What does it mean to be comforted of God?

Two Primary Categories of Suffering:

Suffering is a part of life. Some suffer continual health struggles. Others suffer financial hardships. Still, others suffer family trials. Yet, there is one category that we don’t want to overlook that is the suffering that comes for the advancement of the name of Christ.

2 Timothy 3:12 KJV 1900

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

The First Kind of Trouble:

The First Kind of Trouble:

This suffering [for the name of Christ] can be broken down into two different categories. First, there is the suffering that comes to those who are taking the name of Christ to places where Christ is not Lord. This kind of suffering can result from verbal persecution, and there are still cases where this suffering turns violent physically.

Today, in America, there is suffering that happens on college campuses when there is a student who is attempting to take the name of Christ where Christ is not worshipped. Typically, this kind of trouble is verbal, and we do not hear of too many cases here [in America] that turn to physical persecution.

There are still places in the world where the name of Christ is not named, and there are individuals who have taken the name of Christ there. In some cases, there have been physical responses in attempting to reject the message of Christ. Consider the case of our Bro. Volante who he, along with other brothers in Christ, were involuntarily held in a building by resident Muslims.

Any time you take Jesus to a culture, His message will, of necessity, challenge the gods of that culture. This was the case as Paul traveled through Asia before coming to the city of Corinth in Europe. See . If this is a reference to Ephesus, then we know that though God did a mighty work there, it was also a city where a riot was begun.

A Second Kind of Trouble:

In addition, to this kind of persecution at the hands of an unbelieving world receiving the message of Christ, there is also the trouble that arises within the household of faith. This trouble sometimes arises because professing Christians have been confronted with truth, and they simply do not want to change.

In other cases, when the truth is preached in a place, it is not uncommon that false teachers with false doctrines will be exposed. seems to point to the need for some divisions for the sake of identifying those who are true and genuine. See also , .

Outside and Inside (emotional) Trouble:

See, there are troubles from those outside the household of faith as well as troubles within the household of faith. Another consideration is that these troubles were not merely physical; but they were emotional and spiritual. Note what Paul says in .

Both of these kinds of troubles existed for the Apostle Paul. In the first, there were certainly physical troubles that he encountered, and here in this letter, he will later be defending his apostolic authority against those who have challenged him. These troubles were not merely external, but they were spiritual.

Thus, this letter is one in which Paul is quite passionate and comforting of the people in Corinth, but he is also going to address some of the trouble he’s received. Paul is experiencing the comfort of God that he desperately needs; but Paul is also bringing both a message of consolation to the Corinthians and a message of corroboration.

Paul’s Salutation -

(i) God’s will & Christian brotherhood

Paul first makes a very clear claim that he is a sent one of Jesus Christ by God’s will. This means that his coming to the Corinthians was by God’s desire and design. He has partnered with Timothy, who is in the family together with Paul. It is the Christian brotherhood into which God had called all of them.

Application: It is not uncommon for us to forget that, by the will of God, we have been brought into a family. This forgetfulness often leads us to treat outsiders with greater care & respect than those in our own family.

Ill: Isn’t is amazing how when we have guests coming over to our homes, we will meet them at the door, invite them to sit, ask if they want something to drink; and yet, with those of our very own household, we often neglect the same basic givings?

Isn’t it amazing how when we see a visitor at church, we often will go out of our way to greet them and hold special times in our services to do so; but we often take for granted the wonderful brotherhood into which the blood of Christ as brought us?

This is one of the characteristics that I have noted growth in within our church is that after services, people enjoy spending time with each other.

(ii) The Church of God

Notice secondly, in Paul’s salutation, that the church belongs to God. This is their identity. No matter what apostolic authority will be proven later, and not matter what else may happen, God is the one who has purchased this assembly.

Application #1 - It is a sobering reality that the pastors must also take into consideration, so as to not claim an ownership that is not their’s to claim. Notice how Paul addressed the Ephesians elders about the flock in . It is God’s church.

