The Incomparable Riches Of His Grace

Q. Re your answer on understanding Ephesians 4.   So basically Paul’s just giving a warning not to act in this manner because God will disaprove of our actions.  But if we do act in that way and ask for forgiveness He is just and will forgive us. Would I be correct is saying this?

A. Think of it more as a desire not to grieve the Holy Spirit sealed within you (Ephes. 4:30). The Greek word for grieve comes from a root that means sorrow, so to grieve the Holy Spirit is to make Him feel sorrowful.  God already knows all the sins of your life and has forgiven you.  He has chosen to see you as if you’ve never sinned at all, so the minute you confess you’re forgiven and purified from all unrighteousness. But the Holy Spirit dwells within you and is forced to observe every act of sin.

Someone explained it to me like this.  He said, “When I was young I often did things that my parents had advised me against, and I now know how much that hurt them.  As I got older I tried to avoid doing things I knew would cause them sorrow.   But through it all they never gave me reason to doubt their love for me.”  Our relationship with God is much the same.

Before you ask, I have no idea how They compartmentalize this.  God sees us as if we’re a new creation who has never sinned. (2 Cor. 5:17) Jesus died for all our sins and continually intercedes on our behalf when Satan accuses us (Romans 8:34), and the Holy Spirit  observes our sins and prompts us to confess so we can be purified and restored to fellowship. (Rom. 8:26, 1 John 1:9)  This a characteristic of God’s Grace that few understand and that keeps us in good standing as members of His family.