The Joy of The Christian Life

 The Joy of The Christian Life


The Joy of the Christian Life, in four words, is, our Lord Jesus Christ.  No one or nothing else is this joy; or can in anyway substitute for it.  The gospel of grace is our "lifeline" to this joy--but the gospel itself, taken in the abstract, is not this joy.  The same may be said about any other aspect of the Christian (church) life.  We delight in spiritual gifts (Rom. 1:11; 1 Cor. 1:7, etc.); we appreciate temporal mercies (1 Tim. 6:17); we cherish worship with and the fellowship of the saints (Heb. 10:25); we are glad to be in good physical health (3 Jn. 2); and we anticipate the glories of heaven (Titus 2:13)--but, in all of these cases (and all others), the Holy Spirit "brokers" these blessings through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. . . .

 

So, why is this discussion important or pertinent?  Because Christians (who want and expect joy in and from their faith expression) often seek it independently of Christ.  What do I mean?  I mean, that sometimes we believers in Jesus expect heavenly joy to come to us from or through something (or someone) else, like (for instance) our experiences--even the great ones, like justification and sanctification.  But the joy is really in the Person (Jesus Christ) of justification and sanctification.  Justification brings us to the Holy Trinity through the mediation and merits of the Person of Jesus Christ; and sanctification brings us nearer to the Persons of the Holy Trinity, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Somebody might say, "You are being too picky. Can we not focus on the Holy Spirit, God the Father, the spiritual gifts given us by God, the gospel, the church, and the grace of God--and not find perfectly good pleasure and joy in them (Them)?"  The answer is, "Yes; we may--but only as we view these glorious Personages and blessings in Christ."

 

All of this goes to show how central the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ really is, with regard to all things pertaining to the created order.  Christ is the Word of God through Whom the universe was created (Jn. 1:3); and Christ, the Second Person, was the member of the Godhead who would give His life for the fallen rational human creatures (that would make up His elect church), (Eph. 5:2).

 

The Father and the Holy Spirit are not "put off" by this; instead, They are, with the Son of God, the Authors of this glorious and eternal "plan."  They "conceived" of it in the eternal decree of the Covenant of Redemption, (Eph. 1:3 ff.).  Neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit are "glorified" by any created beings except through the Person of the Son of God.

 

So, as all of this is true, what does this have to do with joy, (the original topic of this paper)?  It reinforces the fact that joy--along with every other good thing--is had in Jesus Christ. . . . But here is one of the amazing things that is true about this statement (that all joy is to be found in Jesus Christ)--and it is this: that this joy may be legitimately "universalized" by us who are born again in Christ by the Holy Spirit.  In other words, it not only covers all the obvious and positive blessings of God in Christ, (as in Eph. 1:11 ff.); but it also embraces all the hardships and sufferings in Christ (1 Pet. 1:6 ff.).  Because all of this, the "positive" and the "negative" bring us to our Lord Jesus Christ; and in His presence there is always joy.  The "road" to this joy may be "rocky," (as via repentance); or it may seem "smooth," (via sweet visitations of the Holy Spirit)--but it ends in and with the Person of Joy, (our Lord Jesus).

 

Let us seek our joy only in the Person in Whom it may be found--in Christ alone.  Outside of Jesus there is no true joy to be discovered--either for Christians or non-Christians.

 

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full," (Jn. 15:11/ESV).

 

Rev. Mark J. Henninger

Treatise #83

16 March 2026

https://theologicaltreatisesinretirement.blogspot.com

https://henningerdevotions.blogspot.com/

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