The Thirty Second Sermon, the Twelfth on the Fourth Chapter - Ephesians 4:29-30
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." - Ephesians 4:29-30
St. Paul provides us with correction of a vice here, which is very dangerous. Yet, it is so common among men because, at first glance, they fail to see the harm it brings. Thus, they readily engage in it. People may argue that engaging in pleasant conversation, all the while harboring no ill intentions, is innocuous. They might contend that it is possible to poison someone's mind with words, yet still, it should not be considered harmful. Convincing individuals of its peril can be challenging, despite the Holy Ghost's admonishment.
I affirm that engaging in light or lewd conversation, which tends to promote immoral behaviour, is akin to offering poisoned words to the soul. It is essential to be cautious about this, for it is precisely what St. Paul has advised us against. People may deny that their speech is filthy or lewd, but experience bears witness to the contrary. It is not without reason that it has been said that evil words corrupt good manners. Even if one is modest, chaste, pure-minded, and inclined to goodness, if they partake in wanton talk, it can penetrate their heart unnoticed, tainting them before they realise it. Thus, it corrupts thoroughly.
Indeed, if a woman listens to messages that seek to seduce her, one might aptly say that she has already fallen into a state of promiscuity. The evidence is clear. It is certain that all unchaste and lewd speeches are harmful. While those who engage in such talk may not always have ill intentions, regardless of their intent, Satan is the instigator. As mentioned earlier, if unchaste and loose talk is given free rein, it is inevitable that we will be poisoned quickly. Therefore, it is not without reason that St. Paul admonishes us not to let unclean or filthy speech come out of our mouths.
On the contrary, we should engage in conversations that edify, benefiting those who listen. As even the heathens acknowledge, it is beneficial to be in the company of someone from whom one always hears wise and virtuous words, departing with newfound wisdom. Thus, nature itself leads them to say this. Therefore, let us learn to avoid and abstain from engaging in such conversations. When a person's speech is filled with obscenities, and various individuals take opposing sides in conversations, and instead of gaining good from the discourse, one feels attacked by Satan, we must recognise them for what they are—stings that Satan delivers secretly and cunningly to pierce our hearts. Considering this, is it not justified to disdain someone who willingly engages in such harmful discourse, viewing them as a perilous contagion?
The first thing to emphasise is that the Lord has given us tongues to express our thoughts to one another. Their purpose is to benefit our neighbours, and so we should use them accordingly. The tongue is referred to as the "meant" to convey our hearts and minds to others or to guide all other parts of our being, indicating its superiority. Therefore, we should employ it primarily for honouring God. The order of nature should engrain in our hearts that our words should be necessary and contribute to our neighbours' well-being.
Our Lord intends all parts of ourselves to serve the greater good, with our tongues being especially important. The essence of our speech should be to edify, whether by offering counsel, issuing warnings, giving rebukes, reminding others of something, or teaching those who are ignorant. In the context of the spiritual life, the primary purpose is to teach the ignorant and show them the path to salvation. However, if someone is negligent or unruly, they may require exhortation or admonishment. The tongue serves to comfort those in distress, prevent them from despairing, and guide souls away from destruction.
We must also provide warnings to those who may be deceived. Once we engage in these activities, we will be continually serving our neighbours in countless ways, both for their physical and spiritual well-being. It is evident that there are numerous opportunities for us to make a difference. If we remain silent and care neither for the bodies nor souls of those with whom we should be united, it is a clear disregard for God. Our tongues are meant to glorify God, confess our faith, call upon Him, and serve our neighbours in various ways.
Therefore, the first point to consider in this regard is the lawful use for which God has designed our tongues and their application in promoting our neighbour's salvation and well-being, both spiritually and temporally. It is a grave matter if we misuse our tongues, forsaking the fear of God, and serve Satan with loose talk, promoting dishonesty, and encouraging sinful behaviour. Such misuse defiles our tongues and disrupts the natural order.
Let us learn to engage in good and necessary conversations to avoid polluting ourselves with wicked communication, which are cunning tricks of Satan meant to corrupt those who are inclined to serve God. The more loose and sinful talk there is in the world, the more spiritual corruption there is, as I mentioned earlier. Even though many may not believe it, the evidence is clear through experience. We should not be foolish and refuse to learn until we face significant harm. Instead, we should heed the guidance of the Holy Ghost.
