The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 208

hatred and becomes a great sill. 2. 'We must, not cl1erish anger for wng; • The mercy of God is everlastinfl; his wrath is for a sel!.Son (Ps. ciii. 9). • It is the devil only whose habitual mood is anger. Men may, do fearful harm by the sudden: ebullition of a hasty temper-harm which may be repented of in vain for loner years. Nc,-crtbeless, the sullen persistence of ill-feeling for weeks and longer that some 1'\('ople practise is in itself more culpable. It would be well to remember every night that we cannot have God's forgiveness of our sins of the day unless we have fin,t forgi,en those who ha,e sinned agninst us. 3. We must not lose self-control in anger. "Neither give place t.o tbo devil." • IV. THE CHRl::,,'JAX SAFEGUARD A.GATh'ST THE A.BUSB OF ANGER IS LOVE. No man <:an be saiely angry with his brother unless he first love him. It is only they that love much ,,ho can make a wise use of the furious weapon of anger.· If we are "kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgi,ing each other,'' we shall be able to show righteous anger without lowering ourselves to personal spite. . Then our anger will be a pain t.o us and we shall long t.o abandon it for more congenial feelings. So shall we be like God, whose wrath is sinless, because he loves his children through all the anger their sin has called forth.-W. F. A. Ver. 30.-Grieving the Holy Spirit of God. I. WHAT IT IS TO GRIEVE THE HoLY SPmIT OF Gon. We are startled at the expression. Few of us would have thought of using it if we had not found it in the Bible. It cannot be a mere figure of speech. It must describe a strange, sad., touching fact. 1. God is a living Spirit. He can be grieved. 2. God is our Father, related t.o us, loving us. It is of the self-sacrificing nature oflove that it lays itself out t.o be wounded when it is· treated unworthily.. We; can always hurt most those who love us most. 3. God is within us. The Holy Spirit is God dwelling in Olll" spirits. Because he is so near he is much concerned with our, charncter and conduct. 1L How WE MAY GRIEVE 'l'HE HoLY SPIRIT OF Gon. 1. All sin is grievous to him, as holiness is hurt by unholiness and love by unworthiness. This should ea ono warning &_,<r.llust oar carelessness in falling into temptation. If we do not feel it, God docs. A child who would not refrain from a bad thing on its own account, checks himseli as he thlnks how it would vex his mother. We should be warned by remem- bering uiat our sin hurts God ;-did it not kill Christ? 2. St. Paul has in mind the parncuhlr s'm of mrrupt tpt,ecl, (ver. 29). This defiles the soul and dishonours the =ple in which the Spirit of God dwells. Flippant conversation on sacred subjects, as well as language that is absolutely debased., is grievous in the ears of God; not only on its o~ account, but beca11Se it reveals a low tone of spiritual life and a. want of the re,erence and love that we owe to the. Holy Spirit. • • • ill WHY WE SHOULD BE MOST CARE7UL NOT TO GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OP' Gon. 1. Because of the obligations of gratitude for past grace. If we are spirit_ual Christians we are " sealed;" i.e. we have the .mark of God's recognition and owning given by the Spirit. After accepting the uniform of the Divine King, how can we heedlessly bring dishonour on his Name? 2. Because of the responsibilities of our· present ccndition. We ar_e _sealed" in the Spirit." To be in _living _relation _wit~ the Spirit of God is the condition of all who a.re new creatures 1n Chnst. This higher fellowship brings higher claims. 3. Because of the hopo of our future redemption. Christians are sealed "unto the day of redemption." The first day of redemption is the day of Christ's death, but that marks only the begin~ing ~f deliverance. 'l'o ~a.eh soul the day of God's forgiveness and welcome of the perutcnt 1s a. day of redemption; but perfect redemption is deliverance from all evil. This is at present a hope, and the hope depends on the work of the Spirit of God. Jf we are grieving the Spirit of God how can we uk for his aid ? There is danger lest one grieve the Holy Spirit so that he take hu; departure, and then how dark and woeful will the deserted 80Ul ,be 1- W. F. A. Vers. 31, 32.-C'ha.rity tc, tl,e undeserving. I. THE NEGATIVE nu•rrns., "Let all bittcr- nc.,, etc., be put away from you." Various influences tempt us to the indulgence·of thf:Se <lark ~sions. 1. Natural d·isposition. Some men appear, to be born with an acrid and mordant temper, as eome plants secrete irritant poisons, 2. Provocation. CH, V, 1-33.] 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIAN~. 207