Ephesians 4:30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
observation
“Do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live”
It may seem difficult to live the way that we are supposed to live but if it sinks into your head that you were bought at a high price and that now you are a part of God’s redeemed then you will want to live your live so that God will be pleased. If we have truly repented from our sin and acknowledged that we need a Savior then we must realize that our old sin nature cannot be in charge of the way that we live anymore.
“Therefore we should imitate God”
How many people live with that goal in mind? Do we think that it is such a high and lofty goal that we shouldn’t even bother? Again, If we truly understood our situation when we were saved and how bad off we were then we shouldn’t mind the sacrifice of self and our sinful pleasures and getting rid of “all types of evil behavior” to live so that we do not bring “sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit.”
God is holy, he is righteous, God is the ultimate example of love that you read about in 1Corinthians 13, he is forgiving and we are called to be just like him in every way.
application
I must remember that Christ brought me out of a desperate situation that I could not get out of on my own. There is no good reason that I should be going to heaven other than the love that God has for each and every one of us. God’s command that I live to please him is not much to ask in return and since his way is the better way then I need to live for him through the Holy Spirit’s assistance.
prayer
Thank you Lord for your salvation and for giving me a better way to live. I pray that the Holy Spirit will not be grieved by the way that I live. Thank you for the change in my life.
