Gospel of John [Joh 16:12-15]. The Doctrine of the HS, part 34. 1Th 5:19; Rom 6:12-13; 12:1; 8:12-14.

Title: Gospel of John [JOH 16:12-15]. The Doctrine of the HS, part 34. 1TH 5:19; ROM 6:12-13; 12:1; 8:12-14.

 

 

 

Conditions for the filling of the Spirit.

 

There are three specific instances in the Scripture that addresses the work of the Spirit in the believer. Two of them are negative and the third is positive.

 

We noted the will of God communicated through Paul beginning in chapter 4 and we resume in 5:16.

 

1Thes 5:16 Rejoice always [present active imperative];

 

1Thes 5:17 pray without ceasing [present middle imperative];

 

middle voice = The subject acts for himself, or in his own interest. It calls special attention to the subject.

 

1Thes 5:18 in everything give thanks [present active imperative]; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

 

1Thes 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit [present active imperative];

 

1Thes 5:20 do not despise prophetic utterances [present active imperative].

 

The utterances given through the temporary gift of prophecy in the early Church is equivalent to the NT doctrine that we now have written in front of us.

 

1Thes 5:21 But examine everything carefully [present active imperative]; hold fast to that which is good [present active imperative];

 

1Thes 5:22 abstain from every form of evil [present middle imperative].

 

Verses 19-22 must be taken together. Each verb, "do not quench," do not despise," "examine," "hold fast," and "abstain," are all present imperatives.

 

They are durative and should be the life of the believer.

 

"Do not quench the Spirit" - do not limit His teaching and do not hinder His ability to do good in and through you and do not deny His power to suppress evil in you.

 

Both behests, do not grieve and do not quench, are negative, making request respecting specific things which must not be allowed if the full measure of the Spirit’s blessing is to be realized.

 

There are specific things which must not be allowed if the full measure of the Spirit's blessing is to be realized. If they are, we recover in grace and continue to suppress them through the power of doctrine and the F/HS.

 

Understanding the truth that is in Christ and not limiting the Spirit's power to do good in you and through you encompasses all these areas that Paul is instructing the Thessalonians in.

 

We will look at each verb and finish with the first verb, do not quench.

 

"despise" - evxouqene,w[exoutheneo] = to regard as nothing, to despise utterly, to treat with contempt. To regard revelation of doctrine from the Spirit as nothing or contemptible.

 

Do not despise prophetic utterances certainly refers to the gifts of prophecy that were existent in the early Church and through which much Biblical truth came to believers who as of yet did not possess the full canon of scripture. These are now a part of our eternal NT. We could modify this today by saying "don't be a know it all." Many believers think they know all there is to know about certain subjects, but no one ever arrives at complete understanding. This arrogance will only lead to stupidity and not wisdom. Always be a student of the word of God while examining everything carefully from the scriptures. This is patiently trusting the Holy Spirit to continue to give you revelations from the scriptures throughout your entire Christian way of life. Never regard as nothing any part of the eternal and inspired word of God.

 

"examine" - dokima,zw[dokimazo] = to prove or to test the quality of something. To be a diligent student in testing the quality of teaching in reference to the scriptures.

 

Some believers love the personality or speaking style or something else about pastor X and based on that accept what he says as gospel. All of us are believer priests and we are each responsible to test the things that we are being taught. Any decent pastor is a lifelong student as anyone else and if his listeners have scriptural questions, he should delight in answering them as well as testing them against his own teaching. He should not be ashamed to change a doctrine if he comes to believe that he got it wrong, even slightly. It is the truth that we are to be after and not reputations. When we examine we again have to trust the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth.

 

ACT 17:11

Now these [Jews in Berea] were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica [Jews who rejected the gospel], for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.

 

This means that the Thessalonican Jews who ran Paul and Silas out of town didn't even bother to check their OT scriptures to see if what they were saying was true. They went directly to their bias and prejudice which is a complete lack of humility.

 

Php 3:15

Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;

 

"hold fast" - kate,cw[katecho] = to hold down. Aggressively pursue divine good knowing that the Spirit will empower and lead in that pursuit.

 

If when we are confronted with the commands to perform God's good and we doubt that we can or refuse to do so because of some other lust that we are deceived with, then we are in essence saying to the Holy Spirit, no! That is not holding fast to that which is good. The active imperative of this intense verb, which verb is used 17 times in the NT, is the direct antithesis of let go and let God. It means to aggressively pursue divine good by complete reliance on the ministry of God the Holy Spirit.

 

"abstain" - avpe,comai[apechomai] = to keep on avoiding doing something. We put down temptation through reliance on God the Holy Spirit's counseling and empowering.

 

His teaching ministry is involved in this also since I must come to know what true evil is. The world is mighty confused about the definition of evil. Only the believer who diligently examines the scriptures along with his PT will know what evil is.

 

2CO 2:11

in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

 

When we are tempted with evil, which includes all sin, and we succumb to it without resistance, we are in essence saying to the Holy Spirit, no! I do not trust that You are able to suppress the temptation and not enter into evil thinking and behavior.

 

Don't fool yourself. At least be honest. The truth of the word of God is that the Holy Spirit is within us to enable us to do these things and not do these other things and with Him we have the truth, the power, and the ability to clearly decide for good and strong courses in life. This, through Him, glorifies the Lord and the Father as the Spirit accomplishes this from behind the scenes.