Ephesians 4:30

Verse of the Day Devotion: Ephesians 4:30 

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

I want to begin this discussion by illustrating the concept of grief.  First, we grieve when someone we love passes away.  This past January, I received a call from my aunt that my mother had died.  She had been ill for some time; however, it finally took its toll.  I had been separated from her for years, with her living in Washington State and myself residing on the U.S. east coast.  But our separation grew as she refused to talk with me: and it seems this was due to mental and physical issues that affected her behavior.  I flew up there for the funeral, and I learned that she had broken off communications with practically the entire family.  However, I was saddened by this, and it was nice to speak with family and old friends who comforted me.

However, there is a second type of grieving that can be just as difficult.  The best way to describe this is through an example.  A father is called down to the school by his son’s teacher.  She informs him that her son has become very unruly.  He steals from other students, and fights with many causing much injury to them.  He brings him home and tells him he is angry at him for all this bad behavior.  However, because he loves him so much, it hurts him so much to hear about all his son has done.  He is grieving over knowing who his son has become. 

This second example shows how we grieve the Holy Spirit.  I love the way Charles Spurgeon puts it, and I think this describes it wonderfully.  “for grief is a sweet combination of anger and of love. It is anger, but all the gall is taken from it. Love sweetens the anger, and turns the edge of it, not against the person, but against the offense.”  (From the Sermon “Grieving the Holy Spirit” by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, October 09, 1859).  God loves us so much that it grieves Him to see us acting in ways He has taught us not to engage in.  And just as the father loved his son, who did horrible things in school, did not reject him, neither will God reject us.  We may reject Him and walk away, but He will not reject us.   

Isaiah describes an example of this.  “For He said, “Surely, they are My people, Sons who will not deal falsely.” So He became their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy, He redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; Therefore, He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them.” Isaiah 63:8-10.  God, who declared Israel his people saved them, and in His love, declared them His people.  But then they rebelled against Him, grieving the Holy Spirit.  After this, they remembered His mercy of old and they cried out to God.  “Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious habitation: Where are Your zeal and Your mighty deeds? The stirrings of Your heart and Your compassion are restrained toward me.” Isaiah 63:15. And how did God answer?  “Thus says the LORD, “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it,’ So I will act on behalf of My servants in order not to destroy all of them.”  Isaiah 65:8 Those who remember and come back, God would act on their behalf.

When we purposefully act in ways that are found in Ephesians 4:25-29, we grieve the Holy Spirit, just as Israel did in the above example in Isaiah.  We must remember that because the Holy Spirit enters us at salvation, we are sealed by Him through the Holy Spirit.  “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” Romans 8:9 and because we have the Holy Spirit in us, we have the possibility of grieving Him.  However, He loves us so much, He will work to bring us back to the relationship we had before we grieved Him.  He has not rejected us, but if we do not repent and become who God has called us to be, we will have rejected Him.  I encourage you, and pray heartily for everyone including myself, that we give ourselves wholly and completely to God, desiring to be who He wants us to be, and committing to live a life of complete obedience to God.  This will help us be pleasing to God and refrain from grieving Him.  It is a beautiful way to live and honor the God who created us, loves us, and saved us so we can be with Him for all eternity.  What more could we possibly desire?

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Thessalonians 4:13 

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:13 

There appears to be in Thessalonica a confusion regarding what happens to someone who dies.  Thessalonians were part of ancient Rome and believed as they did regarding the end, which was similar to what the ancient Greeks believed.  There were Christians in Thessalonica who were dying, and it appears that an adequate explanation of what takes place had not been given to them.  They no doubt had the idea they would be separated from them forever, therefore they grieved heavily, just as was done in Greek and Roman religions.  But Paul uses the term sleep rather than death to give them hope. And he uses the idea of informing them of how their prior beliefs have led them astray regarding the death of believers.  

First, he tells them they shall see them again.  “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Thessalonians 4:14-15.  In fact, they will precede us who remain alive till He comes.  However, the main point here is that believers will be reunited with their brothers and sisters in Christ at the end.  This was radically different than either the Greek or Roman beliefs regarding the afterlife.  And this is why Paul said at the end of our focus verse that they did not need to grieve as those who do not believe in Christ, because they would be reunited with them.

He then goes on the explain when this will take place.  “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.  When Jesus comes back, He will first awaken those who have fallen asleep.  They will be raised first.  Then immediately afterwards, He will bring us who are alive at that time to Him, and together we shall be with the Lord forever, never to be separated.

This was a new idea to the Thessalonians.  They were troubled because were dying and they mourned heavily as the Greeks and Romans did, for they believed they would never see them again.  This was the reason for these verses, to comfort them with the truth that they would be reunited again when Christ returns.  At the time of this writing, they did not understand this completely.  Now they did, and Paul encourages them to share this with all believers.  “Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:18.

We must all grasp this truth.  Many Christians I know have fallen asleep, including family members, close friends, and fellow workers for the Lord.  Yes, I have grieved for them because I missed the opportunities to interact with them.  And I think of them often, which does sadden me some. However, I know that at some time in the future we will be reunited, and what a glorious time it will be.  The beauty of this event is that we will never be separated again.  It will be wonderful, and our fellowship will not be temporary but eternal.  This is the promise given us by Christ through Paul in these verses.  Therefore, let us do as Paul said, comfort each other with this truth.  Many can use some comfort during these times and we will in our lives as well.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.