It should not surprise us that the world is increasingly inclined towards wickedness. Jesting and scoffing talk are now considered virtuous, and no one sees anything wrong with them. There is a multitude of jesters and mockers whose aim is to eliminate all sense of shame, encouraging people to behave shamelessly. This licentiousness is all too common and tolerated, and we are now witnessing its consequences.
Consider the prevalence of frivolous and immoral songs and love-making. When young women sing foolish love songs, they often fall into promiscuity before even understanding the concept of chastity. They become bold and hardened towards immorality, and the devil gains control over them before they comprehend the importance of keeping their faith and vows intact until marriage. Young women who involve themselves with such songs are on a perilous path. It is unfortunate that this problem persists, suggesting that Satan is actively working to corrupt our moral values. If it weren't for his influence, we might have an easier time eradicating this filth from our memory. Unfortunately, it seems impossible to fully address this issue, even with severe punishments in place.
Both married women and unmarried girls should take heed and avoid falling into the trap of being regarded as harlots. They must correct the vice that corrupts the whole world and restrain their foul tongues, which only serve to spread filthiness. However, even with this warning, we will have little excuse. Those who close their ears and harden their hearts against the Holy Ghost will be held accountable not only for their numerous offenses against God but also for poisoning the souls of others, a much graver and more horrific deed than merely killing their bodies. Those who poison animals are driven out of society, and they deserve it. What, then, should be done to those who not only harm the body with their poisons but also assault the soul and persist in corrupting all goodness, fear of God, and honesty with their immoral speech?
We must remember that God has appointed our tongues for a specific purpose, as mentioned earlier, which is to serve our neighbors and benefit them both physically and spiritually. We must diligently use our tongues for this purpose. Above all, we must avoid corrupting those who are inclined to serve God and leading them astray with our speech, which may challenge their goodness, tempt them towards evil, increase their licentiousness, and make them negligent. Evil speech corrupts good manners in many ways. Some individuals are blatant scoffers of God, unrepentant of their actions, while others downplay their faults, considering them venial sins. Some cloak their wrongdoing, while others argue that we need not be so strict and serious in our lives. Such talk slowly erases the fear of God.
We must be vigilant against the various types of people who spread this harmful talk. Above all, each of us must speak chastely and avoid using inappropriate language. We must also distance ourselves from those who jest improperly.
Despite the fact that they are welcomed into our company for the sake of amusement, and at times even generously treated, we should learn to keep such individuals away from our gatherings. We wouldn't willingly offer our throats to a dagger when we see it drawn, nor would we seek out someone to harm our bodies. So why do we eagerly expose our souls to something much worse? Let us, therefore, avoid those who can only extinguish the fear of God within us, make us shameless and callous, and lead us away from all decency and godly sorrow. We must be cautious not to associate with such people, lest we receive the punishment we deserve from God. Therefore, let us strive to prevent such plagues from infiltrating our midst.
Do not be deceived, as St. Paul warns us about these scoffers who only serve to incite our lusts, deprive us of our conscience, diminish our fear of God, and corrupt us in such a way that sin becomes pleasing. Beware that none of you are deceived by deceptive words, for this has been a common occurrence throughout history. Let us heed St. Paul's counsel and not only watch out for ourselves but also ensure that others are not corrupted in the same manner. That is the lesson we should take from this.
We must recognize that we are already weak and prone to evil, even without the presence of lewd songs and ungodly talk. When the devil finds an opening and lures us into further wickedness with his flattery, hardening our hearts in the process, we become entirely subject to his will. We should not grieve the Spirit of God, for we are marked and sealed for the day of our redemption. Furthermore, we must consider how perverse it is to misuse our tongues, which God has designated for His honour and our neighbour's benefit, by polluting them with filthiness and corrupting those who are dedicated to serving God. We should not lead them towards beastly immorality, causing them to abandon their shame and honesty. If we were not so foolish, we would realize the gravity of perverting the natural order in this manner.
