CAN MEN QUENCH THE SPIRIT?

This is an interesting interpretation of I Thessalonians 5.19 - ed.

Brother Beebe:

Some months ago I received a request from Brother Joshua Dickerson of Nebraska for my views on the text "Quench, Not the Spirit" I Thessalonians 5.19. This request, like some others, has been on hand for a good while from the fact that I have had no satisfactory views on the text, and even now I feel diffident in an attempt I am about to make. But I hope some faithful brother will correct me if wrong and teach me the way of the Lord more perfectly.

There are at least three texts which are often used by Arminians. To prove their false theory of free will, and to foster the impious notion that creatures may successfully resist the purposes of God, (if indeed they admit He has any purposes) and baffle the work of his Holy Spirit in its attempt to call sinners to repentance. The above quench not the Spirit is one of them, Another is "grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are called unto the day of Redemption" Ephesians 4.30. Another is "you stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears. You do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do you" Act 7.51. But it is evident to every enlightened mind who will examine the context in each of these cases, that all these passages are not parallel and cannot be applied in the same way.

The first two are addressed directly to the Saints who had been quickened, called, and enlightened by the Spirit. The other, in Acts, was addressed to the uncircumcised and rebellious Jews who had murdered the Just One and were now ready to murder the holy Stephen. To resist is to oppose and to fight against, whether successfully or not. And these wicked persecutors and murderers, like their fathers who had killed the prophets of God, always resisted, opposed, and fought against the apostles who were inspired by the Holy Ghost. Their fathers had opposed and resisted, often with bloody hands, the prophets of old, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. But this resistance to these haters of God, so far from proving them to have been the subjects of a spiritual call, proves the very reverse. The first work of the Spirit is to quicken and enlighten the sinner to circumcise his heart, and to love the Lord. But these resistors were uncircumcised in heart and ears and filled with venom and murder. What presumptuous mockery against a mighty God who upholds the universe? Change the ocean, Waze the mountains controls the tempests lulls to tower the towering waves, and drive out legions of demons at a word. What mockery, I say, to teach that such a God can be successfully resisted and even baffled by a creature. A worm! There is another text which I believe is generally, if not always, falsely interpreted by these free willers "My spirit shall not always strive with man" Genesis 6.3. His spirit did strive through the righteous Noah. Who preach righteousness to that wicked race. Not always, but for 120 years, while the ark was being prepared, he preached unto the spirits who are now in the prison of death.

But the language of the Apostle to the brethren at Thessalonica, to quench not the Spirit, is a consistent exhortation to men who had been called by the Spirit, and who possessed various spiritual gifts among them. "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly comfort to feeble-minded. Support the weak. Be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man. But ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men. Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the spirit. Despise not prophesyings." Let all the holy fruits of the Spirit be manifest among you. Whatever it, by its blessed influences and teaching, prompts you to do, or to speak in the Church, quench it not. Hide not your light under a bushel. suffer not the light that is in you to darkness, or to become darkened by concealing it, which is the same effect as quenching or extinguishing it.

If you have but one talent, do not bury it in the earth, but put it in the bank, and let it be exercised for the use of edifying, "despise, not prophesyings" or teachings. If you have a word of exhortation or admonition, say on, but let everything be done in order and without confusion. The apostle has in mind the same subject, perhaps of quenching or stifling the feelings which are prompted by the Spirit where he in I Corinthians 14.26 says, "when you come together, every one of you has a Psalm, has a doctrine, has a revelation, has an interpretation." In verse 29 he says, "Let the prophets speak two or three and let the others judge." Verse 30 "If anything is revealed to another that sits by let the first hold his peace." 30 "For you may all prophecy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be edified." Thus none who feel prompted to speak, need be quenched to spirit, nor neglect the gift that is in them, and by attending or observing this order of worship, we shall, "grieve not the Holy Spirit of God" in the brethren. For through the children of God alone or in them, can the Spirit be grieved. When we heed the exhortation of the apostle in the order of worship and in laboring for the peace, edification, and comfort of all the saints, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, there is joy and peace in the Holy Ghost and fellowship in the Spirit. But On the contrary, if we become disorderly in our worship or in our lives, or quenched the promptings of the Spirit in the exercise of our gifts, we grieve our brethren, and Christ is virtually wounded in the House of his friends., "inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren. You have done it unto me", Matthew 25.40.

Perhaps every minister of Christ has at times quenched a spirit, especially at his first starting out. Often did the poor, weak, and trembling writer shake his head and excuse himself from speaking a word to his brethren at the close of another's discourse, even when he felt prompted by something like a fire locked up in his bones. A dreadful conflict sometimes would rage in his bosom between his fleshly pride and the promptings of duty. Or between the temptations of an evil spirit, telling him he was too big a fool, and a drawing of a better spirit, calling to duty, if he gave way to self, which I am ashamed to say he often did, and thus quenched and stifled for the time the inward sense of duty to his brethren and his Redeemer. He generally paid for it in full measure afterward, and he has often up to this day been made sensible of a fatherly correction for disobedience.

The work and influence of the Spirit in the hearts of sinners are often quenched and stifled from its manifest fruits by the trembling Lamb, refusing to own its relation and its Lord. I have thought that if an excuse could be made at all for disobedience, and if forbearance could be exercised towards any class of the Lord's redeemed and regenerated children in hiding their light, it should be towards those who feel such a sense of unworthiness as to deter them from claiming any privileges among the Lord's people. 

They often feel the spirit of love for their Savior and His people, a drawing out of feeling toward them, almost irresistible, a desire to honor and glorify their Lord and master and to be with and among them in their privileges, joys, and sorrows Yet when they Look at themselves. They see so little of the characteristics of a child of God that they shrink back from privilege and duty and even write bitter things against themselves. Thus they quenched their feelings of love or failed to manifest them to the people they do love. 

But they become willing in the day of God's power when the invincible spirit and constraining love of Christ. Casts out all fear, and then they bow submissively and humbly under the yoke of Christ. The writer has seen this verified recently in several instances and is anticipating others soon may they quench not the spirit 

Yours unworthily.

Isaac N. Vanmeter

June 22,1871

Signs of the Times