Comfort by Comfort Received (2 Cor 1:1-13)

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort: who comforts us in all our trouble that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (vs3-4).

Christ comforts us, so that we comfort others.  We are not indifferent to others, so long as we‘re “happy“. Instead, we are blessed in our misery and comforted in our heartbreak, so that we can preach the SAME Christ to people in need - “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation” (vs5-6).

If your faith is tried, then you will find Christ faithful.  He who sends the storm will not fail to comfort you by the gospel, but He will send you peace - “And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the consolation” (vs7).

If you’re troubled, it is for the good of others, and if you’re comforted, it is for others, too, so that God LINKS us together, so that what I go through is for your good, which helps us understand purpose in this world.

Don’t live for your happiness, or you won’t be happy. Live to HELP others know God, and you’ll have God to help you do it, you’ll have joy and peace in helping them, and you’ll rejoice in seeing them helped.  He puts us through STRENUOUS, soul-emptying, unbelief exposing trials, so that we can be at the end of self, so that He can be honored in saving us, so that we tell others, “Trust God who raises the dead”, rather than secretly pointing them to their own self-trust - “For we would not, brothers, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead: who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us” (vs8-10).

Don’t think it strange that you’re troubled.  You and I, like Paul, need purging. There is UNBELIEF in us hiding below the surface, and we need to see HOW we trust in self, so that we can repent of this false confidence. We must see that though I’m unable, God is able. Though I deserve misery, God is merciful to sinners who should be punished.

This great God of comfort gives us hope and peace by the means of the prayers of others - “You also”, Paul says, “helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf” (vs11).  We trust God to save people, not by indifferently saying, “God is sovereign” and thinking no more of it, but by PRAYING to the Sovereign, expressing our love, and then being useful in other people’s good.

The gospel is NOT a solo affair. Paul and Timothy wrote to the church - “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God, which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: grace to be you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (vs1-2).

“Bring Forth Fruit Unto God” (Rom 7:4)

“Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.”

The resurrection in your soul happened, so that you can bring fruit unto God. He didn’t join you and I to Christ to live in sin, but to live to Him who died for us and rose again.

It is a hellish lie that we’re saved to serve ourselves, since we’re forgiven. We are saved, if we are, to serve God BY the death and resurrection of Christ, so that what happened to Him happened to us: we DIED to the old life at Calvary, and we’ve got newness of life from God, now (Rom 6:11). Take no gospel that doesn’t make you obedient and holy by grace. The gospel isn’t a “lesser” holiness, which makes obedience unnecessary; the GOSPEL gives a man life, which reveals itself in obedience to Christ’s commands.

You were born WICKED the first time, but by the new birth, you’re holy. The BELIEVER is joined to Christ and alive from the dead, so I have the strength of “no condemnation”, the help of God. I’m not on my own to fight my lusts, but the God who rose from the dead REIGNS over me graciously, to do His will, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace” (Rom 6:14). I’m accepted, and as accepted, I have everything that I need.

I’m to believe this is true and practice it ZEALOUSLY (Rom 7:6). I grieve for those who learn “doctrine”, but it doesn’t impact their life. We are prone to believe a part of God’s word, rather than the whole thing, but when we take the whole counsel, we see FORGIVENESS and holiness, both. God doesn’t do one or the other, but He gives both always, and there is nothing else to live for, but God’s will, “for as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness” (Rom 6:19).

If it required strength from us, then it couldn’t be done, but this is faith:

1. Faith BELIEVES the gospel, and by faith, the gospel is worked in my life. Faith believes what God says, and then what God says is in me.

2. Do you believe that you’re to be holy because you are holy… that the fact that Christ DIED and rose again is the FACT of your forgiveness and sanctification? If so, then be who you are and never promise yourself peace in sin - “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Rom 6:22). Use the weapons of your warfare to war with the sin that’s in you, and never let your past failures keep you from believing now, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (vs23).

We’re such that we say, “I can’t be perfect”, so we don’t try to live godly. It is BETTER to say, “I can’t be perfect, but day after day, I will do what I can. I will grow in the areas I’m reproved of God, trusting Him for forgiveness and cleansing!” The same sins you are forgiven of, as they come to your mind, are the sins that He’ll help you conquer. He didn’t reveal evil in us to say, “I forgive”, and then leave us slaves of lusts, but He forgives and gives holiness simultaneously to all that believe.