St. Paul warns us of something that should concern us even more: "Grieve not God's Spirit." Why? Because we are marked with it, and it dwells within us, bearing witness to our hope of salvation in our hearts. It is also the source of life that assures our everlasting salvation. When we take the liberty to do evil and speak evil, we are opposing God's Spirit just as much as resisting His life-giving influence. It is like taking the bridle in our teeth to engage in all manner of wickedness, which only causes Him grief. This is the message Paul intended to convey.
However, let us first note that he speaks here in the common manner of Holy Scripture. We know that there are no emotions in God; it is the nature of humans to feel sorrow or grief. God is unchangeable. Yet, because we cannot comprehend His infinite nature and boundless Majesty, Scripture employs such expressions for our benefit. When it says that God is angry or grieved, it does not imply any change in Him. Instead, it aims to turn us away from our sinful deeds, to make us abhor evil, and to make us see that we provoke Him to anger through our wickedness.
The Scripture does not suggest that God is subject to change when it says He is angry or sorry. Instead, it directs us to consider our own actions and to abhor our vices even more. St. Paul is not speaking of God's anger alone; he also mentions that the Holy Ghost is sorry or grieved. We are not God's children by nature, given our wretched state, being cursed in Adam and children of wrath. Yet, His Holy Spirit dwells within us, calling us to the incredible honour and dignity of being His children.
This allows us to call upon Him as our Father and have familiar access to Him, all of which is done by the Holy Ghost. This is why the Holy Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of adoption. The inheritance of Heaven does not belong to us by our own merit or nature, as I mentioned earlier. It is solely by the free and gracious goodness of God.
He has sealed all of this in our hearts through His Holy Spirit. This is why it is said that we possess a mortal body. This does not merely refer to our physical body, including our feet, hands, skin, bones, and flesh. It also signifies the presence of corruption within us due to the dwelling of sin, which leads to nothing but death. Throughout our lives, we are constantly reminded of our mortality, facing various diseases, infirmities, and the effects of aging. We can see well in advance that we are on a path toward our own graves. Considering the multitude of deaths we encounter in our bodies and the even greater darkness of death that awaits our souls, how can we hope that God will welcome us into His kingdom?
However, it is said that the Spirit is life. Even if there is only a single grain or a tiny spark of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ within us, we can be certain that we will share in His glory. He has risen from the dead and conquered death through His Holy Spirit. In this manner, we are quickened with Him, eagerly awaiting our deliverance from the corruptible nature that surrounds us. Therefore, it can be said that we are sealed by the Holy Ghost, as I mentioned earlier, which is affirmed not only here in this chapter but also in other places, such as the second letter to the Corinthians.
This analogy is quite fitting. While God's promises should be sufficient in their own right and hold full authority for us, our tendency towards disbelief often prevents us from fully trusting and relying on them until they are confirmed and assured to us. We need to be able to say, "Look, it is indeed God Himself who is speaking." On one hand, we are plagued by doubt and suspicion, and on the other, we cannot fully place our trust in the things declared in God's name. This is because His promises, though undeniable, remain inaccessible until they are imprinted in our hearts, which is achieved through His Holy Spirit. Just as a document is authenticated by the addition of a seal, God confirms and seals His promises of our salvation in our hearts with His Holy Spirit. This is why it is frequently mentioned that God's Spirit serves as a seal, guaranteeing our inheritance of salvation in our hearts. Another apt comparison is found in the notion of an earnest penny. When a deal is made, even if no immediate payment is made, the exchange is concluded with the giving of an earnest penny. Neither party can later retract from the deal. The buyer cannot say, "I've changed my mind and want to cancel the purchase," nor can the seller say, "I feel deceived and want to keep my goods." Both parties are bound: one to make the payment and the other to deliver the goods.
Even so, it is said that God's Spirit is the earnest penny of the life of our souls. Why? Because, as I mentioned earlier, God binds Himself to us due to our weakness. It is not because He owes us anything, but rather, we have all the more reason to magnify His goodness because He willingly binds Himself to us. He does this knowing our feebleness and frailty. When He swears an oath, it is not because He needs to add anything to His word, for He Himself is the truth, and what comes from Him must not be doubted. It might seem, therefore, that making an oath is unnecessary for Him and that He abuses His own name. However, this is not the case. He does so because He recognizes our weakness and our tendency towards unbelief, and thus, He uses oaths as a means to strengthen our faith. When God swears in His steadfastness and faithfulness to us out of pity for our wretchedness, and when He seals and confirms His promises in us through His Holy Spirit, it is because it is impossible for us to believe in Him on our own. We cannot be sure of the things He promises to us, nor can we call upon Him and overcome the temptations of the world without this means. Therefore, we need to keep this text in mind where St. Paul says that the Holy Ghost dwells in our hearts.
