Sibbes Study Session #10

Sibbes Ch 10: Quench Not the Spirit

The primary text of Sibbes Ch 10 is found in 1 Thes 5. A pdf diagram of the contextual verses is given below:

There are five verbs shown in the above pdf of 1 Thes 5:19-22, all of the same exact form: VPAM2P, where V designates the word as a verb, P that the verb is in the present tense (aka “aspect”), A designates that the verb is in the active voice (the subject of the verb is the actor), M designates the imperative “mood” (more on this below), and 2P that the verb is the second person plural (you-all).

The imperative is in reference to “mood,” which is an awkward term, but the historical one. When dealing with a present-active verb, the imperative “mood” is command language. So the verb is not stating a fact (which would be the indicative mood), or an aspiration (the subjunctive, or more rarely the optative), but an assertion that the second-person-plural-addressee should act in accordance with the verb (in whatever the context, near a warning to “not” do something).

The Warning to Us: Do NOT “Quench” The Spirit

So relative to Sibbes Ch 10 and our text, 1 Thes 5, the first of the five imperative verbs, “quench,” more completely “do not quench,” heads the list of these five commands. As shown in the pdf, this first verb corresponds to Strong’s G4570, namely:

G4570. σβέννυμι sbénnumi: To quench, extinguish. Transitive [verb: that is, taking an object]:

(I) Of light or fire with the accusative (Matt. 12:20; Eph. 6:16; Heb. 11:34). Passive, to be quenched, go out (Matt. 25:8; Mark 9:44, 46, 48; Sept. [LXX]: Lev. 6:12, 13; Job 21:17; Is. 42:3).

(II) Figuratively to dampen, hinder, repress, as in preventing the Holy Spirit from exerting His full influence, with the accusative (1 Thes. 5:19; Sept. [LXX]: Song 8:7).

Derivative Words: ásbestos (762), unquenchable.

 Zodhiates, S. (2000). In The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). AMG Publishers.

What, then, does “do NOT quench!” mean?

  1. For some traditions (e.g., Arminian), such command is a the most-ominous warning (1) of the risk of losing one’s “salvation,” (2) where “salvation / being saved” is taken to mean having, finally everlasting forgiveness and eternal life, and (3) because one can only be provisionally “saved,” and so (4) one is always at risk of losing one’s “salvation.” In such faith traditions, “saved” is taken to be synonymous with “regeneration” / eternal life, but of course cannot be truly synonymous because such “salvation” that can be “lost” was neither “eternal” nor a regeneration from death to “Life.”
  2. For some contexts (tent / auditorium evangelism), such “do not quench” command is used to warn against resisting an inner feeling / direction to “repent,” believe, and so be “saved,” as may be made evident by walking to the front and giving public testimony to one’s “accepting” Christ. In such contexts the call to faith may be either by those who believe such “getting saved” is only provisional (as above in the Arminian view) or by those who believe that once “saved” always “saved” (the Reformed view, also held by many Baptists even those who do not consider themselves to be in the Reformed ‘camp’).
  3. However, the context here in the Thessalonian Epistle in general, and in 1 Thes 5 and vs. 19-22 in particular, is of a people who are already Christ’s, possessing eternal life, with no warning as to it (eternal life) becoming ‘lost’ (as though something which was “eternal” could be lost). And, so, by such interpretation, the command “do NOT quench!” is directed to one’s walk as a secured believer, in a condition of regeneration, having eternal life, with The Holy Spirit, the Third “Person” of the Trinity (Godhead) in residence within one’s soul.
    • What then does “quench” reference? The first approach to any such Biblical text / word question is search out the literal meaning within the context, and then within other parallel contexts (as Scripture is its own interpreter).
    • From the definition given in the pdf above we see that the Koine word sbénnumi means to repress (extinguish) some force (which could be “fire” or “light” in a given context). But a strict literal interpretation would not make sense.
    • The very next verses, 1 Thes 5:20-21, gives us the context and a proper understanding. Verses 20 and 21 are written as exact parallels (this is somewhat clearer in the Koine original, but it is also clear in any literal English Bible). This verse pair (5:20 and 21) carries a poetic form in the sense that the second line, vs. 21, amplifies / gives life to, the first line, vs. 20.
    • This then makes the essential connections that “do not quench” is “do not despise” and, importantly, “The Spirit” is [the source of] “prophesies.”

