What are some symbols for the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is symbolised in several ways in Scripture.

First, as water (Heb. 10:22), symbolising spiritual refreshment (cf. see Isa. 41:18), washing and cleansing from sin, and thirst quenching (cf. John 4:13–14).

Second, as a dove (recorded in the four gospels: Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32), a picture of innocence and purity.

Third, as wind (Acts 2:2). In the same way that wind is invisible but its effects can be felt, so also the Holy Spirit and his work (see also John 3:7–8).

Fourth, as fire (Acts 2:1, 3–4) with its purifying and cleansing power.

Fifth, as oil (Ps. 45:7), the Holy Spirit was involved in the anointing of Old Testament prophets, priests, and kings, to consecrate them for their work (see also Acts 10:36 and Jas. 5:14).

What are some sins we can commit against the Holy Spirit?

Resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). Here the reference is to Israel who persistently rejected God’s Word and works. Resisting Stephen’s testimony was tantamount to resisting the Holy Spirit. To resist means to oppose, to stand against, or to withstand. It is man’s opposition to God’s redemptive measures on his behalf. To resist is to reject his convicting call. Man’s conscience is a God-given channel by which the Holy Spirit convicts us. Rejecting the revelation of his truth and his sanctifying work are all attitudes of the heart which comes from man’s basic revolt against God.

Quench the Holy Spirit. When we ignore the work of the Holy Spirit, fail to obey his prompting, are deaf to his voice, unreceptive to his message, allow sins to go unconfessed, and dismiss the preached Word, we grieve the Holy Spirit. To quench means to choke out, suppress, subdue. We sometimes choke out those inner promptings that would advance the kingdom of god within us or through us. The Holy Spirit is quenched when we refuse to yield to the revealed will of God. How often have we quenched the voice of the Holy Spirit and substituted our opinion? We quench the Holy Spirit when we refuse his plan for our lives and are not open to his leading. In new situations, we put on Saul’s armour which may have served him well in the past but may not be the answer for the present. Safeguarding the status quo (i.e., “We never did it that way before”) may also quench the Spirit.

We quench the Holy Spirit when we ignore his gifts for spiritual growth. God’s gifts are limited to his purpose and not limited by time. The Spirit is quenched when we fail to honour our words. The Spirit has come to guide us into all truths. As we study the Word of God, the Spirit brings to bear upon our lives new insights (or old insights in a fresh way) that will advance spiritual growth. God wants to lead you into his fullness but if you are habitually quenching the Spirit, then you prolong your “infancy” in the faith and thus rob yourself of the joy and fruitfulness of abundant life.

Quenching the Spirit is a sin marked by complacency, indifference, and being satisfied with the status quo. The Bible refers to this sin as self-righteousness, counting oneself as good enough in his present state. The result of quenching the Spirit is spiritual apostasy. Once we quench the Spirit, it is so easy to become careless and indifferent about spiritual disciplines. Consequently, we degenerate into mediocre and miniature Christians.

Grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30) individually or corporately. We can grieve the Holy Spirit when we do not walk our talk, refuse to forgive others, harbour bitterness, persist in impure living, when there is division in the church, disunity, and when our behaviour is self-destructive. The nature of quenching the Spirit’s sin is lack of yieldedness. The Spirit is grieved by the presence of sin, but he is even more grieved because an individual has chosen the pleasures of sin rather than the pursuit of God.

The Spirit is grieved when we persistently sin and permit or allow known sin in our lives. Grieving the Spirit is a sin of omission (Matt. 23:23; Jas. 4:17).

The Holy Spirit is called Spirit of Holiness and we grieve him when we allow unholy thoughts, sinful lusts, selfishness, and fraternise with the world. He is also called the Spirit of unity and is grieved when we become divisive. Perhaps we grieve him most when we ignore his prompting, power, and presence.

In sum, when we demonstrate attitudes of indifference, ill-will, uncharitable words, lack of love, pride, envy, haughtiness, holier-than-thou attitude, unforgiving spirit, place knowledge above character, gossip, and reject God’s Word (through teaching, preaching, reading), we resist, quench, and grieve the Holy Spirit. These are sins against the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace in the body of Christ. “And to expose our heart to truth and consistently refuse or neglect to obey the impulses it arouses is to stymie the motions of life within us and if persisted in, to grieve the Holy Spirit into silence” (Augustine).

What is slandering/blaspheming against the Holy Spirit?

Slandering against the Holy Spirit is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels (Matt. 12:32; Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10). Nothing is said about sin against the Son of Man or God the Father. It is an unforgivable sin.^[1] What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Contextually, it is basically attributing the work/source of Christ’s work to Satan’s power. This is slandering against the Holy Spirit. Hence, there can be no forgiveness because without the Holy Spirit’s work no person can be saved. With hardened hearts and obstinate rebellion, constantly rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit leaves no room for the Holy Spirit to work. Therefore, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is seen as a persistent, hardened attitude that constantly ignores or dismisses the work of the Holy Spirit. Failure to recognise Jesus is the “mother of all sins.”

Can slander against the Holy Spirit still be committed today? One ancient interpretation is that this sin was possible in the past when Jesus walked on earth performing deliverance. After his ascension, the sin can no longer be committed. This was the view of some of the Church fathers notably Chrysostom (AD 347–407) and Jerome (AD 342–420).

Please note that slandering/blaspheming against the Holy Spirit is not backsliding (lapses that can be forgiven) or apostasy (permanent unforgivable lapses). It is also not 1 John 5:16: “If anyone sees his brother commit a sin which does not lead to death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life. This is for those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I do not say that he should pray for it. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is a sin that does not lead to death.” “Sin that leads to death” is simply “a sin of which one will not repent.”

Another interpretation is that the sin can still be committed in the present but only by unbelievers. I take this view because if you are a Christian, you can’t commit this sin because you already have the Holy Spirit.

What does Ephesians 4:18 mean?

“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 4:18). In terms of grammar, it is in the imperative mood, plural verb, passive voice and present tense/aspect. Imperative (a command not a suggestion), plural (reference to you all), it is passive (means something done to you) and present tense (indicating continuous action).

Hence, this verse is a command addressed to a group of people (i.e., congregation) to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The filling is to be continuous rather than once and for all. The Greek preposition en pneumati can either be translated “with” or “by” the Holy Spirit. The command to be filled by/with the Spirit is passive, which means no specific action is called upon.

This is the only place in Scripture that we are commanded to be filled with or by the Holy Spirit. How is one to be filled with the Holy Spirit? The text does not say. No steps and no conditions are laid down how to do it. It is generally agreed by evangelical commentators that the “filling of the Holy Spirit” has something to do with divine empowerment whereas “baptism of the Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13) is for conversion-initiation.^[2]

It has been pointed out that when we turn to the books of Luke and Acts, on each occasion, we discover that the filling of the Holy Spirit will be followed by the conjunction “and” (see Luke 1:15–16, 41–42, 67; Acts 4:31; 13:9–10). In other words, each filling is always followed by some kind of speech act. Moreover, another conjunction found in Acts is that the filling of Spirit is joined to some aspect of character or personal life (Acts 6:3, 5; 11:24; 13:52). The early Church first prayed for boldness, and then they were filled with the Holy Spirit. As a result, they became bold. They did not pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit first and have boldness as a result (Acts 4:23–31).