Acts 20:28 KJV 1900

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Application #2 - Occasionally, there will be some member or a few who feel that since it is their church, they will be the ones who have their way. All of us must remember that this is the church of God. There was one such fellow. His name was Diotrophes -

3 John 9–11 KJV 1900

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

In addition, this is a particular church in Corinth, that is distinguished from all the saints in the rest of the provincial boundary. In other words, this identifies:

A particular assembly

A particular culture

A particular culture

A particular accountability

We would do well to recognize the importance of an assembly in a particular location. Being the church in Corinth is not the same as simply being part of all of the saints in Achaia. There is more particularity with the assembly in Corinth.

Application: As the church who belongs to God, we recognize our accountability to Him, but we also recognize our responsibility to be part of an assembly in the midst of all of the saints in Butler/Warren County. There is a particular culture here, whose idols must be confronted; and there is a particular assembly here that stands out of the general numbers of saints in the area.

(iii) Grace & Peace

What a blessing to confer upon these dear Christians! He says, “Grace” be to you! This is still unmerited favor. In other words, Paul is calling for God to be favorable towards them in spite of them.

“Peace” is also requested for them. This is a harmony that comes from God - who again is identified as “our Father”. Of interest, the phrase goes beyond this and says, “…and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is important because, how is it that God can be asked to give favor to those who do not deserve it and be at peace to those who give cause for war? It is grace and peace that is accomplished by Christ.

Application: Grace and peace comes initially by Christ. says, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Initially, we are saved by grace; but what is wonderful for the Christian today is that we can pray for the grace of God upon each other not because others are deserving but because Jesus is deserving.

We tend to look at the lives of other people, and sometimes we are frustrated by their ignorance. In their ignorance, they speak unkind words or they discredit what we say or they attack our person. We then begin to think of them as unworthy of kindness; and possibly a slight feeling of vengeance enters into our hearts. How can we pray for God to be gracious to those whom we determined to be unworthy? We do not pray for God to be gracious or to act peacefully to them because of them; we ask that God would continue to show them kindness because of Jesus Christ. After all, that is the only reason that God shows kindness to us. If God is the origin of this grace and peace, Jesus is the Mediator of this grace and peace - once and for all- meaning, there is no need for more reasons to call for grace and peace upon people.

The God of all Comfort -

“Father”

What a marvelous truth that God is so good that he would be so gracious and peaceful with us. It is on this foundation that Paul launches into a praise of this God. In so doing, Paul wonderfully calls God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This significance of this cannot be overstated, since earlier Paul called God “our Father”. He has now marvelously manifested that we are joint-heirs with Christ.

Romans 8:15–17 KJV 1900

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

“the Father of mercies”

In describing this Father, he first calls him the “Father of mercies” or the “Father of compassions”. helps us to understand what Paul is referring to in “mercies.”

Romans 12:1 KJV 1900

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

In , Paul uses the same term here for the “mercies of God”. The word is one that deals with the inner yearning or the bowels of mercies. There is a definite passion associated here. God is passionately compassionate.

Of interest though is that is in the context of how Paul uses another word for compassion/mercy. shows a word in our English that is mercy [elos] but it deals with the outward manifestation of pity. It is a word that means “it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate by God to meet those needs.”

In other words, God is yearningly compassionate, and He has shown this mercy in how he has outwardly worked his compassion. In particular, God has ordained a plan that would allow for the good news of Jesus Christ to be made available to all people. This is compassionate.

Application: If you are looking for a God who has actually proven his claims of love and passion, then you need look no further. God has proven his yearning for you by giving Jesus Christ. God is compassionate, and He has proven his compassion.

The gods of the ancient world were known for their lustful pursuits. Baal was known for his sexual practices with his half sister. The gods of the Greeks were known to make choices when it suited themselves…They were selfish gods.

