As some of you know, for my own pleasure, I am writing a book on three generations of the Gano family. Three years ago, the Stewarts gave me a biography on John Gano, the pastor of the first Baptist Church in New York and a chaplain in the Revolutionary War. That book is providing me with the outline for the second section of my book. But I am augmenting that outline with material from various public libraries, my library and other sources. For weeks I have had questions about hymn singing in the Baptist churches of the 18th century. Then last week, it occurred to me that I have had a 500 page history of Christian music, which has been languishing in my library for more than 25 years. It is a veritable treasure trove of materials on the history of Christian music. I already possessed a treasure which I had completely forgotten.
There are dozens of scriptures which are very much like that dusty old book. For example, here in this paragraph we have at least a dozen different exhortations and statements – all of which we’ve read in days long ago, but which have been boxed up and closeted away. Perhaps we’ve even forgotten that they were there. But they are there – valuable material – information, instruction, promise – right in our own library.
Another of the neglected and overlooked subjects of the Word of God the person of God Himself. The average Christian knows in his head that the Bible reveals a Divine Trinity. Unfortunately, that same Christian usually only considers a Divine Duality, rather than the Trinity. As he listens to the Sunday sermon, every time that the word “God” is heard he first pictures God, the Father, or if that image doesn’t fit, then he thinks of God, the Son. Once in a while he pictures“the God-head” – which he believes to be all three persons of the Trinity. But it is quite rare when Christians deliberately think about the Holy Spirit – unless He is specified. Intellectually, he knows about the Spirit, but practically he doesn’t give him much thought.
Not only that but the Holy Spirit is one of the most neglected subjects in the repertoire of the preacher. There are several reasons for this dereliction. First, I suppose, is the nature of the ministry of the Spirit. It has never been the work of the Holy Spirit to bring attention to Himself. From the beginning He has striven to glorify the Father and the Son. But then there are some Christian cults which defy the Biblical example, trying to keep the Holy Spirit in the spotlight. They are like the paparazzi – hounding the celebrity until He’s afraid to come out in public. Not only do they make His life miserable, dogging his every movement, but they are constantly spinning lying stories about their subjects, until no one really knows for sure what is true and what is false. The Christian needs to have a balance between neglect and this abuse when it comes to the Spirit. When we ignore the Holy Spirit, we become, in practice, 33% atheistic. The Holy Spirit is God, and we can’t afford to neglect Him. When we do, we loose at least a third of the comfort, power and direction that we need.
We have in verse 30 a brief outline by which to study the person of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s begin with the GREAT PERSON HIMSELF.
The verse tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit. The word means to “make sorrowful,” to “cause grief,” or to “make the heart heavy.” In other words, it is equivalent to making Him sad. We have an Hammond organ over here, to which we can do a great many things. We can paint it orange and make it bright; or we can take a hammer to it and make it ugly. We can play the keys and push on the pedals to make it loud or soft. But we can’t make it sorrowful or sad – because it is an emotionless object – a thing.
Ephesians 4:30 is talking about a Person, a Being with some of the same attributes and characteristics you and I possess. The difference is that here we are talking about the Holy Spirit OF GOD; a Divine Person rather than a human person or an animal. As our Christian lives progress we learn to speak of “the Holy Spirit.” We read this verse and think, “Grieve not the holy Spirit of God.” But what if we read this verse twice, first saying, “Grieve not the Spirit of God,” and then, “Grieve not the HOLY (comma) Spirt of God”? We are speaking here about one person of the God-head, the Spirit. And just as is true of each person of the Trinity, the Spirit is Holy. YOU have a spirit, which OUGHT to be holy, but practically speaking is often just the opposite. And when you are less than holy, your spirit ought to be grieved – but often it is just the opposite. But the Spirit of God, that member of the God-Head, is always grieved by sin, because He is holy.
What did the Lord Jesus teach us about the Spirit of God in John 16:13 when He said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” And what did Paul mean when he said, “Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers.” And what does the benediction in II Corinthians 13:14 teach about the Holy Spirit? “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” Among other things, these verses remind us that the Spirit of God is a Person – rather than a thing. The Holy Spirit is a Being, a Person, a member of the Divine Trinity. He can be grieved, vexed and resisted – but our exhortation is . . . “Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
Because in that Great Person there is a GREAT PRIVILEGE.