Do NOT Despise Prophecies

Referring again to the pdf above, we see that “despise” is the translation of the Koine word G1848, exouthenéō, which derives from “ex” (meaning out of, just as in English) and outhenéō, which does not occur in the Bible but whose meaning is well known from extant literature of the period, namely “to bring to nothing” (naught, i.e. make of no account, a zero).

Two very telling NT citations of exouthenéō (to despise) occur first in Luke 18:9 and next in Luke 23:11.

  • The Luke 18:9ff passage is the important parable of the despised tax collector (“publican” in some translations) coming to the fringes of the Temple area in abject humility praying only for one thing: “God, be merciful to me–the sinner” (Luke 18:13).
    1. Most translations have it just as “sinner” but the Koine is “the sinner,” suggesting, perhaps, that the tax collector is self-identifying as the most-significant sinner, an exemplar of the most-‘lost’ and totally without hope.
    2. The verb “be merciful” is a most important verb, G4233, hiláskomai. It is the Koine word (in the noun form) for the Mercy Seat that covers the Ark of the Covenant standing in the Holy of Holies, the place excluded to all people, except for the high priest, and then only once a year, and for the purpose of offering sacrifice as a type of Messiah on behalf of all the people and himself. Here in Luke 18:13 it is as a verb and which verb is special form: Aorist, Passive, Imperative, 2nd Person, Singular.
      1. Every element of these five verb attributes is rich with significance. Briefly, the 2nd Person Singular means it is addressed to another Person, and only One Person in particular. It is not to the Levitical / Aaronic priests, Judaism / the Mosaic Law, and certainly not to the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders of the time, nor to the Roman rulers who were the tax collectors direct superiors as to his profession. The tax collector knew there was Only One to Whom he could speak his plea.
      2. The passive “voice” is the clear affirmation that he, the tax collector, is the receiver of what he pleads for, not the doer of it. His voice expressing that his condition, his sin, is his only initiating act, it’s what he ‘owns,’ and only brings, to God.
      3. The aorist “tense” (or “aspect”) generally designates a whole action, often it’s completeness, even finality, and further (possibly) conveying its singularity (that of being a one-time action).
      4. Finally, we come to the imperative “mood.” As we have discussed, this is often used as command language of the object of the verb, as it is of the five verbs of 1 Thes 5:20-22. However, the imperative here conveys the absolute necessity of forgiveness, meaning there is no other way to God for the tax collector, not by any sacrifice, not by any observance, not by any acts of ‘righteousness.’ The tax collector is using a plea word, but in the clearest sense of expressing utter, abject need (for forgiveness), bringing nothing himself to such act except his need for it. The imperative verb form is here making stark that only God’s mercy, which would be truly undeserving, can accomplish what is being pleaded.
    3. What of the other person present at the scene of Luke 18:9ff? He is “a pharisee” without the definite article as used of “the tax collector.” This signals to us that this is not about a particular pharisee but of the category of all pharisees. And what of them?
      1. The opening verse tells us: “to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and [thus] treated others [literally: “the rest”] with contempt [bingo! this is our word exouthenéō].” Here exouthenéō is used as a participle, which is a verbal used as an adverb describing how the pharisees treated “the rest,” that is the non-pharisees and especially those they considered far from God such as the tax collector but also Gentiles, Samaritans (not purely racial Jews), lepers, cripples, the blind, etc.
      2. So what does the voice of this category of pharisees say to God? He gives thanks that he is righteous! And, so, as a category, such speech is claiming that we Pharisees are righteous and, accordingly, sense no need for mercy.
      3. So, most importantly, what does God say of pharisees? As Jesus Himself says it is only the tax collector who is justified! This would be a deeply offensive statement on a double level, because it makes clear that pharisees who “exalt” themselves will be “humbled” under God’s judgment.
    4. This entire parable centers on our key word exouthenéō. It shows us the inner spirit of The Religion Industry (TRI). It makes clear that TRI is contemptuous and consider as nothing, zero, those who are dishonored by their industry / system of self-righteousness (pride).
  • The second use of exouthenéō is just a few chapters later in Luke’s Gospel at Luke 23:11-12. Here the scene is of the trial of Jesus that fateful Passover night and morning before His crucifixion. Specifically we see “Herod with his [the] soldiers treated Him with exouthenéō and [unto being] mocked.” As part of their mocking ritual they arrayed Jesus in “splendid clothing” and returned Him under guard to Pilate for the final judgment of putting to death in shame by the cross. The text even tells us that by such external acts of exouthenéō and returning Him thusly to the exclusive power of the Roman Government authority that they (Herod and Pilate, co-judges of Jesus) “became friends that very day!” Here we see two things. The will and deeds of The Political Industry (TPI) and its union in common purpose against God and particularly God’s Redeemer / Messiah. And we see most clearly that exouthenéō / utter despising was the root spirit of both TRI and TPI. The Jews and the Romans agreed on almost nothing, as each group despised the other. But here in Luke 23 at the trial and final earthly determination of “Who is Jesus?” they are in exact agreement: contempt, worthy of death, even the death of the cross which itself was the ultimate symbol of contempt by both the Romans and the Jews, the Jews because (they thought( they knew the OT Law: “a hanged man is cursed by God,” Deut. 21:21-23, ESV)

