1 Thessalonians 5:19 - Quenching the Spirit

Do not quench the Spirit.

Target Date: Sunday, 4 June 2023

Word Study/ Translation Notes:

Quench - σβέννυμι sbĕnnumi – to extinguish or quench, like putting out a fire.

Often used of drenching with water or stacking with sand to put out a fire.

Thoughts on the Passage:

But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. – 1 Corinthians 14:30

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. - Ephesians 4:29-31

Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. – 1 Timothy 4:14

For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:6-7

But they rebelled And grieved His Holy Spirit; Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them. – Isaiah 63:10

The real debates are whether this means not to suppress the charismata, or spiritual gifts, of the church, or whether this is a warning toward perseverance and obedience.

‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ – Luke 16:31

Sermon Text:

This week and next, if the Lord is willing, we will be tackling perhaps the most debated verses in this epistle to the Thessalonians.

Across many beliefs, there are partisans who would put forward their interpretation of these verses to the exclusion of all other voices.

I will say from the outset: it is not my intention to find a “middle ground” in this debate.

For the preacher of the gospel, the lukewarm route should never be the one we seek unless it is the truth of the Scripture.

God forbid we should ever become conciliators of factions simply by choosing the compromise alternative.

Because if that is our goal, we sacrifice the truth for a false peace.

And just like the three commands that came before, this verse begins a new set of commands, three primary commands and two sub-commands underneath the second one that carry the same phrasing.

And just like the former set were related to each other:

Rejoice always; pray unceasingly; and give thanks in all,

The commands of this set are related to each other as well:

Do not quench the Spirit;

Do not despise prophetic statements;

And Abstain from every look or form of evil.

We will look first at what is being said in this verse.

Then we will look at how the command can be obeyed here and now.

The sentence structure of this command, and the ones that follow, is really simple – a verb and an object.

“quench not” – the verb

The Spirit – the object.

For the easiest part, we see the object is “the Spirit”.

It should seem quite obvious that this refers specifically to the Holy Spirit, but there are some who have even disputed that truth.

After looking at their fringe interpretations, I assure you that the ONLY meaning of “the Spirit” here is the Holy Spirit.

We will see some specifics later when we look at applying this verse.

The verb is a bit tougher: “quench not”.

We know exactly what it means because we have several examples of the word “quench” meaning exactly this: to cause a flame or a fire to go out.

In Matthew 25:8, the foolish virgins complained to0 the prepared virgins that their lamps “were quenched”.

That is, the flame had ceased to burn due to lack of fuel.

The writer of Hebrews, in speaking probably of the three men from Daniel who were thrown in the furnace, describes them in faith as having

quenched the power of fire - Hebrews 11:34

That is that through faith and faithfulness they had stopped the destruction of the flames upon themselves.

But in the New Testament, we don’t have this metaphorical use of the word “quench” anywhere else like we see here.

And so we have to use context and the plain reading to help us understand what is being commanded.

Most of us recall that the Holy Spirit is often associated with fire, such as in verses:

John the Baptizer, when being questioned about the baptism he provided, said in Luke 3:16:

“As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

And on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given to the church of Jesus Christ, it is described as:

And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit - Acts 2:2-4

So what would it mean to “quench” the Holy Spirit?

It is certain we could not oppose Him so as to “put out His flame” in His work in the world.

Any more than we could harness and stop the wind of a hurricane by our own efforts.

But to carry that idea through IS what I think Paul means by “Don’t quench the Spirit”.

In the analogy of the hurricane, while it is not possible to stop the winds from blowing, it is possible to build a protective bunker where we can be contained and not feel the effect of the wind.

Moving back to the flame analogy, Paul is not suggesting that we have any power to stop the complete work of the Spirit;

But we do have the power to dampen the Spirit’s effect upon US.

The small bit of flame that is given to us may be controlled, contained, stifled, or quenched.

The concern here is not for the Spirit; it is for YOUR participation in Him.

There is no power in all the heavens or earth that can restrain the work of God through His Holy Spirit,

But you, through pride or disobedience or faithlessness or many other ways can restrict His work in YOUR life.

There is no problem between this and the Irresistible Grace of God’s Sovereignty in salvation – He calls and makes alive those He chooses.

This is about that joint work of sanctification and the holy work of edification of each other where we may fail.

It is in failing to do those good works God has prepared in advance so we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

The very things He created us in Christ to do.

It is about walling yourself off for any reason from the works the Holy Spirit is calling you to do.

And we see in the following verses two examples of those works:

Spiritual Gifts – with the example of prophecy

And practicing evil or sinful things.

It is my intention to merely provide an overview to these two things this week as they apply to “quenching the Spirit”;

I hope, God willing, to dive into each of these in the coming weeks in detail.

In the context of the church, there is one thing we must remember above all: it is God’s church, administered by His Holy Spirit.

Now, it is perfectly ok to refer to this church as “my church” if you mean that you are a part of this body.

Like my thumb, if it could talk, could refer to me as “my body” to distinguish it from another.

But it is dangerous when people take that membership and try to make it ownership – that has been at the heart of every significant church fight I have seen in my life.

When people see “my church” as “the church I am part-owner of”.

This is a danger for pastors, elders, deacons, and other leadership as well: no one OWNS or controls a church that is operating by the Spirit.

I have known people in my life that felt like they owned the church due to the large amount of money they gave in offering.

Your offerings do not buy a “share” in the church of Jesus Christ.

The blood of Jesus Christ has paid for your admission and inclusion into His local body.

If you feel like your great offerings should give you a greater say in the operation of the local church to which you give, I say with all sincerity:

Keep your money until you repent.

God doesn’t need it, and a church that is obedient to God will not want it.

The word from the Scripture to you is the same as the word to Simon the magician who tried to buy apostolic authority:

“May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. – Acts 8:20-22

To think you can earn, buy, or otherwise merit the control of God’s church is a grave sin; to attempt to exercise that “right” is treading dangerously close to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira.

How many local congregations have been ripped and neutered by people trying to gain or maintain control of God’s church?

And so, in that light, we must also remember that the church is not simply made up of the leadership.

Every member of this church has a contribution to make to the body, to build each other up.

Every person is valuable and necessary.

It is, perhaps, the most common way to “quench the Spirit” when we decline to do what He has called us to do because we are not the pastor or an elder.

When you look at what you know you should do, but leave it to the “leaders” to do it.

I have actually been told in another church “That is what we pay YOU to do.” – and that was making contact with a member who was quite sick.

The person saying it – a former deacon.

You – if you are a member of this church – have a role and an area of service here.

And if you are not doing it, most likely it is being left undone.

You allow the things of your life to override the responsibility you have to your brothers and sisters here.

The fire the Holy Spirit gave you to contribute to your church family is slowly smothered by the competing things of this world.

Now, I must add, just like Paul and Silas do in the next verses, that you should explore your service in cooperation with the leadership, the elders, of this church.

Not everyone who thinks they are ready to lead is ready to lead.

Not everyone should be a teacher.

But it is the responsibility of the elders to work with you to cultivate the ability and desire the Spirit has placed within you.

I think that is where we should end this week.

I do intend, if the Lord is willing, to look next week at what are commonly called spiritual gifts, and how they are to be used in the service of the church.