After Peter’s sermon on the morning of Israel’s greatest Pentecost there were a number of people deeply convicted about their sinful condition before God. Earlier the Lord Jesus had said, “It is expedient for you that I go away: For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:” As Peter was preaching that day the Holy Spirit was doing His great work of reproving. Acts 2:37 says, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.“
When sinners repent and trust Christ, they prove themselves to be born again of the Spirit of God. That means that they are given spiritual life where they had been spiritually dead – regenerated. When the Holy Spirit bestows that spiritual life, it’s not like turning on a light-switch. Rather, it is a complete rewiring. The eternal Spirit of God, enters and possesses that person quickening him. The Christian becomes the eternal dwelling place of the Spirit of God. “In (Christ) ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
The Holy Spirit is the permanent possession of every saint of God. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the Holy Spirit possesses every true saint of God. But either way, for us this is a fantastic blessing and privilege. By the witness which the Holy Spirit has with our spirit “we know that we are children of God.” “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” Christians often miss the power of the Holy Spirit, because they grieve Him through sin, but they will never loose the presence of the Spirit.
Our verse says that the Holy Spirit is the seal of our inheritance. Like the seal on the tomb of the Lord Jesus, we can be opened only by the Lord Himself. I quoted Ephesians 1 a few minutes ago: In Christ “ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” The Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance. He is the down payment and a sample of what is yet to come. This is why Paul could ask: “Who shall separate us from the love of God”? What a privilege it is to be possessed by the Holy Spirit. He is not only undeserved, but He is undeservable.
Verse 30 then goes on to speak of a GREAT DAY – the Day of our Redemption.
“I am redeemed, but not with silver; I am bought, but not with gold. Bought with a price, the Blood of Jesus; Precious price of love untold.” That hymn is based on I Peter 1:18-19 and it speaks of a past-tense redemption. Ephesians 1:7 says, In Christ “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” When the blessed Son of God yielded his life to the Father, as He hung upon the cross, redemption from sin was purchased for every one of Lord’s elect people. So there is a sense in which the saint was redeemed at Calvary, and there is another sense in which he was redeemed when he believed on Christ.
But there is a third redemption for that believer which is yet to come. This poor corrupt body, bound by the limitations of this life, shall be redeemed. Romans 8:18-23 – “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
Despite the shallow and often sinful lives we live, we are sealed unto the day of our final redemption. Christian, thank God for this eternal seal through the Holy Spirit. Thank God for his keeping hand in the midst of our wretchedness. And “grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
This then is the GREAT PRACTICAL REQUIREMENT: Grieve not.
Look again at the comfort of this verse. The context all around verse 30 shows us that sin is the agent which grieves God. And I want you to think about the magnitude of the sins enumerated – anger, lying, petty larceny, shop-lifting, corrupt communication. But where are the sins of murder and adultery, abortion and the cause for abortion? Why are the really bad things not listed here? Because the division between big sins and little sins, white lies and black lies, mortal sins and venial sins are all imaginary – devised by unholy minds. Sin – any sin – all sin – is unholy and grieves the Holy Spirit who indwells us.
In other words, holy living is not optional for the Child of God. Remember the Spirit of God is holy, and He is GRIEVED by these things which we have just mentioned. The Holy Spirit is not shocked by some sins, angered by others, and embarrassed by a few more. The Spirit of Holiness is grieved by any and all forms of unholiness in His people. Peter says, “As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy, in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.”
Think of all the wonderful things which we possess through Christ Jesus. Think about forgiveness, eternal life, promises of the Lord’s return, direction, comfort, etc. etc. etc. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Many a man has been kept from sin by thinking about the pale, sad-face of his mother at home. Many crimes have been confessed and restitution made as a result of the love that one has for another. But how much more do we owe to the Holy Spirit of God than we owe even to our mothers. We were born again through Him, and sealed, and kept by Him for eternity. So Christian, “grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”