Prophesies

Having now fixed upon what exouthenéō (treating as nothing, even with contempt), how does this connect to “prophesies” in 1 Thes 5:20?

As shown in the above pdf, the Koine word in question is prophēteía, so our English word “prophesies” is not a translation but a transliteration. Thus, our English word can be misleading because it may be thought to mean only foretelling about the future as we use the term “prophetic warning.” Not so.

The Koine word prophēteía as shown in the above pdf also means forth-telling, which may not specifically reference fore-telling. When used in such sense of forth-telling is means “the exercise of the prophetic office, the acting as an ambassador of God and interpreter of His mind and will” (citing, again Zodhiates’s generic definition). Here in 1 Thes 5 the meaning of forth-telling is much richer because the word “Spirit” is not about some feeling or impulse, but by reference to the communication of the Third Person of the Trinity, namely The Holy Spirit. So there is indeed a forth-telling that should not be quenched, treated with contempt, because it is from God Himself in the Person of The Holy Spirit.

How, then, does such prophēteía arise within us with regard to which we are not to quench / treat with contempt? The full answer is a book itself. But succinctly, The Spirit bears witness to The Logos (the word for Jesus Christ in John 1:1ff), Who authored and controlled the writing of the Bible and including the NT itself including these very verses under consideration in 1 Thes 5, Who ordained its human authors, controlled their thoughts and expressions without overriding their own personalities and vocabularies, preserved inerrant the autographical record, and watched over the church’s recognition and identification of such Spirit-Authored texts which by Providence has descended down the two millennia to our time in many forms and expressions that reliably convey the Word.

This framework of understanding prophēteía is critical. A common historic error, prevalent today, is the belief that The Holy Spirit “speaks to me” as in new, specific communications that are outside, and even completely beyond the bounds, of Scripture, and even to the point that such claimed communications are new teachings for any, even every, community of God’s children.

Westminster Confession of Faith on the Matter of Revelation of The Holy Spirit

Turning again to the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCOF) as an exemplar of correction on such claim, the very first chapter of WCOF addresses this issue of solitary claims of communications from The Holy Spirit as matters of authority. The below WCOF text is an excerpted quotation of the relative portions of Chapter 1 WCOF (highlights mine):

