+I. Its difficulty.+--1. _From our fancied knowledge of life._
2. _From our unbelieving distrust of God._
+II. Its motive.+--God's will is so revealed in Christ, that,
believing in it, we can give thanks in all things. 1. _Life the
perpetual providences of a Father._ 2. _That perpetual providence is
a discipline of human character._ 3. _The discipline of life is
explained by eternity alone._
+III. Its attainment.+--It is the gradual result of a life of earnest
fellowship with God.--_E. L. Hull._
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.--Verses_ 19-22.
_Varied Aspects of Spiritual Influence._
In the natural world the greater law of distribution is manifested in
the infinite variety that appears in the midst of an unchanging and
inflexible uniformity. And in the Church of God what varied gifts,
graces, and attainments are found in its members. No two are
precisely alike. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit;
and the multiplicity and variety of endowments are intended to be
exercised for one grand and definite purpose (Eph. iv. 12, 13). By
grouping together the precepts contained in these verses, we have
suggested to us the varied aspects of spiritual influence. Observe:--
+I. The fervency of spiritual influence.+--1. _The influence of the
Spirit is represented under the emblem of fire._ "Quench not the
Spirit" (ver. 19). Fire purifies the gold of its dross, enlightens by
its splendour the eyes of the beholder, and raises the temperature of
the Christian life. The person inspired is borne along, as it were,
with spiritual ardour (Acts xviii. 25; Rom. xii. 11). Timothy is
directed to rekindle or keep up the fire (2 Tim. i. 6). Christian
baptism is baptism "with the Holy Ghost and with fire" (Matt.
iv. 11). The descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost was in tongues of
fire (Acts ii. 3). The Spirit, as fire, bestows both the light of
knowledge and the fervour of love.
2. _The influence of the Spirit may be quenched by denying the
personality and Godhead of the Spirit,_ by depreciating the necessity
of and restraining the fervour of His presence in Christian work; by
ignoring special reference to Him in prayer; by stifling the voice of
conscience; by neglect of religious ordinances; by conformity to the
world; by unsanctified use of past afflictions. The gifts of the
Spirit, with all His holy operations, must be fervently and
diligently cherished within us.
+II. The instructiveness of spiritual influence.+--"Despise not
prophesyings" (ver. 20). The word "prophesying" in the New Testament
signifies not only the prediction of future events, but the
instructions of men inspired by the Holy Ghost, teaching Christian
doctrines, revealing or explaining mysteries, exhorting to duties,
consoling the sorrowing and afflicted. It is what we understand by
preaching. It is not so much the prediction of events that are
future, as it is the proclamation of duty that is instant. However
exalted the believer may be in spiritual experience, however rich in
faith and charity, it is still his duty to attend to preaching.
"Despise not prophesying." Like many a negative in the Bible, it
means a very decided positive in the opposite direction. Despise it
not by exalting reason over revelation. Despise it not by identifying
true religion with the weakness, oddities, and eccentric notions of
good but ignorant men. Despise it not by denying its beneficent
teachings, spurning its wise counsels, and neglecting its faithful
warnings. Where there is no prophecy the people perish. He that
despiseth it shall be despised of the Lord; he shall be cast into
darkness, because he would not delight in the light (Acts xiii. 41;
Prov. i. 24-31).
+III. The possible abuse of spiritual influence.+--"Prove all things;
hold fast that which is good" (ver. 21). Error is never so dangerous
as when it is the alloy of truth. Pure error is seen through at once
and rejected; but error mixed with truth makes use of the truth as a
pioneer for it, and gets introduction where otherwise it would have
none. Poison is all the more dangerous when mixed up with food--error
is never so likely to do mischief as when it comes to us under the
pretensions and patronage of that which is true. Hence the importance
of testing every pretender to spiritual illumination--as the
goldsmith tests the gold and discovers the amount of alloy in it.
"Beloved," says St. John, "believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are
gone out into the world" (1 John iv. 1). There are certain
fundamental truths that are beyond all necessity of testing, and
which transcend the powers of human reason to fully comprehend. The
direction is addressed to the Church, to those who possess the Spirit
by whose help the test is applied. The utterances of the Spirit may
be tested in their relation to the glory of Jesus, and by the
influence of the truths uttered upon the moral and spiritual life of
the teacher and his followers. Having proved the truth, hold fast
that which is good, as with both hands and against all who would
forcibly wrest it from you. When you have tried and found out the
truth, be constant and settled in it. A wavering-minded man is
unstable in all his ways:--
"Seize upon truth wherever 'tis found,
Among her friends, among her foes,
On Christian or on heathen ground,
The flower's divine where'er it grows--
Refuse the prickles and assume the rose."
+IV. The sensitiveness of spiritual influence.+--"Abstain from all
appearance of evil" (ver. 22). Nothing will sooner quench the fire of
the Spirit in the believer than sin. Therefore is he exhorted to
abstain, to hold aloof from every species of evil not only from that
which is really and in itself evil, but also from that which has the
shape or semblance of evil. Not what we are, but what we appear,
determines the world's judgment of us. Our usefulness in the world is
very much dependent on appearances. Our abhorrence of evil, both in
doctrine and practice, must be so decided as to avoid the very show
of it in either. He makes conscience of no sin that makes no
conscience of all; and he is in danger of the greatest who allows
himself in the least. "By shunning evil things," says Bernard, "we
provide for conscience; by avoiding ill, shows we safeguard our
fame." The believer has need of a sound judgment, a sensitive
conscience, and an ever-wakeful vigilance. To sanction evil in any
form is to dim the lustre and stifle the operation of spiritual
influence. "Know nought but truth, feel nought but love, will nought
but bliss, do nought but righteousness. All things are known in
heaven ere aimed at on earth."
+Lessons.+--1. _The mightiest influence in the universe is
spiritual._ 2. _Increase of spiritual influence is dependent on
uprightness of life._ 3. _The best spiritual gifts should be eagerly
sought._
_GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES._