The Comfort Of God - Bible Witness

The Comfort of GodFinally, God’s comfortis with those who areafflicted, and theywill be ministeredto by His Spirit andHis Word. Christianscan minister to theafflicted (whetherthey be consciousor unconscious) byprayers, by the readingof His Word, by singingpsalms and hymns.Comfort forthe BereavedThe Word of God comforts Christians intimes of the home-going of a loved one andencourages them saying, “But I would not haveyou to be ignorant, brethren, concerning themwhich are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even asothers which have no hope” (1 Thessalonians4:13). Christians do not have to mutilatethemselves (cf. Deuteronomy 14:1), or mourncontinuously at the home-going of a loved one(cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13), as this is a promotionto glory. The Word of God says, “For we knowthat if our earthly house of this tabernaclewere dissolved, we have a building of God,an house not made with hands, eternal in theheavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1).Firstly, let us remind the bereaved that thosewho die are promoted to glory. The principlelearnt from God’s Word is that the departingof a loved one, who is a believer, is a joyousmatter (although tears will be shed), becausethe loved one has gone to be with the Lordand promoted to glory. They are enjoyingthe blessed presence of the Lord Jesus Christ(having a closer fellowship with Him) and all theother saints who have gone to heaven beforethem. They are not suffering, nor are they in anintermediate state of unconsciousness beforethe appearing of the Lord. On the contrary,they are certainly alive as the Word of Godsays, “…to be absent from the body, and to bepresent with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).Secondly, let us recall that the Apostle Pauldeclared that the home-going of a saint is gain- “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”(Philippians 1:21). He knew of the glory ofGod that existed beyond the grave. He knewthat for the truly born-again Christian, JesusChrist was not only to be magnified in life, butalso magnified in death. Paul understood themeaning of life, and did not fear death, for itis a graduation to fellowship with and in thepresence of the Lord.Thirdly, let us refresh their minds with theScripture that they who die in the Lord areresting in heaven from all their labours (cf.Revelation 14:13). They are removed from theearthly sufferings, cares of life, temptation tosin and from the evils of sin.Fourthly, as Jesus Christ is resurrected fromthe dead, so are true believers promised toBible Witness 15