Chapter 1 Holy Scripture

  • Para. 1: Our natural understanding and the works of creation and providence so clearly show God’s goodness, wisdom, and power that human beings have no excuse for not believing in him.1 However, these means alone cannot provide that knowledge of God and of his will which is necessary for salvation.2 Therefore it pleased the Lord at different times and in various ways to reveal himself and to declare that this revelation contains his will for his church.3 Afterwards it pleased God to put this entire revelation into writing so that the truth might be better preserved and transmitted and that the church, confronted with the corruption of the flesh and the evil purposes of Satan and the world, might be more securely established and comforted.4 Since God no longer reveals himself to his people in those earlier ways,5 Holy Scripture is absolutely essential.6
    1. Rom 2.14-15, 1.19-20, Ps 19.1-4, Rom 1.32, 2.1.
    2. 1 Cor 1.21, 2.13-14, 2.9-12, Acts 4.12, Rom 10.13-14.
    3. Heb 1.1-2, Gal 1.11-12, Dt 4.12-14.
    4. Prv 22.19-21, Lk 1.3-4, Rom 15.4, Mt 4.4,7,10, Is 8.19-20, Lk 24.27, 2 Tm 3.16, 2 Pt 3.15-16.
    5. Heb 1.1-2, see General Note.
    6. 2 Tm 3.15-16, 2 Pt 1.10, Lk 16.29-31, Heb 2.1-3.
  • Para. 4: The Bible speaks authoritatively and so deserves to be believed and obeyed. This authority does not depend on the testimony of any man or church but completely on God, its author, who is himself truth. The Bible therefore is to be accepted as true, because it is the word of God.
  • Para. 5…we are completely persuaded and assured of the infallible truth and divine authority of the Bible only by the inward working of the Holy Spirit, who testifies by and with the word in our hearts.
  • Para. 6: The whole purpose of God about everything pertaining to his own glory and to man’s salvation, faith, and life is either explicitly stated in the Bible or may be deduced as inevitably and logically following from it.1 Nothing is at any time to be added to the Bible, either from new revelations of the Spirit or from traditions of men.2 Nevertheless we do recognize that the inward illumination of the Spirit of God is necessary for a saving understanding of the things which are revealed in the word.3 We also recognize that some provisions for the worship of God and the government of the church are similar to secular activities and organizations; these are to be directed according to our natural understanding and our Christian discretion and should conform to the general rules of the word, which are always to be observed.4
    1. Mk 7.5-7.
    2. 2 Tm 3.15-17, Gal 1.8-9, 2 Thes 2.2. This statement is an inference from the sufficiency of the Scriptures.
    3. Jn 6.45, 1 Cor 2.9-10, 12.
    4. 1 Cor 11.13-14, 14.26,40.
  • Para. 10: The Holy Spirit speaking in the Bible is the supreme judge of all religious controversies, all decisions of religious councils, all the opinions of ancient writers, all human teachings, and every private opinion.1 We are to be satisfied with the judgment of him who is and can be the only judge.
    1. Mt 22.29,31, Eph 2.20, Acts 28.25, Lk 10.26, Gal 1.10, 1 Jn 4.1-6.

10.1 False Despair of Christ’s Mercy

Sibbes first addresses the hopeless, perhaps like the Samaritan woman (John Ch 4) who must have heard of Jesus but had no ‘heart’ / hope to see Him out. Yet, Jesus gives us a model because He sought her out and saw her redeemable heart:

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

John Ch 4 ESV

And, so, Sibbes applies the principles of Broken Reed / Smoking Flax even to one of such little hope:

There are those who go on in all ill courses of life on this pretence, that it would be useless to go to Christ, because their lives have been so bad; whereas, as soon as we look to heaven, all encouragements are ready to meet us and draw us forward. 

Sibbes, Ch 10, Sec. 1

10.2 False Hope of Christ’s Mercy

Contrasting with the above, are those who have unwarranted comfort that “it will all be ok…whatever…”

There are those who take up a hope of their own, that Christ will suffer them to walk in the ways to hell, and yet bring them to heaven;

Sibbes, Ch 10.2

10.3 Resisting Christ’s Mercy

Worse, even, that the above “false hope” category are the willfully presumptuous and defiant.

Oh, say the rebels of the time, God has not made us to damn us. Yes, if you will not meet Christ in the ways of his mercy, it is fitting that you should `eat of the fruit of your own way, and be filled with your own devices’ (Prow. 1:31). This will be the hell of hell, when men shall think that they have loved their sins more than their souls;

Sibbes, Ch 10.3

10.4 Presuming on Christ’s Mercy

A common charge made against the Bible’s teaching of Election and Free Grace is that such will only lead our universal carnal nature to exercise free license to follow its lusts. Sibbes deals with the presumption here:

And the best of us all may offend against this merciful disposition if we are not watchful against that liberty which our carnal disposition will be ready to take from it.

Sibbes, Ch 10.4, opening sentence.

