GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT - Robert Murray Mcchene

“Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”—Eph. iv., 30

I. The holy familiarity of the Spirit in a believing soul.

1. He dwells in it. John xiv., 17; Ezek. xxxvi., 26; 1 Cor. vi., 19; 2 Cor. vi., 16. 2. He teaches there. John xvi., 13; 1 John it., 20. 3. He prays there. Jude 20; Rom. viii., 26. 4. He seals.

II. How he may be grieved.

Something analogous to grief, anger, desire, in God. Take away all imperfection from these passions. When God was manifest in the flesh, he was angry at sin, grieved, wept, longed. So the Spirit is grieved. The same effect as in a grieved person — withdraws. 1. Putting his work for Christ’s work. 2. Not leaning all on him. 3. Not following his leadings. 4. Despising ordinances.

When we become Christians, we become acquainted with the persons of the Godhead. An unconverted soul knows nothing, and thinks nothing about the Holy Spirit. How strange and foolish must such a command as this appear to many of you! Paul is dissuading from filthy, corrupt talking, and the argument he uses is,” Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.” You would understand, Grieve not your minister, or father, or godly friend; but what can you make of this, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God?”

III. Application.

1. Because it is so ungrateful. 2. You will lose your peace with God. 3. You will Jail deeper into sin.

I. The holy friendship of the Spirit in the believing soul.

The very words, “Grieve not,” show this. It is the part of a friend to be grieved when we do wrong. An enemy would rejoice, or an unfeeling person might be angry, but the Holy Spirit is grieved. This shows his holy, tender friendship for the justified soul. It is true, it is not possible for God the Holy Spirit to suffer grief in exactly the same sense in which we do, for that would imply that he was not unchangeably happy; but there is no doubt all that is holy, excellent, and perfect in our grief at the sin of another, everything except what would imply imperfection. Accordingly, when God was manifest in the flesh, these emotions of the Godhead showed themselves in the tears and groans of the Lord Jesus.

1. He dwells in the soul: “I will put my Spirit within you.”— Ezek. xxxvi., 26. “The Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, he dwelleth in you.”—John xiv., 17. “What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you 1.”—1 Cor. vi., 19. “I will dwell in them, and walk in them.” —2 Cor. vi., 10. Can there be imagined a more intimate friendship than this? Other friends may live in the same house with us, mingle tears and prayers together, take sweet counsel together; but he, the blessed Comforter, dwells in our body; dwells in us and walks in us. Can there be a more condescending friendship? It was amazing condescension when the Son of God was made flesh, and dwelt among us. It is hardly less wonderful that the Holy Spirit of God should come down and dwell in a clay cottage beside such a wicked heart.

2 He teaches there: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” There is no greater kindness than to teach the ignorant, to bear with a dull scholar, to teach as the scholar is able to bear. It is great condescension, when a man of gigantic powers, who might guide the councils of nations, or wield the sceptre of the world, sits down to teach the alphabet, like John Eliot, to a child. This is what the Spirit does. It was amazing love in the Lord Jesus to come as a teacher, to open his mouth in parables, and to explain all things so simply, with such majesty, authority, simplicity, love and long-suffering; but, ah! surely it is no less amazing love in the Spirit, to come and teach sinners by his own secret breathings; to open their understandings; to take of the things of Jesus and show them unto us; so that we have an unction from the Holy One, and know all things.—1 John ii., 20. Ah, how the Spirit bears with our backwardness in learning the divine lesson, strives to remove our ignorance; strives in our heart and upon the page of the Bible! How this shows the holy friendship and familiarity «f the Spirit in the believing soul!

3. He prays there: “We have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but we have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what to pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered.”—Rom. viii., 15, 26. “Praying in the, Holy Ghost.”—Jude 20. It is an act of pure friendship to teach one to pray. It is often the believing mother’s part to lead her child in prayer, teaching it to lisp after her desires for divine things; but ah! how much more than a mother’s tenderness does the Spirit show, when he puts the very desires into our hearts— groans within us! It is an act of intimate friendship to pray with one another! what must it be to pray in another i This is the Spirit’s friendship.

