Grieving the Holy Spirit of God.
I. WHAT IT IS TO GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. We are startled at the expression. Few of us would have thought of using it if we had not found it in the Bible. It cannot be a mere figure of speech. It must describe a strange, sad, touching fact.
1. God is a living Spirit. He can be grieved.
2. God is our Father, related to us, loving us. It is of the self-sacrificing nature of love that it lays itself out to be wounded when it is treated unworthily. We can always hurt most those who love us most.
3. God is within us. The Holy Spirit is God dwelling in our spirits. Because he is so near he is much concerned with our character and conduct.
II. HOW WE MAY GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.
1. All sin is grievous to him, as holiness is hurt by unholiness and love by unworthiness. This should be one warning against our carelessness in falling into temptation. If we do not feel it, God does. A child who would not refrain from a bad thing on its own account, checks himself as he thinks how it would vex his mother. We should be warned by remembering that our sin hurts God;—did it not kill Christ?
2. St. Paul has in mind the particular sin of corrupt speech (Ephesians 4:29). This defiles the soul and dishonors the temple in which the Spirit of God dwells. Flippant conversation on sacred subjects, as well as language that is absolutely debased, is grievous in the ears of God, not only on its own account, but because it reveals a low tone of spiritual life and a want of the reverence and love that we owe to the Holy Spirit.
III. WHY WE SHOULD BE MOST CAREFUL NOT TO GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.
1. Because of the obligations of gratitude for past grace. If we are spiritual Christians we are "sealed;" i.e. we have the mark of God's recognition and owning given by the Spirit. After accepting the uniform of the Divine King, how can we heedlessly bring dishonor on his Name?
2. Because of the responsibilities of our present condition. We are sealed "in the Spirit." To be in living relation with the Spirit of God is the condition of all who are new creatures in Christ. This higher fellowship brings higher claims.
3. Because of the hope of our future redemption. Christians are sealed "unto the day of redemption." The first day of redemption is the day of Christ's death, but that marks only the beginning of deliverance. To each soul the day of God's forgiveness and welcome of the penitent is a day of redemption; but perfect redemption is deliverance from all evil. This is at present a hope, and the hope depends on the work of the Spirit of God. If we are grieving the Spirit of God how can we ask for his aid? There is danger lest one grieve the Holy Spirit so that he take his departure, and then how dark and woeful will the deserted soul be!—W.F.A.
Charity to the undeserving.
I. THE NEGATIVE DUTIES. "Let all bitterness, etc., be put away from you." Various influences tempt us to the indulgence of these dark passions.
1. Natural disposition. Some men appear to be born with an acrid and mordant temper, as some plants secrete irritant poisons.
2. Provocation. Anger rouses anger as fire kindles fire. The reference to forgiveness shows that St. Paul is especially condemning outbursts of wrath against people who have treated us maliciously.
3. Evil example. "Clamor and railing" are public offences. When many men concur in pouring wrath on a selected victim it is difficult to stand aside from the current of abuse and recognize the unholiness of it. The admonition may be applied
II. THE POSITIVE DUTIES. Christianity is not satisfied with passive meekness. We must not only turn the cheek to the smiter, we must love our enemies—a duty of positive feeling and action.
1. General kindness. This would destroy the selfishness that is at the root of all revengeful feelings. He who has injured us is our brother. The ties of our common brotherhood that urge us to love him should be stronger than the provocations of his unkindness that would make us bitter against him.
2. Tenderheartedness. This should make us pity the offender for the shame and guilt he has brought upon himself, and long for reconciliation with him.
3. Forgiveness. The final step for the healing of positive injury is the most necessary, for without it we can have no Divine forgiveness, nor can we truly love our enemy.
III. THE GRAND MOTIVE. "Even as God also in Christ forgave you." As we must forgive others before God will forgive us, so when he has forgiven us a stronger reason is added to urge us to forgive those who may in future injure us.
1. The Divine forgiveness is the reason for our forgiveness and kindness to others. The parable of the unforgiving servant reveals the gross inconsistency of an unforgiving spirit in Christian men and women (Matthew 18:23-35). How can we who simply exist because God has forgiven us deny forgiveness to our brethren? If God who is infinitely above us has condescended to forgiveness, shall we stand more strictly on our petty rights? If God has forgiven us our innumerable, great, and awful sins against him, can we be backward in pardoning the much fewer and slighter sins of our fellow-men against us? Forgiven the debt often thousand talents, how have we the face to exact the debt of a hundred pence?
2. The Divine forgiveness is the pattern of our forgiveness. It is
Ephesians
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