CHRIST’S DIVINE CONSOLATIONS INTRODUCED, Part I

Declaring that nothing below Jesus Christ Himself will afford any comfort to a troubled soul.
 
John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also IN ME.”
 
In this scripture, we find two important subjects held forth by our Master Teacher. First: An Exhortation, i.e., <“Let not your heart be troubled,” and, second: An Instruction, i.e., “Ye believe in God, believe also in me.” Before we offer expository thoughts respecting our text, we must consider two facts.
 
First: THE PARTY SPEAKING,

The image of God, imposed on their minds through the looking glass of the Mosaic Law is radically different than that, as revealed in Jesus Christ.

which is Jesus Christ. He had just told his disciples of His soon departure and their consequent loss of his bodily presence in the previous chapter. He had revealed the manner of His removal and the sad circumstances attending it, in that He would be betrayed by one of them and denied by yet another. He had warned them of their uncomfortable circumstance moving forward without any hope of an earthly temporal kingdom being set up, for which they had hoped. He had informed them in advance of their soon exposure to the hatred and persecution of His enemies who were also their enemies.

b>Secondly: THE END OF HIS SPEAKING: Since He was soon to depart in His bodily presence, knowing their inherent weaknesses without Him to hold them up; He knew they would be full of fears through much natural trouble and thereby sin against their Heavenly Benefactor.
 
THE DOCTRINE STATED: It is the way of Christ’s caring for His saints in all His teachings, to keep his disciples from sinful fear. A classic example of this is found in Luke 12:25-26 when Christ asked His disciples the question, “Which of you with TAKING THOUGHT can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then BE NOT ABLE to do that which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?” He followed that with the “lilies…that grow,” in verse 27, and God’s “clothing the grass…in the field,” in verse 28. All of this, as an illustration respecting His command in verse 29, “Seek not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, NEITHER BE YE OF DOUBTFUL MIND.” Finally, He instructed them in verse 31, “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.” Because “Your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.” And then again “FEAR NOT little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom,” verse 32. [Caps mine, D.O.]
 
Another example of sinful fear is the birth of the first Baptist, John. After Elizabeth gave birth, her husband testified John’s birth was according to the oath that God had sworn to Abraham “that He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him WITHOUT FEAR, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days our life,” Luke 1:74-75. Both cases lead us to believe it is the way of Christ’s caring for His people in all His teachings, to keep them from sinful fear.

This is contrary to most man-centered teachings today. Religion based on FEAR is common, being brought about by a satanic ministry bringing the moral law of Moses over into the Gospel of Christ and creating a mixture which is an anti-Christ Gospel based on bondage to the law and fear of punishment! Lucifer’s ministers of self-righteousness, impose legal burdens upon the children of God which they are unable to bear, by teaching them if they DO NOT DO certain things they will be punished for sins of omission and if they DO certain things they will be likewise punished for sins of commission! All of which results in some negative effects. Such as:
 
IT DRIVES MEN FROM GOD. The image of God, imposed on their minds through the looking glass of the Mosaic Law is radically different than that, as revealed in Jesus Christ “in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells.” He is Himself, God “full of grace and truth,” Col. 2:9 and John 1:14. Gospel truth teaches “God is love,” I John 4:8. Who has loved His people with an “everlasting love,” and has therefore “drawn” them to His heart of love by making Himself known to them, as the God of Love, Jer. 31:3. In this particular operation of grace He works His love in them, enabling them to experience His loving thoughts towards them, “because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us,” Romans 5:5. As a result of God’s love in action upon its eternal OBJECTS, the children of God fall in love with their Eternal Paternal Father. All because He “first loved” them, I John 4:19. This has to do with the full and comfortable sense of their Father’s love for them and the abundance of it for them. They are brought to sense and feel their Father’s love “by the Holy Ghost” making application of it to them. The “Holy Ghost” is “given unto” them for that very purpose as the applicator of all grace, the Comforter, and earnest of heaven itself! This same Divine Love is the source and spring of all spiritual blessings as well as all the consequent effects of them in the real-time experience of the Father’s eternal children.
 
We will close with this one lesson. There is a huge difference between sinful fear resulting from legal bondage and loving God as His love is worked in us, we ourselves being the eternal OBJECTS OF GOD’S LOVE. Such is Free and Sovereign Grace. Next lesson, we hope to continue to look at the negative effects of legal bondage upon the children of grace. Thank you for your kind prayers to that end.
 
Dan O’Dell, S.S., if my heart does not deceive me. 

Weslaco, TX., Jan. 19, 2024