
Originally Posted by
Slug1
If man could not... then this scripture has no meaning in the Bible:
~Do not quench the Spirit ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:19~
Paul didn't mean to say that we can keep the Holy Spirit from moving through a congregation. Quenching the Spirit isn't about reducing the force or affect or the power of the Holy Spirit; its about despising prophetic utterances. Verse 19 goes with verses 20 and 21.
19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
The two sentences in verses 19 and 20 are parallel. Quenching the spirit is despising prophetic utterances, not attenuating the Holy Spirit. Paul isn't concerned that Timothy will keep the Holy Spirit from sending a prophet, he is concerned that Timothy will ignore what a prophet might say to him. Rather than rejecting what the prophet says outright, Paul wants Timothy to examine what a prophet says and hold fast to the good stuff. There will be false prophets to be sure, but don't ignore all prophets for the sake of the good ones. Examine what each prophet has to say and hold fast to what aligns with scripture.
1Timothy 5:19 doesn't support the notion that a congregation or the pastor of a church can keep the Holy Spirit from working.
Bookmarks