COMFORT AND STABLISH YOU

2 Thess 2:16-17 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, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

Here we have another earnest prayer to God, uttered by the apostle Paul, on behalf of the members of the church of Christ in Thessalonica. In his prayer we find this truthful and spiritual observation: Jesus Christ, and His Father, the God of all creation, the Creator of all men and women, hath loved us. The apostle, John, expressed God's love for mankind in this manner: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16-18). There can be no greater love for you and me, than that of God, and His Son, Jesus Christ.

By the love of God, He hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. As Christians, we are to give comfort and consolation to one another in time of need (Phil. 2:1-2; 1 Thess. 4:18, 5:11-14). Earthly consolation toward one another, is extremely important, however it fills only a temporary need. It is transient; it is as fleeting as life itself. God's gift to us is everlasting consolation. The good hope of eternal salvation given through His Son, Jesus Christ, is a consolation that has no end. It flows from His fountain of unending love, and all men and women of the world, are invited to come to its source - Jesus Christ. In His own words, Jesus told the world that whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (See John 4:13-15).

That hope began with the resurrection of our Savior. Jesus is our sure example: there will be a resurrection of all God's children. And here is that good hope: Jesus has promised that He will come again, to gather the faithful children of God's family and, together with Him, ascend back into heaven for eternity. This good hope can be found, and is fully described, in the gospel message of Christ that is found in the Holy Spirit-inspired pages of the New Testament. Our Savior, Himself, gave us the assurance for this good hope by saying that in My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:2-3). It is by God's grace - His unmerited love, mercy, and favor, that eternal salvation is offered to all mankind, through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. What a wonderful, andeverlasting consolation, is found in this good hope!

Paul's prayer for the Christians of Thessalonica continues with this plea: that, through Jesus Christ, God will comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. Whatever trials and tribulations that members of this young church of Christ were experiencing, Paul was praying that the hope of eternal salvation they had obtained through Jesus Christ, would give them comfort and consolation. In his first epistle to the Thessalonian church, Paul described in detail the events that would take place on the Day of Judgment. He explained that all faithful Christians, both those that were alive at the coming of Christ, as well as those already deceased, would be caught up together ...in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (See 1 Thess. 4:15-17). This explanation was given to, grant them knowledge, and ease their apprehensions, about the events of that day. Paul ended this explanation by saying, Wherefore comfort one another with these words (Vs. 18).

What a great comfort is to have heard, understood, and believed God's plan of salvation for mankind. And additional comfort is found in obeying God's call to salvation, by repenting your sinful ways, confessing Jesus to be the Son of God and Savior of the world, and being baptized in the soul cleansing water of life, for the remission of your sins. Finally, and even more comforting is to know that God added you to the church of Christ - the only earthly institution, in which the hope of eternal salvation can be found, for all men and women that continue to live a life of obedience to the will of God. May these comforting words stablish you in every good word and work, and through our labors, may we ever glorify God and His Son, Jesus Christ.