The god of Islam

Illustration: Your boss may prove that he likes your work by giving you a raise. Your spouse may prove that she likes your gift by giving you a hug. Your friends may prove that they like your post but clicking “like” but all of these comparisons fall so short; because in each of these comparisons we are assuming that something has been given that warrants the kindness or gratitude; but when we talk about the compassion of God, we are talking about someone Who loved us first, when we did not love Him. When we speak of the mercies of God, we are speaking of someone who was kind towards us in spite of our rejection of him. He really is the Father of mercies!

“God of all comfort”

This then is the final way in which Paul introduces God. This word means that God is the God of all “encouragement.” Comfort is later translated as consolation. What does it mean that God is the God of ALL comfort?

Illustration: If someone sees you get a hit in baseball game, and tells you that you did a good job, is God over that encouragement? If you lose a loved one and a friend takes you out to party with hopes of getting your mind off of the loss, is God the God of THAT consolation?

gives us a little insight into what Paul means. II Thessalonians is also written with suffering believers in mind and their need of consolation.

2 Thessalonians 2:16 KJV 1900

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

This then shows us that the consolation that we have from our Father is limitless. It is an “everlasting consolation.”

Application: You may think that there are some things that God just does not understand and could never console you regarding; but we know that this is not true. What we have received when we got Jesus Christ is a never-ending Advocate, a never-ending intercessor, a never-ending life with God…Sometimes the eternal nature of the relationship we have with God is drowned out by the loud noise of the trials; but it does not change the truth of what we have in Christ. Because of who He is, we can “reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Notice what Paul says in .

2 Corinthians 7:4 KJV 1900

Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

Summary:

So, first, to be comforted of God means that we have a true relationship with the God of all comfort. This relationship is so real that it is not changed, in any way, by the trials or tribulations which we endure.

To be comforted of God means that we have looked into the character/nature of God and identified that his yearning is for us. He is compassionate, and he has proven this deep yearning for us by graciously giving us Jesus Christ.

To be comforted of God is to experience this consolation by receiving Jesus Christ. He is the God of all comfort, and this God of all comfort desires that we live in the experience of this continual comfort.

To be comforted of God means that God’s comfort is not purely to be understood as a comfort for the body (eternally), but his comfort is one which reaches deep into the soul. His comfort has no boundaries eternally; and his comfort knows no boundaries in our experience.

Application: There are some who have a false sense of his comfort. You have mistaken God’s common grace as something more than what it is, and you think that since God has given you a good husband/wife, a good job, and a family that somehow God is showing you that you are his. Friend, the same rain that waters the crops of the saved farmer also waters the crops of the unsaved farmer. Please do not mistake a good feeling, a good lot, a good life as the same as knowing this God. If you have never received Jesus Christ, you have no right to claim to be a child of God. You must accept Him as your Savior.

Yet, there are others who have been tempted to question to consolation of God. In your trials, you have been prone to forget that God is our FATHER. In the suffering, though you know that Jesus died for you, and you previously accepted Jesus, your experience of His Fatherly love can be characterized as empty, dry, stale. I would urge you to ponder the mercies of God. Live at the foot of the Cross and peer freshly into the empty tomb.

Christ

Consider that it was not you who was forsaken by God. It was Jesus Christ who cried, “My God, My God why hast thou forsaken me!”

Consider that the One who actually deserved comfort is the one who was crushed.

Consider that the only One who truly had bowels of love, who yearned for God, like God deserved is the One who was NOT comforted.

Consider that He endured this so that through Him, we could experience the everlasting consolation of God.

Again, if God is the origin of this grace and peace, Jesus is the Mediator of this grace and peace - once and for all - it is a grace and peace once obtained but to be perpetually experienced.

Conclusion:

So, first you must receive Christ if you will first taste of the comfort of God.

Second, having received Christ, if you will once again experience the comfort of God, you must do so by living, believing, embracing what you once first believed. You will not find this kind of comfort in the offers of your flesh or of this world. You will not find this kind of comfort in food or pleasure.