THE COMFORT OF GOD
James R. Gray
God has not promised us a rose
garden. Even if that were true, we must remember that roses come with thorns.
Life is a battlefield and war has its victums, which at times we are one of them.
People hurt including Christians. Stress and suffering is no respecter of
person. One of the greatest needs today is real solid comfort.
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, the
Apostle Paul deals with God’s comfort. Ten times in these verses the word
comfort appears, and is a key word in this chapter. It also appears a number of
times in this letter (5:20; 6:1; 7:4,6,7, 13; 9:5; 10:1; 12:8, 18; 13:11). The
English word comfort comes from the Latin meaning to strengthen. The Greek word
is parklesis, a compound word
(Para —beside; kaleo—to
call) meaning a calling to one’s side to help or strengthen by means of
exhortation encouragement, or consolation. Comfort is not sympathy. Sympathy
weakens; to be comforted is to draw strength from another.
THE SOURCE OF COMFORT (2
Corinthians 1:3-4a)
The source of all comfort is God
the Father. He is the “God of all comfort.”
In the title, “Father of mercy,” we see His tenderness; in the title “God of all comfort,” we have His
effectiveness.
Because He is the “God of all comfort;” He comforts us. God
reaches into the lives of men and brings them comfort, encouragement, and
strength. God’s comfort is active in the lives of His people. The word “comfort” at the beginning of verse 4 is
a present, active particle, denoting continual action. God continually
comforts. Not wonder Peter tells us to cast all our anxiety and care upon Him,
“because He cares for you” (1 Peter
5:7). The word care is melei, third person singular,
signifying that we are the object of His care, “especially the care of
forethought and interest.”[1]
God’s comfort comes from His personal interest in His children. He is the
source of their comfort.
THE PLACE OF COMFORT (2
Corinthians 1:4b)
The place where God comforts is “in all our tribulations.” The
preposition is epi denoting
the basis upon which comfort comes. It is in tribulation. The word means
pressure, stress, or anything which burdens the spirit, either spiritual or
physical. The comfort of God does not necessarily remove the pressure or stress
(although it is possible); rather it consists of helping one to bear the
distress of pressure with failing or fainting. It is a part of God’s enabling
grace that strengthens one to endurance. His grace is sufficient in all
circumstances (2 Corinthians 12:9).
The channels of this enabling
grace are clearly indicated in the Scripture. Included are Christ ( 2
Corinthians 3:5), the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26; Acts 9:31), the Word
(Romans 15:3), and other believers (2 Corinthians 3:6-7; Colossians 4:12; 1
Thessalonians 3:2). God’s comfort flows to us through these channels.
THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S COMFORT (2
Corinthians 1:4c)
God’s never-failing comfort has a
purpose—“that we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God.” The purpose of receiving God’s comfort is never
self-centered. Its purpose is not only for our benefit, but to benefit others
as well. By receiving the comfort of God, we are to become channels of that
comfort. It is given to be used by passing it on to others. Personal
edification and comfort is to be communicated. God comforts us so we can
comfort others. Receiving God’s comfort brings indebtedness of service, so we
may give His comfort to others. God’s enabling grace is not only to endure; it
is also to enabling service. He enables us to endure our circumstance so that
we may serve by communicating God’s comfort to others.
THREE FACTS ABOUT THE COMFORT OF
GOD (2 Corinthians 1:5-7).
After praising God for His
comfort, Paul now turns to the application of that comfort in personal
experience. In doing so, Paul gives us three facts about God’s comfort.
- Comfort abounds in suffering (1:5)
Those who do
not suffer do not comfort. It is in our suffering the “sufferings of Christ,” that we find the comfort of God. The
suffering of Christ is not a reference to the suffering of our Lord upon the
cross. That is a completed event and does not continue in the life of the
believer (Romans 5:8-10; 6:10). Only Christ could suffer as a sinless substitute
and die (1 Peter 2:21-25). Rather, the sufferings of Christ are those we
suffering because of our identification with Christ. Warren Wiersbe says,
There are some
sufferings that we endure simply because we are human and subject to pain, but
there are other sufferings that come because we are God’s people and want to
serve Him.[2]
It is when we
suffer because we are God’s people that we enter into the sufferings of Christ.
As the
suffering “abounds,” so does the
comfort of God. The Greek word is perisseuo meaning to exceed a measure, to be
overflowing. The stress in this text is not in the abundance, but the quantity
of the abundance. The suffering never outweighs the comfort or encouragement of
God. The greater the suffering—the greater the comfort. Charles Hodge notes:
This makes the great difference between the
sorrows of believers and those of unbelievers. Alienation from Christ does not
secure freedom from suffering, but it cuts off from the only source of
consolation.[3]
- Comfort is activated by endurance (1:6)
Comfort is “effective in the patient enduring of the
same sufferings.” The Greek word for effective is energeo and is where we get the English word for
energy. The preposition “in” (en)
denotes the sphere of operation. Comfort operates in the sphere of endurance.
Paul is not simply saying that comfort brings endurance, but that comfort is
activated by endurance. Those who do not endure do not need comfort: they need
forgiveness. To endure may bring suffering, but it also brings comfort. Endurance
(hypomane) has the meaning of
steadfastness in the face of unpleasant circumstances and pain (2 Corinthians
6:4; Romans 5:3; Colossians 1:11). As we endlure, we find comfort. God has
abundant grace for our need, yet He does not bestow it in advance, but at the
time of need (Hebrews 4:16). It is in endurance that we find comfort.
- Comfort ministers in sharing (1:7)
Part of the
price of ministry is exposure to, and sharing in the sufferings of others.
Comfort is mutual, never exclusive. What was happening to Paul was for the
Corinthians encouragement and welfare. Even as observers they become partakers
of God’s comfort and encouragement. It made them mutual partakers of God’s
enabling grace. It strengthened, comforted, and encouraged them.
What are your circumstances? Are
you finding the comfort of God? If not, is it because you do not know the God
of comfort? You can by an act of faith, receiving Christ in your life (cf. John
1:12, Ephesians 2:8-10). As a believer, this enabling grace in the time of need
comes from the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
Reprinted from The Berean Advocate, June 1988.
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