THE JOY OF OUR SALVATION

William Tyndale was a scholar who translated the Bible into an early form of modern English. He was very outspoken about his views and especially passionate about the good news of the gospel.

Tyndale said, “Evangelion (that we call the gospel) is a Greek word and signifies good, merry, glad, and joyful tidings, that maketh a man’s heart glad and maketh him sing, dance, and leap for joy.”

He believed that the free grace and total forgiveness we have in Christ is the basis of all of our joy and comfort. It is the foundation of our peace and contentment. It is what should make our hearts glad and our countenance cheerful.

Do we have this kind of joy?

Many of us, myself included, should be very convicted when we contemplate all that Christ has done for us and the future that awaits us, and yet we walk through life complaining, dissatisfied, unhappy and down.

What in the world do we have to be gloomy about?

Our Present Joy

All of us will encounter hard days and trying seasons. Even now we can see suffering all around us, both up close and personal, and far away in other countries. Even in these difficult circumstances the work of Jesus makes it possible for us to be joyful. The forgiveness we have in Jesus ensures that God is on our side; that he will be with us in every single circumstance of life. Our souls are safe, and while we cannot always see the good in our darkness we have been promised that all of our moments are used for our benefit.  God cannot break his promises.

Our Future Joy

The hope of joy goes beyond this world. Those who have the gift of forgiveness also receive the gift of adoption which comes with an inheritance. We will, beyond a shadow of a doubt, come face to face with Jesus and it will be a glorious day! Then our joy will be made complete. All difficulty and sin, all suffering and mourning will be no more! In its place will be a joy so pure that we will marvel and worship our God.

We need to learn to focus on our future a bit more because it will impact the way we live today. Even though I feel like my fatigue is more than I can handle, I can make it through this day knowing all that I have now and what I will receive in the future.

Underneath all the suffering and trials we can have a robust joy because the penalty of our sins have been removed and our relationship with God is perfectly restored.

Jesus is our joy, but we won’t experience this joy very much if we don’t understand it. The more we understand all that Jesus has done for us and all that we have in him the more joyful we will be.

The religion of Christ is the religion of JOY. Christ came to take away our sins, to roll off our curse, to unbind our chains, to open our prison house, to cancel our debt; in a word, to give us the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Is not this joy? Where can we find a joy so real, so deep, so pure, so lasting? There is every element of joy; deep, ecstatic, satisfying, sanctifying joy in the gospel of Christ.
– Octavius Winslow

Looking To Jesus,

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Jen Thorn

Jen Thorn grew up in Germany and then spent her teenage years in Africa, where her parents were missionaries. She moved to the United States for college and attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago where she met her husband. They have been married for twenty-two years and have four children. Jen lives in the suburbs of Chicago, where her husband is the pastor of Redeemer Fellowship. Jen is passionate about theology and the connection to daily living.