1 Thess 5:19, God Gives the Fire Within to Live Life.

Sunday May 7, 2023

Main Passage:

1Th 5:19-22

Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.

Do not quench the Spirit.

Do not quench the Spirit is a commandment that follows rejoice, pray, and be thankful commands and is followed by the command not to discount prophecies.
1. It likely refers to all of the above.
  1. Live the fire of the spiritual life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
  2. Do not discount the continued revelation of the word of God.
    1. Although prophecy is no more (the revelation from God is finished, there is a continual revelation to each of us from God’s word.
    2. Never think you know all there is to know about any aspect of God’s word (about any doctrine).
      1. For instance: If you say as we start this study, “I know what quenching the Spirit is all about,” then you are limiting your learning and quenching the Spirit.
      2. Be life long learners about God. It is the most adventurous and exciting way to live.
Other passages that use the word “quench” (Greek: sbennumi)
1. Mat 12:20 And a smoldering wick He will not put out, (Isa 42:3)
2. Mat 25:8 "The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
3. Mar 9:48 where [Gehenna] their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. (quote from Isa 66:24 - last line of Isaiah).
4. Eph 6:16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.
5. Heb 11:34 quenched the power of fire (Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego).
Septuagint usage
1. Prov 31:18 She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night.
2. Prov 26:20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
3. The fire on the altar was not to go out. [Barnes, This is perhaps emblematic of devotion to the Lord]. Lev 6:12-13 'The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it. It shall not go out, but the priest shall burn wood on it every morning; and he shall lay out the burnt offering on it, and offer up in smoke the fat portions of the peace offerings on it. 13 'Fire shall be kept burning continually on the altar; it is not to go out.
4. Song 8:7 "Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers overflow it;
The Holy Spirit therefore is likened to a fire that can be put out.
1. We must not imagine that He is an actual fire.
2. We must not imagine that if the fire goes out that it can’t be rekindled.
  1. For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you (2Ti 1:6). [In context Paul speaks of joy, prayer, and thanksgiving - trinity of attitude (2Ti 1:3-4; 1Th 3:9-10; 5:16-18; Php 1:3-5; 2Th 1:3-4; Phm 4-7).
3. In the context of the passage, the fire of the Spirit is not so much an on and off situation as it is a life in general.
  1. No one can be rejoicing always (every waking minute) but it does describe a type of person.
  2. We could say, “That believer is on fire for the life of Christ,” but we would not be saying they’re perfect.
  3. A believer might be on fire for the spiritual life but know nothing about Scripture. He could be an ascetic or a scholar without application, or he may know nothing about the ministry of the Holy Spirit within.
  4. We have to know, do, and love to do both.
Other interpretations of the meaning: What does it mean to quench the Spirit?
1. Chrysostom, an impure walk. Calvin, slothfulness.
2. To some it refers to quenching the use of spiritual gifts (or specifically the gift of prophecy.
  1. In this view, the next command (1Th 5:20), not to discredit prophetic utterances, means that it refers to quenching the use of the gift of prophecy that functioned in the early church.
3. The position of the command to not quench the Spirit between the three commandments (rejoice, pray, and be thankful) and the command to accept correct prophecy makes it much more likely to apply to both. It is a stretch to say that it only refers to the spiritual gift of prophecy.
My meaning: Quenching the Spirit is living in a manner that fails to allow the Spirit to do what He pleases (grieving the Spirit).
1. The function of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is to teach, guide, and empower. It is easy to see these all creating a life that is “on fire.”
2. These functions must result in a type of believer and a type of life.
  1. Piety, service, love, faithfulness, knowledge, happiness, prayer, thanksgiving, etc., unto all that is good and excellent and worthy of praise (Php 4:8-9).
  2. A fire must be cared for. It is not the Holy Spirit that needs caring, but our own thoughts, what we’re looking at in our hearts, what we’re choosing to pursue, to love, to honor and obey. Our manner of thinking is so fragile.
  3. The pursuit of worldliness, pride, seeking fulfillment in earthly things, vanity, ambition for the wrong things, etc, will quench the Spirit.
3. Choice: piety, righteousness, etc. are not forced on us by the Spirit.
  1. Many consistent good decisions must be made for a person to have a life that is typified by righteousness.
  2. A pattern of decisions in one direction will only come from a love of that direction.
    1. Our direction is Christ. Follow Him.
    2. If you know Christ you will have a fire within to be just like Him.
    3. It is an astounding fact that God has so made us new in Christ that we actually possess the ability to follow Christ and also to quench the Holy Spirit.
The new creation is the light of the world.
1. Our lives are to be as astounding as the Lord’s. (Col 3:12-17).
  1. Nothing else matters other than your new birth.
  2. Do not define yourself nor affirm yourself by genetic, environmental, or earthly standards (Mat 3:17).
  3. Your incredible ministry will be in the midst of those whom God has put with you, or sent you to.
The new humanity was always meant to be energized and driven by God the Holy Spirit.
1. The church begins to fulfill the New Covenant, but doesn’t completely fulfill it. Eze 36:25-27
  1. Israel of the future kingdom will completely fulfill the New Covenant, Eze 36:28 ff.
Dissipation of Eph 5:18 is wasting what you have been given in Christ.
1. What have you been given in Christ?
  1. Eternal life and all that goes with it … including the Holy Spirit within.
2. Do not quench the Spirit or else you will be unable to follow the One you love.