A Sure Comfort for the Church of Christ

After the Lord Jesus and His disciples had partaken of the Lord’s Supper, they stood up, and after what takes place in chapters 14, 15, and 16, He gave a parting word of encouragement and victory. He knew what grief His loved ones would have to experience when He would be taken away from them. Three days later He would return with His “peace be unto you.” That peace can only be found in Him and His accomplished work.

He gave His testament, His will, to His Church. He had often spoken to them of His departure, His going to prepare a place for them, and then He gave His testament in which their whole life was characterized. It would apply to the way which they would have to go through this life.

A predicted tribulation

This declaration is given by Him who is the omniscient God and Truth Himself. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). He speaks about “in the world.” This is the place of their testing; it is not their fatherland anymore. It is the wilderness through which they have to journey. Time and again they will be reminded that this is not the place of their rest.

We and our children also live in the world although we should not belong to it. The world of our days shows more and more the truth of what Christ has foretold, that anti-Christian powers will rule and will oppress, discriminate, and persecute the church of God. In many countries in the world this is a daily experience, but also in our so-called free Western world the hatred against the church increases rapidly. The Lord does not promise an easy journey but certainly a safe one.

With “tribulation” He describes the way of the true pilgrim. It is Christ’s church. It is tribulation because of:

1) The enmity of the world. We could mention persecutions of the early church, Nero, arenas with devouring lions, later on during the Reformation burning stakes, and in the last days, those who do not bear the sign of the beast. There will be no place for them anymore, at least if they witness their conviction.

2) The enmity of the pious world. There will be bonds and persecutions as Paul endured from the Pharisees. The world is here compared with a woman in labor, and the nearer she comes to deliverance the heavier the pangs of birth become. Thus it is also with the world, especially in the last great tribulation. God’s Word tells us that if the days would not be shortened, no flesh could be saved.

3) The assaults and attacks of the Prince of Darkness. “Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8b). He may assault them and say that their work is not true. He will tempt them to pride. He may tell them that they are hypocrites who will dishonor God or that they have sinned too much and that He has forsaken them.

4) God’s sometimes incomprehensible leadings with them in this world. The disciples would soon be led into a way that they had never known before. The Lord would depart from them. There may come a time in the life of God’s children that Christ is so hidden and seems to have departed, a time when they lose their conversion and all the precious promises and experiences. However, the Lord will not forsake the works of His own hands.

5) The strife against the enemy inside. The greatest enemy of their salvation is self—the evil lusts, the darling sins, their flesh, enmity against God, and their evil wicked heart.

6) Crosses and griefs in this world. It may be the loss of earthly possessions or of freedom, of dear ones, or concerns in marriage or family. What a loneliness there may be, especially in the evening of life, as well as weakness in the body and various other afflictions. However, all these tribulations flow forth from God’s Covenant of Grace and His sovereign ways and dealings with His dear children.

A well-founded encouragement

Sometimes His people seem to perish as Elijah under the juniper tree and Jacob when he said, “All these things are against me.” However, the Lord says, “Be of good courage,” good cheer, or good comfort. True wilderness travelers have reason to be of good cheer. Why is that? The love of God has been shed abroad in their heart, their redemption draweth nigh, and they have hope of glory. The ground of their hope is “I have overcome the world” but also:

1) Their tribulation is short—2 Corinthians 4:17: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” It is an affliction of but ten days. The Lord has first measured their shoulders before He laid upon them the cross.

2) It is a good sign if the devil assaults us, the world hates us, our flesh and heart distress us, or if we are chastised.

3) By affliction we will be loosed from the world and receive tokens of His favor. “It is good for me that I have been afflicted.” Tribulations are needed to make us more acquainted with ourselves, and the Lord may give a blessed fruit—John 15:2b: “Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

4) We must become more conformable to the image of Him of whom we read, “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted.”

5) It will be to His honor, for He will teach them, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” He will manifest His support, His sustaining power, His unchangeable love, His wisdom, faithfulness, and assured deliverance.

An obtained victory

The Lord Jesus comforts and assures His Church, “I have overcome the world.” You may say, “Why ‘I have,’ for didn’t He still have to fight the battle on Golgotha? Is this not too early?” The answer you find in the high-priestly prayer that we often read—“before the world was.” Here Christ spoke of His eternal council of peace, His suretyship. Christ may say “I have overcome”—it is firm and certain. The salvation of the Church, the ultimate victory, has the deepest anchor, grounded in God’s eternal decree. The warfare may be intense, the enemies mighty and threatening, and fear may fill the heart of His disciples, but Christ wants them to have peace in Him. Tribulation may be the winds which shake the ark but no sharp rock to bruise them. The Church may be like the burning bush which will not be consumed. The last enemy is death, but it is a conquered enemy. Victory is sure for those who are IN Him. Do not rest on some impressions, some texts, or conclusions that there might be a beginning. The Church needs to be hidden IN Him, for then, however frightening the future may look also in our days, the King whose ascension to glory we may commemorate will lead His Church of crippled soldiers safely to everlasting glory. “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14).

After this encouraging word, Christ has offered His highpriestly prayer, and He is still the intercessor at the right hand of the Father. The certainty of the final deliverance is founded upon His blood and righteousness. Oh, flee yet to the Ark of refuge. The time is short, God’s judgments are upon the earth, enmity and hostility against the Church are increasing, but be of good cheer, in Him, Christ, weak warriors will be more than conquerors. How worthy He is for you to fight under His banner and to expect all that you need for your journey from Him alone.

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