in Christ and having our way of thinking renewed then we will grieve the Holy Spirit (4:23-24).

Lying

If we lie then we will grieve the Holy Spirit (4:25).

Anger & wrath

If we are angry and filled with wrath then we will grieve the Holy Spirit (4:26).

Stealing

If we steal and take things that do not belong to us then we will grieve the Holy Spirit (4:28).

Corrupt communication

If we speak using corrupt communication then we will grieve the Holy Spirit (4:29).

Walking too close to the world grieves the Holy Spirit

James 4:4 ⁴Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

James is very blunt in delivering his message to believers. If you think that you can do all the things that the world is doing and that God is ok with that, you are wrong. Friendship with the world makes us an enemy of God. 

Jesus pointed this truth out in His parable of the Seed and the Sower. One group of people who will not repent and be saved are those who pursue riches and care more about the things of the world instead of caring for the things of God (Matthew 13:22).

The apostle John also commanded us to love not the world and if we choose the world over following Christ, then the father's love is not in us (1 John 2:15).

Failing to hear & heed what the Spirit says grieves Him

Genesis 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

To strive means to act as judge to administer judgment or to plead a cause. It means to execute judgment, to govern, to contend, or strive. It seems clear that the Spirit of God will not always wrestle with our stubborn hearts. The more that we resist Him, grieve Him or quench Him the higher the risk of the Spirit ceasing from pleading with us.  

Acts 24:24-25 ²⁴And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. ²⁵And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. 

Felix heard the gospel from the apostle Paul and he was fearful but he told Paul to come back and talk with him another day. The Holy Spirit clearly brought Felix under conviction about his sins and about the certainty that God would judge him for his sins if he did not accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

He wants to lead us all the way through this life     

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

The word  "lead" means to lead by grasping with the hand in order to bring a person to their destination: to move or propel someone in a certain direction by persuading their mind.    

Psalms 25:4-5 Show me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. 5) Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

In this text the word "lead" means to go before and trample down a clear path so that we can follow and know the way that we should go. The Holy Spirit is working in us so that we become spiritually minded people who enjoy life and peace with God. He also does this work so that we are not carnally minded people who follow the flesh (Romans 8:5-6).    

He wants to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2)  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.    

Romans 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  

If we had a text to give a simple summary of the working of the Holy Spirit in the heart of each born again believer, it would be these two texts. We are always under pressure to be just like the world in which we live. It exerts constant pressure upon each believer to shape us into whatever everyone else is doing. The world will never give us any help to become more like Christ. Rather, the more we seek to live for His glory the more the world will react with hate and intolerance. 

Our minds and the way that we think needs to be renewed on a daily basis, so that we may pursue that which is good, acceptable and perfect before God. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

This is just a brief look at the topic of grieving the Holy Spirit but I hope it is enough to help us see the danger in being carnally minded so that we desire to be a spiritually minded people, governed by God's Spirit. 

Grieving the Holy Spirit is something no believer should ever do. He indwells us for some very specific purposes, including helping us grow and mature, exhorting us to live a holy and separated life, enabling us to worship God in Spirit and in truth. 

His ministry to us is vital and we must seek to be sensitive to His leadership in our lives. 

Apathy is a curse within the church of Jesus Christ today. Many just do not seem to care about living a holy life, reading and studying the scriptures, spending time with the Lord in prayer, witnessing to the lost. Instead, many professing believers live for self, are self conceited and self centered. These things are the opposite of what God is determined to do in us through the ministry of His Spirit. 

I pray that we will be convicted of our apathy toward God and our spiritual laziness. I pray that we will see that God owns us and that we were bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus Christ. I pray that the Holy Spirit will do a mighty work in His church today, saving the lost, bringing backslidden believers to repentance and exalting Jesus Christ in the sight of all His redeemed people. 

May our response to the word of God and the ministry of the Holy Spirit bring honor to God. 

Bob