Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:29-30)
In our study of Ephesians, we pick up in the latter part of chapter four. Paul begins this chapter with an urgent appeal: God has called you to salvation through Jesus Christ, so walk worthy of your calling. Part of living up to our calling means leaving behind our old ways of sin, which Paul describes as our “old man.” Having left sin behind, we must also embrace righteous living, which Paul says is the new man. When we put off the old person and put on the new person, we live in a manner worthy of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice.
Paul illustrates this transformation with several specific examples. If lying is a problem, we must tell the truth because truthfulness keeps us connected with our fellow Christians. When we are angry, we should control our anger and seek resolution quickly with those who anger us. If stealing is a temptation, we should work hard to provide for those who do not have enough. Paul continues this “put off” sin and “put on” righteousness exhortation in Ephesians 4:29 by focusing on the deep importance of righteous speech.
Walking Worthy and Taming the Tongue
Throughout the next few verses, Paul will touch on the importance of righteous speech several times, instructing us to let no corrupt word proceed out of our mouth, put away evil speaking in Ephesians 4:31, and eliminate foolish talking and coarse jesting in Ephesians 5:4. Part of putting off the old person and putting on the new person entails changing our speech. James 3:1-12 explores the dangers of our speech. Our tongue is a small part of our body, but it has the potential to do immense damage. We can guide horses with bits and steer large ships with small rudders, but very few people can control their mouths.
The mouth, James says, is full of deadly poison, and we should be aware of the power of our speech. In Ephesians 4:29, Paul echoes this analysis. James says the tongue is full of deadly poison; Paul warns, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth.” The word “corrupt” comes from a Greek word that means putrid or rotten. When Jesus says a bad tree bears bad fruit in Matthew 7:17-18, He uses the same Greek word. Corrupt speech is like rotten fruit, and Christians must remove foul language from our vocabulary.
How Corrupt Speech Can Grieve the Holy Spirit
Instead, we should find constructive ways to use our mouths. Does my speech build other people up? Or does my speech tear them down? Do my words meet the needs of others? Is there any benefit to what I am saying? Finding constructive things to say is a part of putting on the new person. Paul follows this admonition up with an important warning in Ephesians 4:30, writing, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Paul mentions the influence of the Holy Spirit several times in Ephesians. In chapter one, he says we receive the Holy Spirit when we hear and believe the word of truth; the Holy Spirit testifies that we belong to God and assures us that God will raise us from the dead. Later in chapter two, Paul highlights the Spirit’s intercessory work and how He gives all Christians access to the throne of God. Paul adds that the Spirit dwells in God’s church, which makes the church the temple of God.
What It Means to Grieve the Holy Spirit
In chapter three, the Spirit revealed to the apostles and prophets God’s eternal plan to unite Jews and Gentiles into a single body. Because the Spirit dwells in all Christians, Paul prays in Ephesians 3:16 that God would spiritually strengthen us through the Spirit. At the beginning of chapter four, Paul urges us to remember that the Spirit unites us into a single body, and we should do what we can to maintain that unity. So, the Spirit’s influence and His work are mentioned throughout Ephesians. At the end of chapter four, the apostle warns, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.”
To grieve means to sorrow, to distress, to be pained, or to feel pain. It’s the same word Matthew used to describe Jesus as He prayed in the garden the night of His betrayal by Judas. The Holy Spirit dwells in every Christian, and we can grieve the Holy Spirit. What could we do to grieve the Holy Spirit? In Isaiah 63, the prophet Isaiah reminded the children of Israel of their checkered past. God saved them from Egypt, delivering them with a mighty hand and supporting them in many ways as they wandered through the wilderness.
Isaiah says in Isaiah 63:10, “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit…” God did all of these good things for Israel, but they spurned Him, rebelled, sinned, and thereby grieved His Holy Spirit. Willful, rebellious behavior grieves the Holy Spirit. The example of Israel teaches us what it means to grieve the Holy Spirit. Returning to Ephesians 4:30, Paul says two things about the Spirit. He reminds us of what God has done for us: He seals us with the Holy Spirit as a deposit, promising that He will raise us from the dead one day.
Because God has done all of these wonderful things for us, we should take care that we do not grieve His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives and dwells in us. If we return to our old patterns of thinking and behavior—if we return to sin—this will pain the Spirit, distress the Spirit, or grieve the Spirit. Why does our sin grieve the Spirit? Because God is holy and separate from sin. So, like the children of Israel, we should not despise the good things God has done for us by turning back to sinful behavior; such rebellion grieves the Holy Spirit.
Be First to Comment