The True Comfort of Believers

“Comfort” is usually considered in either a physical sense, as a comfortable chair, temperature, or enjoying the benefits of reasonable prosperity, or an emotional sense, as in the consolations one attempts to give to someone bearing affliction, loss, or pain, or simply the comfort of being in a trusted relationship with a spouse or very good friend. The comfort of relationship is the most closely related to our spiritual comforts, which are the fruit of our relationship with God through Christ, and the presence of his Holy Spirit.

Recently I discovered an amazing statement on the comfort we enjoy as believers. I say amazing because it is from the Heidelberg Catechism of 1563 which I had never read (but have since purchased). What brought it to my attention was a reference in the current Banner of Truth magazine, to which I am subscribed. The Banner of Truth organization is dedicated to publishing Books by Puritans and other Reformed authors, and is located in Edinburgh, Scotland. I am not part of the “Reformed” churches, and have some significant differences in theology, but have greatly enjoyed their YouTube podcasts. Their printed materials are easily available online at banneroftruth.org.  

This catechism was commissioned by the Prince-Elector Frederick III of Saxony to be produced in Heidelberg Germany, as a manual for instructing youth (and others) in the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. There have been many catechisms through the centuries, both Protestant and Catholic, generally in a question and answer format. The subject of this short article is taken from the very first question in the Heidelberg Catechism.

Question 1. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ, who with His precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and redeemed me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that all things must work together for my salvation. Wherefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live unto Him.

This is a much deeper concept of comfort than encouragement and commiseration during times of affliction, sickness, death, etc. It speaks not of physical comfort, nor merely mental or emotional, but our spiritual comfort. In fact it is a good and accurate description of the work of both Christ and the Holy Spirit as our “Comforter”.

The catechism then gives references from the Bible to support each portion of the answer. I have put them in  a numbered list with references taken from the KJV.

1.       That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death,

Rom. 14:7-8 – “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.”

2.       am not my own,

1 Cor. 6:19 – “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

3.       but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ,

1 Cor. 3:23 – “And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.”

4.       who with His precious blood

1 P. 1:18-19 – “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

5.       has fully satisfied for all my sins,

1 Jn. 1:7 – “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

1 Jn. 2:2 – “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

6.       and redeemed me from all the power of the devil;

1 Jn. 3:8 – “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

7.       and so preserves me

Jn. 6:39 – “And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”

8.       that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head;

Mt. 10:29-30 – “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

Lk. 21:18 – “But there shall not an hair of your head perish.”

9.       indeed, that all things must work together for my salvation.

Rom. 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

10.   Wherefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life,

2 Cor. 1:21-22 – “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”

Eph. 1:13-14 – “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

Rom. 8:16 – “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”

11.   and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live unto Him.

Rom. 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Phl. 2:13 – “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

My amazement at first reading was of the completeness and conciseness of the answer, and I would not hesitate to recommend this question and answer as an instruction to children today or as something for a small Bible study group. While perhaps many have seen catechisms as merely exercises in memorization and indoctrination, the real benefit is in a deeper meditation and consideration of the scripture references. Each one of the points above should provide a deep and abiding sense of comfort, daily.

The other lesson is that we should not reject everything someone else believes just we are not agreed on all issues. Some issues are more important than others and we can and do have differences of opinion on some things, but where we can agree, “Amen”.