Do you believe this? Do you believe that Christ’s death has earned your obedience? If so, then you have life, and you’ll experience it more abundantly. Everything else is lies from Satan and the flesh, and it profits you not.

“The Preeminence” (Col 1:12-18)

 

“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (vs18).

The Son must have the preeminence, the first place.  He is God, the obedient Man, the creator, sustainer, and the Savior of His people (vs15-18).  He did everything to honor God so that His elect church could be saved, paying for sins with His blood, and guaranteeing the right to eternal life by His obedience for us - “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (vs14).

He is exalted by the Father, and if we’re wise, then we’ll live for His glory too - “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (vs18).

God’s given Him the highest place, and if we’ve seen His salvation… knowing that He has made us inheritors of every good thing, and knowing the dignity of His greatness in who He is and what He’s done… then we’ll worship Him - “Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us able to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love” (vs12-13).

Salvation isn’t merely agreeing that God’s exalting Him, it is willingly exalting Him yourself.

I was thinking of Mohammed Ali, the great boxing champion who called himself “The Greatest”.  Imagine, if from the heart, he ascribed glory to God in Christ Jesus?  The joy, peace, and honor of his ambition to satisfy the longing of God would have redounded to his eternal praise and brought unworldly peace to his heart (John 14:27).  But, if we live to give first place to our ambitions, then we swim against the current of God, and we shall be put down, for none shall be exalted but Him.

If we believe that He is worthy by the forgiveness of sins that He accomplished, putting our trust in Him, then we live that He might be praised.- “For by [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities: all things were created by him, and for him” (Col 1:16)  Now, relationships and strangers have meaning: it isn’t to praise ourselves or use people for our glory, but it is to help them see, in obedience to Christ, how great He is, so they might be saved.  Obedience to Christ comes from the forgiven heart that confesses the worthiness of the Lamb, and in this, we honor God, and He blesses us both now and forever - “Who is the image of the invisible God, the [highest ranking] of every creature“ (vs15).

If you want the inheritance, then take Him freely, believing that He is the reason you’re blessed, and He only.  Then, live to make His glory known, and God will be with you, His peace will rule you, and joy that the world cannot know will fill your heart.

Don’t seek your own glory. What have you done anyway? It is Christ who died, Christ who made all things, Christ who sustains all things, and it is Christ who SHALL be honored, no matter what men do or say down here.  We can get mad at Christ and rebel against His glory in our lives, but He will use our foulness to save His elect, and then He’ll destroy us in hell.  You have no option: live for Christ BECAUSE He died to give you God’s salvation, or die, because you deny the greatness of the Son, rebel against the rightful King, and then suffer for eternity.

God’s exalted the Son.  What about you?  Do you believe He’s worthy of praise, honor, and obedience, because He’s good?

For the Elect's Sake

Recently, I read the excerpt from a religious group’s plea for Christmas money and kudos from the community.  Someone wrote:

"Dear ______,

I have two young children, ages 3 and 16-months. Without your help I don't think they would have a Christmas. God gave me a Christmas miracle this year and it was you! Thanks again. May God Bless you!"

If this is your desire, then you have the reward of men, but no saved person wants to be another person’s miracle at Christmas; we want you and others to have Jesus Christ and see Him, so we preach the gospel with, “God save” on our minds, obeying Christ, so that you can be saved - “Therefore I endure all things for the elect‘s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory“ (2 Tim 2:10). This starts with the person PREACHING Christ to you, and it moves into you preaching, supporting, living for, and DYING so that others know Him too.  Our love to God by the forgiveness He gives is ALWAYS expressed by our love to men.  Find a HOT church for the gospel, and you’ve found people who love God, not in word, but in deed and truth. And, without this zealous love, the profession, for whatever is not of faith will not produce love, is a sham, and it is not to be taken seriously.  God gives us SUCH warm views of inability and wickedness, and yet such cooling and calming knowledge of Jesus Christ, that by pardon, we DO His will, not from human power and guilt, but from the Spirit by the forgiveness He gives, so that trusting Christ FOR our lack of love is how love is increased in us (1 John 4:19; 1 John 1:9). Those who have no love, who don’t LIVE to save others, also have no faith, say what they will.