258. Comfort, Love, Assurance, Acknowledgement
Colossians 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ.
God shares the Good News so that our hearts might be comforted or encouraged. Comfort, Calm, and Courage come into our hearts when the Spirit comes in with the Gospel of forgiveness, life and salvation. In the midst of storms and tempests, turmoil and trouble, sadness and grief, Comfort comes through the Gospel. We have courage and strength because we have hope.
Second, our hearts are knit together in love. A strong bond exists between and among believers in Christ. The glue that holds believers together is love; love knits hearts one to another. Those people who hear and believe the same Gospel have received the same love of God; after being loved by God we are free to love one another. A true fellowship knitting believers together shows itself in mutual support and care for each other.
Third, the Gospel also brings us all the riches of the full assurance of understanding. The assurance we have of forgiveness, life and salvation is full and sure. The Spirit and the Word has given us all the understanding we need, We don’t understand everything for there are many mysteries, and we have many unanswered questions, but the Holy Spirit teaches clearly and makes us understand enough to receive and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Instead of complaining about what we don’t understand, we can be rejoicing about what we do understand. This full assurance of understanding does not come through rational argument or proof to the mind, nor does it come with ecstatic feelings of happiness to the emotions, nor does it convince us against our will; but the understanding of the Gospel comes directly into the spirit which has come alive through faith in Christ. The Gospel does convince the mind, it does bring joy to the feelings, and it does bend our will, but it actually goes deeper into the heart where assurance is absolute and cannot be assailed.
Fourth, the Gospel acknowledgesthe mystery of God and of Christ. Faith believes the Gospel and accepts Jesus. We actually know the mystery of God, even though we could never explain God or the things of God. Faith does not explain the Gospel; it simply believes it. And that is deep comfort, abiding love and blessed assurance.