The VAE Principle: Vires Acquirit Eundo

And here Sibbes cites the passage in 1 Thes 5 we covered in detail above, namely we are commanded not to quench the teaching (forth-telling) of The Holy Spirit. But beyond this, Sibbes makes reference to the multiplication of growth in obedience to The Holy Spirit, which is the essence of the VAE Principle—Vires Acquirit Eundo–that we have considered in Sibbes Ch 8 and Ch 9, namely:

 God has set apart for the effecting of any thing are included in the purpose that he has to bring that thing to pass. And this is a principle taken for granted, even in civil matters; for who, if he knew before that it would be a fruitful year, would therefore hang up his plough and neglect tillage?…However, let us remember that grace is increased, in the exercise of it, not by virtue of the exercise itself, but as Christ by his Spirit flows into the soul and brings us nearer to himself, the fountain, so instilling such comfort that the heart is further enlarged. The heart of a Christian is Christ’s garden, and his graces are as so many sweet spices and flowers which, when his Spirit blows upon them, send forth a sweet savor. Therefore keep the soul open to entertain the Holy Ghost, for he will bring in continually fresh forces to subdue corruption,…

Sibbes, Ch 10.4 (emphasis mine)

There are two ‘bookends’ to such VAE Principle: the initiating impetus, and the confidence that, at the end, whatever we have undertaken on behalf of God will have turned out rightly and well (in addition to a multiplying effect).

The Initiation of Action

Sibbes draws attention to how does action on our part actually begin, by what initiating impulse:

Christ performs his office in not quenching by stirring up suitable endeavors in us;…this encouragement from the good issue of victory is intended to stir us up, and not to put us off….we must consider all those means whereby Christ preserves grace begun; such as, first, holy communion, by which one Christian warms another. …As we look, therefore, for the comfort of this doctrine, let us not favor our natural sloth but exercise ourselves rather to godliness (1 Tim. 4:7), and labour to keep this fire always burning upon the altar of our hearts. Let us dress our lamps daily, and put in fresh oil, and wind up our souls higher and higher still. Resting in a good condition is contrary to grace, which cannot but promote itself to a further measure [the negative VAE Principle]. Let none turn this grace `into lasciviousness’ (Jude 4). Infirmities are a ground of humility, not a plea for negligence, nor an encouragement to presumption.

Sibbes Ch 10.4 (emphasis mine)

Visioning the Blessing of the End

Sibbes expands on the end, the telos, of that which is done in response to the calling of God:

If a spark of faith and love is so precious, what an honor will it be to be rich in faith! Who would not rather walk in the light, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, than live in a dark, perplexed state? And not rather be carried with full sail to heaven than be tossed always with fears and doubts? The present trouble in conflict against a sin is not so much as that disquiet which any corruption favored will bring upon us afterward. True peace is in conquering, not in yielding.

Sibbes Ch 10.4 (Emphasis mine)

10.5 Seeking Another Source of Mercy

The common insidious purpose of both The Religion Industry (TRI) and The Political Industry (TPI) is the ‘great substitutions,’ of sources of authority, purpose / meaning of life, and most-importantly the true “Mediator” between God and man: Messiah / Christ Jesus, Savior and Lord.

Sibbes warns against seeking some other basis, person, as a “source of mercy:”

What need do we have to knock at any other door? Can any be more tender over us than Christ?

Sibbes, Ch 10.5

10.6, 7 Mistreating the Heirs of Mercy and Strife Among Heirs of Mercy

Here Sibbes speaks of compassion on one’s fellow heirs, specifically as to “mercy” with regard to their perceived shortcomings. His underlying appeal, by his reference to Zeph 2:3, is to cling to humility.

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
    who do his just commands;
seek righteousness; seek humility;
    perhaps you may be hidden
    on the day of the anger of the Lord

Zephaniah 2:3 (ESV; highlights mine)

Perhaps a more illustrative passage is from Phil Ch 2:

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, …12 …work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,

Phil 2:1-14 (ESV, excerpting and highlights mine)

The inclination that could lead to “mistreating…heirs” can most readily stem from the absence of the highlighted portions in the above Phil 2 passage. In particular the word translated “sympathy” comes from:

Strong’s G3628. οἰκτιρμός oiktirmós; noun from oikteírō (3627), to have compassion on. Pity, compassion, mercy, …the pity or compassion which one shows for the sufferings of others. It is used in reference to God as the Father of mercies (2 Cor. 1:3) showing His character and that upon which believers can depend as they make their bodies a living offering to Him (Rom. 12:1; see Heb. 10:28); of believers who are to show compassion one for another (Phil. 2:1; Col. 3:12).