4. He seals: “Whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption.” “After ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” Eph. i. A friend who is much with you, leaves a pleasing impression behind; his words, his sentiments, have an effect on your mind. When you have a holy friend, he leaves a fragrance behind that abides with you. This is one of the happy effects of sanctified friendship. Such was the impression which David made on Jonathan. But how much more wonderful, blessed, and indelible, is the impression made by the Holy Spirit dwelling in the heart! It is compared to the impression made by a seal on wax, and it is to the day of redemption. Ah, my friends! does this Friend dwell in you? Is your body a temple of the Holy Ghost? Are you scaled to the day of redemption? “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

II. Ways of grieving the Spirit.

I have already shown you that the grief the Holy Spirit feels is the same as ours, only without any of the sin or imperfection. Jesus “looked round on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts.” What the divine nature of Jesus then felt, the Holy Spirit feels at the sight of sin. “Jesus turned and looked upon Peter.” We are not told what kind of look it was, but I have no doubt it was one of grief; as if he had said, Did I not tell thee, Peter, what thy boasting would come to? What passed in the divine mind of the Lord Jesus at that moment, is what the Holy Spirit feels a’ sin in believers.

1. Putting the Spirit’s work in the place of Christ’s. The principal office of the Spirit is to glorify Christ. “He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you.”— John xvi., 14. When the three thousand were brought to receive Christ gladly on the day of Pentecost, it was the Spirit who opened their hearts and eyes. He loves this work. It is sweet. God glorifying work, to reveal Jesus to sinners as all their righteousness. But many look in for righteousness; they begin to look to their sanctification for peace; they begin to look to the work of the Spirit in them for righteousness, instead of the work of the Son for them. This grieves the Spirit. This is quite contrary to the divine plan of salvation—dishonors the law—makes Christ dead in vain.

2. Not leaning all on Him. Another main part of the Spirit’s work is to uphold the believer in holy living. “Uphold me with thy free Spirit”— “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk”— “Thy Spirit is good, lead me”— “Without me ye can do nothing.” This is the sanctifying work of the Lord the Spirit, which none can do but he; and he is able to do it. But often a believer dare not trust the Spirit. He says: I perish; I know not what to do; my lusts are too strong; I shall surely fall. O ye of little faith, where is your faith? This grieves your indwelling Friend. Did not I say I would not leave thee? Did not I say I would uphold thee f Lean on me; fear not. Often we lean on something else; on promises; resolutions; good principles; past experiences. Ah! this is not leaning on the simple promise of Jesus and the power of the unseen Spirit. This is grieving your Friend.

3. Not following his leadings. When Jesus was on earth, he led his disciples from place to place, and they followed the Lamb. “Let us go into Judea again—let us depart to the other side.” Had they refused, this would have grieved him; it would have shown want of confidence. In like manner, when the apostles set out on their mission to the Heathen, they were forbidden by the Spirit to enter one country. “Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them.” Had they neglected the command of the Spirit, this would have grieved him. So, now, when believers are led by the Spirit, when the Spirit cries “Abba” within them—when a spirit of supplication is given; a yearning in prayer over others; if we do not take heed, if we restrain prayer, this is grieving the Spirit. If we were going into unlawful company; some feast where Jesus is not; ii a godly companion were to pull us back, and say, “Ah! do not go, you will hurt your soul”—would it not grieve him if we were to thrust him aside, and quench his warnings, and rush into the place of sin? This is what many of you do to the Holy Spirit. He warns— pricks the heart—you persevere in your sin. Ah! grieve not— quench not.

4. Despising ordinances. These are the meeting-places with the Spirit, the wells of salvation. If you break appointment with a dear friend, you slight and grieve him; he goes away; so with the Spirit.

III. Application.

1. Because it is ungrateful. When Peter met the eye of Jesus, and saw the grief he had occasioned him, he went out and wept bitterly. This is what you should do who have grieved the Spirit. It is he that brought you to Christ. Do you thus requite the Lord the Spirit? Has he deserved this at your hands?

2. You will lose your peace with God. The grieved Spirit withdraws; the seal becomes dim, and disappears; guilt, confusion, unbelief, doubt, fear, crowd upon the soul. O the misery that you procure to your own soul! “Thine own wickedness shall correct thee.”

3. You will fall into deeper sin. The grieved Spirit withdraws, but without him you can do nothing; you cannot pray, you cannot walk towards the land of uprightness; you sink deeper and deeper. Ah! my brethren, you who have grieved the Spirit, and are sinking deeper and deeper into sin, let this very thought awaken you, that you know not where your sin will stop, unless you how turn back to Jesus.

Dear believers, walk tenderly with this dear Friend. Do not grieve him in anything. Let him reign in you and over you. Lean on him, follow his leadings, often pray for him. Soon we shall be his entirely.