From this, we can draw an important lesson that should humble us. We will never give God the highest honour He requires with our own efforts unless He Himself draws us to it and grants us the grace to fulfil it. Above all, we must recognise that His word holds absolute authority over us, and we should revere it so highly that as soon as He speaks, we immediately respond with complete obedience, which is the primary sacrifice God demands. However, on our part, we often do the opposite. We tend to reply against God's word, being filled with our own desires. While we may not openly declare His word to be vain, and we do not accuse Him of lying and deceit, we protest that we wrong Him when we do not fully believe His words.
How long will this people slander Me, saying, "God has robbed me of my honour"? This is a complaint made by God through Moses and in many other places in Scripture. Indeed, if St. John's statement is true, that when we believe God, we set our seals that He is true, meaning that we affirm His faithfulness, then conversely, if our faith is not grounded securely, and if God's word does not dwell in us so deeply as to make us wholly subject to it without contradiction, it is as if we consider God a liar. Although we may detest and avoid uttering such blasphemy, if God complains that we have reproached Him in this way, it is not without cause. Therefore, we see how unstable our nature is until God remedies it.
Furthermore, concerning how the Holy Ghost seals His promises in our hearts, let us understand that this is because He has chosen us. We have previously discussed how He called us to Himself and illuminated us with the truth of His gospel, in accordance with His choosing of us even before our birth and before the creation of the world. Therefore, we should recognise that God's Spirit is a special gift, not given to all people indiscriminately, but reserved as a treasure for His chosen children. For this reason, we should always remember the honourable title that He is the Spirit of adoption.
The prevalence of unbelief throughout the world serves as clear evidence of God's goodness in engraving His Word in our hearts. It is certain that in those who resist God or are as unresponsive as brute beasts, the Word has no effect. We can see our natural state and what we would still be if the Lord, out of His mercy, had not touched us with His Holy Spirit. This is what we need to keep in mind. Therefore, whenever the doctrine of our salvation is expounded, we must be cautious not to rely on our own understanding but remain humble and meek, so that the Lord may enlighten us with His Holy Spirit.
When we realize that we have already received such grace, we should not bury it but give thanks to Him who deserves it. On the other hand, when we experience doubts, turmoil, and restlessness, and find ourselves tossed like a ship on the verge of capsizing and sinking to the depths of the sea, we should consider our own weakness. Even though we have been instructed in God's Word, there will be no stability in our hearts unless God works within us. In such times, let us turn to the remedy and pray to God to safeguard the seed He has planted in us from being choked and to ensure that our confidence in our inheritance does not waver. Despite Satan's relentless efforts to destroy what God has placed within us, may it be strengthened in us day by day as necessary.
In this context, when St. Paul mentions that we are sealed and marked by God's Spirit, this is what we should keep in mind.
And now, he warns us that it is an exceedingly grave offense to grieve Him, even an intolerable act of treachery. I have previously explained that this analogy is not meant to attribute excessive passion to God's Spirit but to shame us and make our hair stand on end. Look, says Paul, God's Spirit has chosen to reside within us, as it is said elsewhere, that not only our souls but also our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost. He is delighted to be in us, to dwell there continuously, and to make it His permanent abode. Therefore, when we indulge in spiteful behaviour, as if we intend to drive Him away from us, it is a devilish act. Yet, when we seek to obscure our minds with licentious and loose talk, and employ other sinful means to divert us from the fear of God, and to lull our consciences to sleep, it is as if we deliberately tried to banish God's Spirit and declare that we want no further association with Him. Mustn't we then be the most wretched and cursed beings when we push ourselves to such extremes? This is what Paul had in mind. Thus, whenever we are tempted by evil, and the devil strives to make us take pleasure in it so that all conscience is driven away, let us remember what is stated here and say to ourselves, "Are you now rejoicing and revelling in the service of Satan?" On the contrary, "Let Him go; that is life, the earnest pledge of your salvation, and the foundation of the happiness acquired so dearly by the buyer, our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us ponder this carefully."