 Zodhiates, S. (2000). In The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). AMG Publishers.

The above word, oiktirmós, translated “sympathy” by the ESV in Phil 2:1, is related to another relevant word:

G1656. ἔλεος éleos. Mercy, compassion… active pity. Generally (Luke 1:50, 78; Rom. 9:23; 15:9; Eph. 2:4; 1 Pet. 1:3; James 3:17; Sept.: Deut. 13:17; Neh. 13:22; Ps. 51:1; Is. 63:7). With the verb poiéō (4160), to do mercy for someone means to show mercy to, … With the verb megalúnō (3170), to make great, magnify, show great mercy on someone (Luke 1:58). …Spoken of mercy as passing over deserved punishment (James 2:13 [cf. Sept.: Num. 14:19]).

Ibid.

This word, éleos—commonly translated “mercy”–occurs nearly 30x in the NT and well over 200x in the OT (LXX). It is a core concept as to God’s relationship to us and our standing before Him. And, so, it is proper that it connects believers one with another even in the dailyness, and strife, of everyday life, and ‘pilgrim journeying.’

Sibbes cautions as to our natural impulse of having a spirit of correction: “Therefore open show of difference is only good when it is necessary, although some, from a desire to be somebody, turn into by ways and yield to a spirit of contradiction in themselves.” And Sibbes notes, appropriately, how the Lord Jesus was compassionate–“Peace be with you”–in His resurrection appearances, and desired that “they all may be one” as “he and the Father were One (John 17:21).” As God, Jesus could have unleashed a blizzard of ‘corrections’ of which there were yet a few (we think of doubting Thomas, and the “do you love me” exchange with Peter). But as God, He knew it would be the soon indwelling ministry of God The Holy Spirit Who would comfort, encourage, and admonish in a way in accord with a pilgrim’s progress.

10.8 Taking Advantage of the Bruised

Here SIbbes speaks to the tyranny of The Religion Industry (TRI), without of course using that specific language:

Spiritual tyranny is the greatest tyranny, and then especially when it is where most mercy should be shown; yet even there some, like cruel surgeons, delight in making long cures, to serve themselves through the misery of others. It brings men under a terrible curse that they `remembered not to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man’, that they might `even slay the broken in heart’ (Psa. 109:16).

Sibbes Ch 10.8 (Emphasis mine)

It appears to be a general characteristic of TRI that it seeks to hold the sword over the necks of its followers.

Of course, there is an opposite error, as can be expected, namely: a TRI which forgives, and even blesses and honors, whatever spirit of error or inclination might exist in any adherent. This is a similar kind of dealmaking: this TRI excuses, even honors, the one who seeks to turn aside from God’s Holiness in exchange for such ‘honored’ one in turn paying honor to TRI.

10.9 Despising the Simple Means of Mercy

In his final section, Sibbes brings forward the idea of men “despising” God as both TRI and TPI were the primary exemplars of so doing as we discussed above. Specifically Sibbes writes:

[They are] ashamed of the simplicity of the gospel, that count preaching foolishness. They, out of the pride of their heart, think that they may do well enough without the help of the Word and sacraments,

Sibbes Ch 10.9 (highlights mine)

As discussed above concerning 1 Thes 5, we saw that quenching the Spirit was contempt for the communication / revelation of the Spirit, which was the Word of God, the Bible. We live, likely as all previous generations did, at a time when man’s heart is to pick and choose what they believe from the Bible. In so doing, as someone has well said (Augustine?), if you choose what to believe from the Bible…it is not the Bible you believe but yourself. And that spirit of believing one’s self is largely driven by the inner desire to self-justify one’s inclinations as being “good” because they ‘seem’ “good” or in more fleshy terms, ‘fee’ “good” (the latter being essentially a motto of our times).

Vires Acquirit Eundo (VAE) Insights and Applications

The Serpent’s Deceptions, and Deceivers

Sibbes Ch 11 here: