The Dove and the Fire—An Important Exhortation

“When Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him.” (Matthew 3:16)

The Holy Spirit had long been searching for a resting place on earth, just as the dove had been in the days of Noah after the great flood. After 4000 years of human history, He had finally found it in the heavenly Man (see 1 Cor. 15:47). Isaiah, looking at Christ, writes, “the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him” (Isa. 11:2).

The Servant of God was at all times “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners” (Heb. 7:26). In Him purity, sinlessness, meekness, and humility were presented truly and bodily before the eyes of the people. This also applies to the first 30 years that He lived before the eyes of God.

Not once did He grieve the Holy Spirit during this time. Everything He thought, said and did happened under His guidance and glorified God. The Lord Jesus is the only Man in Whom the Spirit constantly had the freedom to influence every movement of life!

Why did the Holy Spirit descend on the Son of God in physical form, like a dove, while He appeared to the disciples at Pentecost in the form of divided tongues as of fire (see Acts 2:3)? Because with Him there was nothing to be judged by fire. The grain offering was without leaven (see Lev 2:11) and Christ was without sin. John writes, “in him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). The disciples, on the other hand, although they had already been saved, still had the sinful flesh in them, which always fights against the Spirit (see Gal. 5:17). This did not change after the Holy Spirit was poured out.

Paul admonishes the Ephesians, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph. 4:30). What does this mean practically for your life? Since the Spirit of God is holy, He will be grieved if you tolerate sin in your life. He sees the pictures and movies you watch, and He also hears the music you listen to. He also takes note of each thought you nourish, each word you speak, and everything you do in public or secret.

That’s why it’s very important that you regularly review your life and practice self-judgment, as Paul writes, “Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1).

No idle word should come out of the mouth of a Christian. Blasphemy, anger, and any evil behavior grieves the Holy Spirit and dulls His work in us (see Eph. 4:29-31). How quickly such things happen to us when we give room to the flesh! But there’s another way: the Lord Jesus never talked badly about others.

He never lost His temper and didn’t argue with the Pharisees when they attacked and insulted Him. Instead, as Isaiah writes about Him, “I will put my Spirit upon him… He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets” (Mt. 12:18-19).

Are you aware that the words you speak and the things you look at can have a very concrete negative influence on the work of the Spirit in you? How often do you honestly examine your life before God and practice self-judgment?

J.P.S.