Grieving - Part 1

 

Ephesians 4:30 “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

 

Last Sunday, Pastor Herk continued in his church’s sermon series through the Epistle by the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians. What does this verse reveal about the Holy Spirit? (1) The Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is a person. Holy Spirit is the combination of two Greek words (1) “Hagios” meaning “most holy”, reverend, worthy of veneration, and “Pneuma” meaning the third person of the triune God, the Godhead or the Trinity. The Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son; never referred to as a depersonalized force. The Holy Spirit is 100% God, sometimes referred to in a way which emphasizes his personality and character (the "Holy" Spirit) and sometimes referred to in a way which emphasizes his work and power (the Spirit of "Truth"). 

 

In John 14:16-17 Jesus declares, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.” The person of the Holy Spirit is fully God. Acts 13:2 states, While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me for the work to which I have called them.” The Holy Spirit is eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omnibenevolent. 1 Corinthians 12:11 proclaims, “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” But, the Holy Spirit can be grieved. The Greek word for “grieve” is “lypeō” meaning to offend to make sorrowful, to affect with sadness, or cause grief. The 1828 Webster’s dictionary echoes the definition: 1. To give pain of mind to; to afflict; to wound the feelings. 2. To afflict; to inflict pain on. 3. To make sorrowful; to excite regret in. 4. To offend; to displease; to provoke. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God (Eph.4). It gives the notion of betrayal, as when someone close betrays our confidence or trust. 

 

The second thing that this verse reveal about the Holy Spirit is: (2) The Holy Spirit loves us. The Holy Spirit is in an omnibenevolent love relationship with us. Agape love is an attribute of God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit longs for us; thinks about us, and desires to be close to us. When knowingly and willfully engage in sinful behavior (that what is “wrong in the eyes of the Lord”, or neglect of what is “right in the eyes of the Lord”), the Holy Spirit is deeply grieved by the rebellious sinful thoughts, words or actions. God’s holy Word, Will and Way set the righteous standards by which to live and are sacred criterion for the best life that He lovingly designed.  

 

The third thing that this verse reveal about the Holy Spirit is: (3) The Holy Spirit will never leave us. Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” The moment that we truly repent of sin, believe in God, and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit is given and indwells our transformed hearts, sealed for eternity; the guarantee of the complete fulfillment of our redemption. Our redemption, as well as our salvation, has three aspects to it. (A) We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ from the wages of sin. (B) We are being redeemed and made alive in Christ for the abundant life that leaves behind the dark and empty way of life of unbelief. 

 

(C) One day in the future, we are going to experience the full extent of our redemption. The Holy Spirit will be in us and with us always. Jesus tells us in Luke 21:27-29, “they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” The Apostle Paul proclaims in Romans 8:23, “we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.” The Holy Spirit is in our lives until Jesus calls us home to Heaven, then our redemption is complete.  

Let's continue Pastor Herk's message on what grieves the Holy Spirit in the next Post.

In Christ, Brian