August 4, 2023
Thus you see the order of the gospel in comforting souls. As in needle-work, the sad groundwork is laid before the beautiful colors; as the statuary cuts and carves his statue before he gilds it; so doth the Spirit of Christ beginning with sadness, ends in joy; first cuts and wounds, then heals and overlays the soul with comfort and peace.
William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour
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The gospel of peace is for the broken-hearted (Isaiah 61:1), for those who have been convicted of their sin and wretchedness and know they need a savior (John 16:8). Christ will break us down before he heals us to humble us and make us realize our desperate need for him. Part of this healing is receiving the Holy Spirit, also called the Comforter in the King James version of the Bible, as he brings comfort to the consciences of believers. Someone who doesn’t know their miserable fallen state cannot receive this comfort because God cannot allow peace in the conscience of an unreconciled sinner – they are at war with God until they accept his Son’s sacrifice on the cross. This process of submitting to God and realizing the weight of your sins is often painful, but afterward, God brings us peace, joy, and comfort that we could never know otherwise.