WHY SIN IS UNREASONABLE

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans 6:1-2)

Devotion 19 of 23

SIN REQUIRES QUENCHING THE SPIRIT

The mighty Spirit of God brooded upon the face of a chaotic deep in the creation of the world, thereby readying things for the "beginning" of the natural order. You sense the anticipation of the Holy Spirit as the human enterprise got under way. He inspired men to speak the words of God, and He leads the sons of God in lofty climes. Characterized by all the attributes of Deity, the Holy Spirit makes the sons of God equal to the challenges of life in this world. Yet, that very Spirit can be quenched, His influence neutralized, and His presence refused. Sin can do this! Little wonder we are admonished, "Quench not the Spirit" (1 Thess 5:19). Those who dabble in iniquity do well to remember its effects upon the Holy Spirit of God! Sin is truly unreasonable!

Resisting the Spirit

Is it possible to effectively resist the Holy Spirit? To repel the advances of Deity? Some stilted theology denies this is possible. They speak of "irresistible grace" and of being "overcome by the Spirit." However, they are overcome by their own foolish imaginations. To such a generation Stephen said, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye" (Acts 7:51). Scripture speaks of those who have actually "insulted the Spirit of grace" (Heb 10:29, NKJV). The RSV and NRSV underscores that the Spirit takes such insults seriously and personally: "How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who has spurned the Son of God, and profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace?" Anything that can effectively repel the influence of the Holy Spirit, and outrage Him, is totally unreasonable.

Grieving the Spirit

Power and sensitivity are not generally combined in men. However, they are gloriously united in the Spirit of God. He is especially sensitive to men's attraction to and involvement in sin. It is possible to cause Him to mourn because of our attitudes and conduct. That is why we are solemnly warned, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph 4:30). How is it that the Spirit is distressed or vexed? The admonition that follows this warning identifies the situation. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice" (v 31). These things, so common among men, cause distress to the Holy Spirit of God! That affect confirms the unreasonableness of sin.

PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Christ, give me grace to be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit. May I never attempt to offer a reason for sin.

-- TOMORROW: THE EFFECT OF SIN UPON SINNERS --