Furthermore, it is certain that every faithful person should experience what is described here. If the Lord has touched us and granted us the seal mentioned here, it will grieve us when we are tempted to do evil. Therefore, the Spirit that guards and protects us must hold us back, and if we despise this benefit, that is, the inner working that God has granted us, it is as if we grieve the Holy Ghost. This is a most certain experience, revealing that what the Holy Ghost has instilled in us is diametrically opposed to all evil. Thus, there must be a battle and conflict between them, such that none of God's children can sin without being immediately filled with fear and selfreproach. It is a lamentation that I am referring to, and it is not something we should avoid. However, if we persist in evil, it is as if we take pleasure in driving away God's Spirit. The prophet Isaiah states that we embitter God's Spirit when we reject the good doctrine He has provided for us, but Paul goes further here. For indeed, it is a kind of provocation of God's wrath when we do not submit to His doctrine, which is a sure testimony of His concern for our salvation and His love for us. But each of us must consider this personally. God has engraved the belief in His gospel in my heart so that I may be assured of my salvation. He has also chosen me for His dwelling place and to reside in me by His Holy Spirit. If I erase His grace, it is as if I deliberately intend to separate myself from God. Therefore, let us beware of such an extreme and hold ourselves in reverence. Additionally, Paul concludes by stating that God's sealing and marking of us in this manner by His Holy Ghost is for the day of our redemption. This indicates that to overcome Satan's allurements, the lusts of our flesh, and all the temptations of the world, we must continually set our minds on the heavenly life promised to us and labour towards it. Therefore, since God's Spirit has been given to us by Paul not to be taken away once we have experienced His grace and power, but so that His seal and mark may remain with us until the day of our redemption, when we will be delivered from this transitory life and all the miseries that surround us, let us ensure that He always retains the possession He has taken within us.
And we also enjoy the inestimable benefit of His continuous presence with us, guiding and upholding us throughout our entire lives. The reason for intentionally directing our attention to the last day is to remind us to live soberly, understanding that just as we continually need to be guided by the power of God's Spirit, if we were to be deprived of it, estranged from Him, and left devoid of His grace, we might fall into a reprobate mindset concerning the day of our redemption. By "redemption," we mean the happiness we hope for, which is still hidden from us. It is true that we were redeemed in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, who set us free from the bondage and subjugation of death and sin by paying our ransom and making our atonement. Therefore, we can say that Jesus Christ is our Redeemer in the sense that He has delivered us. However, when we look at ourselves, we do not yet experience this redemption. Thus, both in this passage and in Romans 8, St. Paul mentions that the day when Jesus Christ will appear is the day of our salvation and deliverance. We are surrounded by numerous miseries and carry them within our bodies and souls. Therefore, we should seek a better state than what we currently see. This is why it is said that our salvation lies in hope, for we hope for what we do not yet see, and God intends for us to anchor our hope in Him. When He withholds from our eyes the things He promises, it is so that even if we possess worldly riches, we do not cease to rejoice in Him, knowing that we will not be disappointed while waiting for the inheritance He has purchased for us. This is what the word "redemption" means in this context.
Therefore, let us learn to be armed and fortified with God's Spirit to combat all of Satan's temptations so that he never finds us unprepared or in disorder. To achieve this, let us pray to God to engrave His truth in us by the same Spirit, granting us victory over all that opposes our salvation. As we continue in our calling to take courage and be patient, let us wait for our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our life, to appear. Our life and complete happiness will also be revealed in Him at His coming.
Now, let us humbly bow before the majesty of our good God, acknowledging our faults and entreating His mercy. We implore Him not to impute the multitude of our sins against us, as they make us blameworthy in His eyes, but rather to bear with our weaknesses and cleanse us from them day by day. In doing so, we may grow in His gracious gifts and cast away all evil that may lead us astray. By these means, we may draw nearer to Him until we are fully united with Him at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. May He grant this grace not only to us but also to all the people and nations of the earth. Amen.