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Sunday, June 19, 2011 am            Comfort Doctrines Index

COMFORT DOCTRINES – Introduction
TRUE COMFORT IN CHRIST

 Today I would like to begin a study in which we will come face to face with where we stand before God.  It is a study based upon the false security that so many have about their faith.  In our lesson today I want to establish that God wants us to be comfortable with our salvation.  He wants us to live with hope and assurance.  His word is intended to be something that will give us comfort as we face trials and difficulties in this life.  But that hope has to be realistic which means it must be based upon what His word actually says. 

In the religious world today, I am fearful that the Biblical idea of our comfort in Christ has watered down by so many through teachings which disregard sinful conduct and its consequences.  Far too many “religious” people believe they are fine even though they have chosen to not deal with their sins.  And while ultimately they are accountable for their own souls and will stand before God in judgment for such, there is much blame to be had in the theological community.   There are a number of popular doctrines that I believe give a false sense of spiritual security to those who espouse them.  I call these “comfort doctrines”.   My purpose in this study is to examine some of these “comfort doctrines” and expose the danger they produce in the lives of those who believe them.

As I begin I want it understood that in this study I am not seeking to discourage us or lessen our hope.  Nor am I seeking to minimize the grace and mercy of God as the primary source of our salvation (i.e. if it were not for the grace of God, our faith and obedience would be meaningless).   In fact, it is my desire that our hope will be increased as we live with a greater surety that we are pleasing in His sight because we are DOING what He instructs us to do with complete reverence.  In other words, I don’t want us to think that in any way we can get away with sin that we refuse to deal with.

In this study we are going to examine the following:

-          True comfort in Christ – God wants us to be comforted and such needs to be our goal.

-          The bulk of our study will be spent examining “Comfort Doctrines”

·         There is no hell.

·         “Once saved, always saved.”

·         Salvation by works – the belief that our actions can earn us salvation or that as long as our good works outweigh our evil works, we will be fine.  Such was the attitude of Israel and the Pharisees. 

·         God overlooks sins of ignorance and weakness & He will accept us as long as we are sincere

·         “We are all going to heaven, just by different paths.” Or, “As long as you believe in God you are fine.” OR “Unity in diversity”, etc.

·         “Cheap grace” – watered down religion.   Including watered down authority. To question the integrity of the Bible and its teachings

-          How can I know that I am saved?  What steps can I take to ensure that I am ready to stand before God.

 

I.                    What is comfort?

a.        According to Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, the word comfort means, “^1. to give strength and hope to; ^2. To ease the grief or trouble of.”[1]

b.       The most prevalent word in the New Testament translated comfort is (parakale/w, paraklaleo) a word that primarily means “to call to one’s side”, (Vine’s[2]).   It is a word that has multiple meanings and is translated almost evenly as “exhort”, “beg” and “comfort”, as well as a few other words.   With such diversity of meaning, it is obvious that the context dictates the meaning of this word.  

c.        When we equate this word to comfort, its use is somewhat parallel to our English definition as above.  Kittel says that the basic sense is “to speak to someone in a friendly way.”[3]  That is what we have in mind.  It indicates the idea of reassurance or consolation.

d.       The point we will establish is that being in Christ ought to be a source of comfort to us.

 

II.                  What does the Bible say about comfort?

a.        Our God is a God of comfort –

                                                   i.       Rom. 15:5 describes Him as the God of patience and comfort.

                                                  ii.      2 Cor. 1:3 calls our God, “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.

                                                iii.      2 Thess. 2:16-17 says, “¹⁶Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,  ¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”

                                                iv.      John 14:16, 26, 15:26 refers to the Holy Spirit as “the Helper.” (NKJV, NASU)  The term is a form of the word for “comfort” we discussed in our last section.  The KJV and ASV both describe the Holy Spirit in these texts as “the Comforter.”  While the term in describing the Holy Spirit is not limited to one of comfort (He does so much more for us – hence, the term “helper” in later versions), it certainly is something He provides for us.

                                                  v.      Numbers of other passages describe Him as a caring God – 1 Pet. 5:7, a God of hope and patience, mercy and grace.  He truly is concerned about us and wants what is best.  His message is ultimately one of hope and forgiveness and salvation.  He has given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness.”  HE is a God of victory who has defeated the enemy and is in full control.  Such thoughts ought to be great comfort and consolation to us as we face so many in this world who fall far short of His image and character.

b.       It is promised –

                                                   i.      In some sense, the Christian life brings about true comfort, even as we face difficulties or whatever might come our way.

                                                  ii.      Matt. 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

                                                iii.      Luke 16:25 – in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, we find Abraham explaining to the rich man, “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.”  The ultimate “comfort” we anticipate is that found in the eternal rest of heaven.

                                                iv.      2 Cor. 7:6 says that God comforts the downcast.

                                                  v.      Phil. 4:6-7 – promises us that if we will be patient and turn to Him in prayer, “the peace of God which surpasses understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

c.        It can be had

                                                   i.      We live in a chaotic world.  For far too many there is very little true comfort in this life.  There is misery, disappointment, failures, and troubles which drive away that sense of comfort that we all crave.  For the one who lives without any hope beyond this life, such things can become overwhelming and even defeating.

                                                  ii.      But the Christian, even in the face of difficulties, has a better perspective about life which extends beyond this realm (cf. Col. 3:1-2).  Therefore, he can take great comfort, even in the face of the same trials, misery, disappointment and failures that others face.  It is all about his perspective.

