Grieving The Holy Spirit
By Timothy Glover
It would be a mistake to conclude that the Christian can never fall and has his salvation secured because of the indwelling. As individuals resist him by giving themselves over to the lust of the flesh , the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, the Spirit no longer makes his habitation within the heart.
The Spirit is the last "Comforter" that would come to this earth. Although
he indwells the Christian, so does the Son and the Father. Still, they do
so through Him. The "sin unto death" in 1 John 5:16-17 is the sin of
rejecting the revelation of the Spirit or as Stephen explains "resisting
the Spirit" (Acts 7:51). All sin produces death (Rom. 6:23). But, every
sin can be forgiven as the Christian confesses them and walks in the light
(1 John 1:7-9). The only sin that cannot be forgiven is the unrepentant sin.
The Hebrew writer thought that through unbelief or "disobedience" (NKJV) one
could fail to enter that rest. A Christian can develop an evil heart of unbelief
in departing from the living God (Heb. 3:12, cf. vv. 7-11), fall from Grace (Gal. 4:4),
fall away (Heb. 6:6), become again entangled and overcome (2 Peter 2:20-22).
These and other passages teach that a child of God, though still a child, may loose his
inheritance. From 1 Peter 1:4-9 we learn that
When we refuse to have Jesus as our Lord, the Spirit as our guide (the word as a light to our pathway) and become unfaithful, we "grieve the Spirit." Seeing that he makes his abode in us, anything the Christian does that does not bear the fruit of the Spirit grieves him. Ephesians 4:30 is in a context where the Christian's lifestyle is described. Before verse 30, the Christian should not lie, steal, and speak corrupt communication. After verse 30, he is to put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking and be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving. Right in the middle of this context, we read, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom ye were sealed for the day of redemption."
Many cause the Spirit to grieve by the way they live. "Having escaped the pollution of the world (2 Peter 2:20), once been enlightened, tasted of the heavenly gift, made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God (Hebrews 6:4-5), they may crucify for themselves the Son of God and put him to an open shame by becoming "sluggish," and losing faith and patience (Heb. 6:6, 11-12). He who has begun a good work in us grieves over such a loss. Peter describes it as being most despicable - as a dog returning to its vomit and a sow to her wallowing in the mire. When this happens, the power that works in us mightily is quenched (1Thessalonians 5:19, "Do not quench the Spirit.")
Many are trying to make the Spirit's indwelling some mystical experience of power that takes over the entire individual and offers complete security. The consequence of such teaching not only violates clear teaching that we have noted but would also destroy one's will. Humanity has a choice to serve God and must continue to choose him in order to inherit the promise of heaven.
Also, may we be reminded that the indwelling is promised to children? Non-children need not concern themselves with grieving the Spirit for he does not abide within. However, they do need to be sure that they " resist not the Spirit" by closing their hearts or minds to the teaching of the Spirit, by refusing the message of salvation. Peter said, "Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Mark records him saying, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved". (16:16) Of course, if we don't have faith, we are condemned already (John 3:18). Faith is the beginning of our response to the message of the Spirit. Yet, Paul explains in Galatians 3:26-27 that baptism is an act of faith. "For ye are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus, for as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
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