Gospel of John [Joh 16:12-15]. The Doctrine of the HS, part 40. Eph 4:30; 1Jo 4:20; Col 3:12.Title: Gospel of John [Joh 16:12-15]. The Doctrine of the HS, part 40. Eph 4:30; 1Jo 4:20; Col 3:12.
Conditions for the filling of the Spirit.
The next instance of scripture concerning the Spirit's ministry in us is also a negative command from Eph 4:30.
Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
The "and" means that the grieving of the Spirit of God is bearing on the preceding injunction, which immediately is the unwholesome words, yet this is not alone in the exhortation of this passage and would include everything from verse 1 on and so following. When we chose to attempt to put on the old man, though he is dead and laid aside through Christ we grieve the Holy Spirit of God. The continued exhortation is to put away other habits of the old man with the positive command to be in love towards one another in kindness, tender-heartedness, and forgiveness.
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Eph 4:32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;
Eph 5:2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
So in order to get the context of this important passage we start at verse 1.
In chapters one through three the Holy Spirit is relating the doctrines concerning how God made each believer a saint, holy and righteous. In chapters four through six He is exhorting us to live as a saint in time or to live unto God's will.
Eph 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
Eph 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love,
Eph 4:3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Paul sees himself not as a prisoner of the Romans but of the Lord.
This title is not mentioned in order to illicit sympathy from his readers but in order to encourage them since he had discovered the means of rejoicing in his sufferings. He described his tribulations as their glory in Eph 3:13.
Paul could use his apostolic authority and command them but instead he entreats them, which means he is appealing to their own motivations and desires. The word parakaleo means, "I beg you, please." After communicating chapters 1-3 all of us should come to the same conclusion that it is only right and fitting that we walk in a manner worthy of our calling.
Chapters 1-3: the privileges of salvation. Chapters 4-6: the obligations which such privileges put on the saints.
"worthy" - avxi,wj[axios] = having the weight of another thing, balance. Christian experience to weigh as much as the believer's position in Christ.
This word is the antithesis of antinomianism. Who we are in Christ is not to differ from what we live and experience in time. That is the meaning of axios.
The calling occurred at salvation. We would refer to this as our election, which is to God's highest and best. It is all that God the HS accomplished in us at salvation; efficacious grace, regeneration, baptizing, indwelling, and sealing us.
"humility" - tapeinofrosu,nh[tapeinophrosune] = lowliness of mind. This is not weakness but power under control. It is a true estimate of ourselves.
Making ourselves small or weak is pride in the disguise of humility. This is a right estimation of ourselves. It is an understanding that all power originates from God and not myself. I am weak because I am a sheep but I am strong because I have a Shepherd.
"gentleness" - prau?,thj[prautes] = meekness, inwrought grace in the soul. A temper of spirit in which we accept God's dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing.
This is first directed at God and then follows as such in the face of mankind.
If I'm in dispute with God then I will also be with His people.
1Jo 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Gentleness is akin to humility (tapeinophrosune) and they are also paired together in Col 3:12.
Col 3:12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
This is the heart that doesn't fight against God and so succumbs to God's will. We will not be at peace with mankind until we are at peace with God. This heart does not contend with God and so accepts the things that occur in his life as coming from a loving God who wants nothing but his good.
"patience" - makroqmi,a[makrothumia] = longsuffering and patience with respect to persons as opposed to things and circumstances (hupomone).
"forbearance" - avne,cw[anecho] = to hold up, to sustain, to bear with equanimity [calm and undisturbed], to endure.
This word is an explanation of makrothumia. We hold up and sustain one another in agape love even when cutting, harsh words are said and unkind actions are done to us. The love shown at Cavalry was a forgiving love. These four words sum up an attitude that comes from understanding what God has done in making us saints and so it is only right that we should think in such a way as children of light.
Eph 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
Eph 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love,
Eph 4:3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
The emphasis of walking in a manner worthy of your calling is upon our relation to others in the RFOG.
Being diligent, spoudazo, means to make a determined effort.
We have a further description of the mutual forbearance which is spoken of in the previous verse. |