                                                iii.       Ac. 9:31 says, “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied”

                                                iv.       2 Cor. 13:11, calls upon us to “…Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

                                                  v.      May we find our true comfort in Him.

d.       It is found in His word

                                                   i.      Rom. 15:4-5 says, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.  Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus”

                                                  ii.      His message is one of hope and optimism.  That does not mean that everything will be without troubles or sorrows.  We know better.  But the overall message and the end result is truly comforting to us.  As we study His word, especially in the difficult times, it can give us the strength, hope and endurance we need to move ahead.

e.       We comfort one another –

                                                   i.      One of the blessings we enjoy as Christians is fellowship with our brethren.  When we are what we ought to be, we will be there for one another.  We will lift each other up in the difficult times. 

                                                  ii.       2 Cor. 1:3-6 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.  ⁶Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.”

                                                iii.      1 Thess. 4:18,  “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

                                                iv.      1 Thess. 5:11, 14, “¹¹Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. …¹⁴Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all”

                                                  v.      Colossians 4:8, Paul sent Tychicus to the brethren at Colosse to comfort them.  He said, ^“I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,”

                                                vi.      Conversely, Paul was comforted by brethren coming to Him. 2 Corinthians 7:6 says, “Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.”

f.         MY POINT in this lesson is to show that comfort is something that God wants us to have as His children.  In His word He has provided for us all things necessary to be comforted, even in the face of difficulties in this world.  His word gives us comfort as does His people.  We ought to pursue the comfort and peach He offers us.  But it is only found if we are true to Him and His word! We CANNOT achieve godly comfort while refusing to submit to His will. 

 

III.                  False Comfort

a.        The world cannot offer this comfort –

                                                   i.       in a world that is continually seeking to forget about God and His message of hope, we find so much desperation and hopelessness.  There is a seeking for true and lasting comfort, but it cannot be found because they refuse to turn to God.

                                                 ii.      Psa. 69:20, “Reproach has broken my heart, And I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none.”

                                                iii.      Eccl. 4:1 says, “Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter— On the side of their oppressors there is power, But they have no comforter.”

b.      There are many worldly souls that seek for comfort, BUT they are unwilling to repent. 

                                                   i.      They want the blessings of God, but they don’t want to give up the passing pleasures of sin (cf. Heb. 11:24-26, 2 Tim. 3:15, having a “form of godliness but denying its power”, etc.)

                                                 ii.      They are unwilling to comply with His teachings.  TRAGICALLY, there are false teachers who will tickle their ears and lull them into a sense of false comfort by being told that God will accept them in their unrepentant sinful conduct. 
Paul warned Timothy of such when he told him what to preach in 2 Tim. 4:2-4. 
2 Peter 2:1-3 warns us, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”

c.        At times they may say you OUGHT to repent, but then they teach some doctrine which removes accountability if you refuse to change.  These are the “comfort doctrines” that we want to take some time to examine.

d.       These “comfort Doctrines” provide a false sense of security.  One of Israel’s downfall was seeking prophets who would preach words of comfort when there was no comfort.

                                                   i.      Prophets of old were condemned for preaching “peace when there is no peace”.  Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel spoke of such.  Jeremiah 6:13-15 says, “Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely.  They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, 'Peace, peace!' When there is no peace.  Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time I punish them, They shall be cast down," says the Lord.“  Ezekiel 13:10 says they SEDUCED the people.

                                                  ii.      Jeremiah 5:30-31 further said, “An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?”

                                                iii.      Later, Jeremiah 23:16-17 says, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the Lord. They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, “You shall have peace” ’; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’”

e.       The danger of “comfort doctrines”

                                                   i.      They can promote ignorance – Why put forth great effort to learn the truth when there are no real consequences to one’s conduct? 
Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

                                                  ii.      They can lead to indifference – why be “zealous for good works” if there is no consequence for living in sin?  Why seriously seek the erring soul if the consequences of sin are minimalized or dismissed? (Jude 22-23) 
For example: Jehovah’s Witnesses believe there is no hell.  While they are an evangelistic religion, if you reject the truth, they find comfort concerning you because there is no eternal consequence.

                                                iii.      They can lead to corruption – where there is no serious need to follow God’s standard, man will do what is right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25, 17:6).  Why not, if God is going to tolerate sinful rebellion or disobedience in any form?  This is anarchy to some degree.

                                                iv.      They can lead to disunity or even division - Friends, what incentive is there to seek true unity in doctrine if God will overlook sinful conduct?  1 Corinthians 1:10 says, “Let there be no divisions among you.”

                                                  v.      They will lead to souls being lost!  Matthew 7:21-23 is just one of many passages that tells us that following Jesus involves obedience!  Note the consequence of those who fail to obey – they will be told to depart.  2 Thess. 1:8 says that God will “in flaming fire” take “vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

In the coming weeks we are going to examine some “comfort doctrines.”  WE will see the dangers and consequences of espousing these doctrines and we will see WHY these teachings are in error.  As I stated at the outset of this lesson, my goal is not to discourage us or to belittle our hope.  Rather it is to encourage us to take seriously our commitment to put God first.  While I do not believe that God is sitting in heaven waiting for us to “mess up” so that He can zap us to hell, I have great concern when we seek to minimalize sin to any degree.  James 2:10 says, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”  May these lessons encourage us to greater service in the kingdom of the Lord and taking seriously His warnings and instructions which He has so carefully outlined.  Think about it.