Tag: Joy

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What is Holiness?

“We don’t smoke, and we don’t chew, and we don’t run with boys who do.” If people think of holiness, they may think of something like that old caricature of holiness.

But people don’t usually think about holiness. Holiness is one of those concepts the Bible uses that we don’t run into very often in our daily lives. It’s a concept that is at the periphery of our civilization.

For the writers of the Bible, however, it was very important. When they pictured the throne room of God, they described the angels around God’s throne saying, “Holy, holy, holy!”

God is absolutely holy. This means He is absolutely perfect and pure, set apart from everything else. Now note: He not only has this perfection, He is devoted to it and delights in it. This may seem strange until we remember that God is Triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That means the Father is devoted to the glory of the Son and the Holy Spirit as each member of the Trinity is to the other.

This gives us some idea of what it means when God says, “Be holy as I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:2).

In the Bible, God is not the only one who is holy. Places are holy like the temple. Things are holy like the ark. People are holy like the priests.

This means that they are set apart from service to other things. In this sense, the caricature of holiness (“We don’t smoke, and we don’t chew . . .”) has something right in it. We separate ourselves from evil things and even from the misuse of good things.

Take the Sabbath, for example. The Sabbath involves setting aside things we do on the other six days. So, many people think of it merely in terms of not working.

But being set apart is about being set apart for something. It is about being set apart unto the Lord Himself. It means seeing His glory and delighting and finding joy in it. That is holiness.

There is an instructive scene on this point in the book of Nehemiah. When the Israelites returned to the land, they celebrated the Feast of Booths. During this Feast, the priests would read the law of God. When the people realized it, they were filled with a sense of their own disobedience, and this rightly grieved them. However, Nehemiah told them: “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (8:10). Let go of other things and rejoice in the Lord. That is holiness.

In one of my Doctor of Ministry classes, Dr. Steve Childers gave me this definition of holiness that I’ve relished ever since. He said, “Holiness is loving God and others well while maintaining our joy.”

This gives holiness quite a different flavor than what we are used to. The more I think about it, though, the more I believe that Dr. Childers had captured the positive side of holiness. Holiness sets us apart from certain things that will harm us or lead us in a wrong direction to send us in the right direction: finding our delight in service to and love of God. Holiness is about joy. Any talk about holiness that fails to mentions this should be proscribed. We were created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. That is holiness.

Even though we don’t use the word holiness much in our society, we are all looking for something bigger that can give our lives meaning, purpose, and joy. The trouble is we seek it in things that can’t really provide it. Thus, the call to holiness–finding that meaning, purpose, and joy in God alone. This is a purpose and joy that will not disappoint, and this is holiness.

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How to Find Lasting Joy

Life can so easily get us down. Most of the time we ask, how can we survive? Lasting joy seems utterly out of reach.

The Stoics were a group of people in the ancient world who sought to find lasting joy while living a normal life. They wanted to move past depression, anxiety, anger, worry, and all the other negative emotions that often dominate our lives.

The Stoics were not, contrary to the common misconception, proposing that we be emotionless. They wanted to experience the blessing of positive emotions and minimize the impact of negative emotions. As the Stoic Seneca (4 B.C.–A.D. 65) wrote in his Letters to Lucilius: “Above all, my dear Lucilius, make this your business. Learn how to feel joy” (Letter XXIII, 55).

In this article, I want to explain how the Stoics suggested that you could find joy and then compare and contrast it with a biblical view of joy based on 1 Peter 1:3–9.

With so many hard and even awful things, how did these ancient writers think that you could find joy?

1. Let go of unnecessary negative emotions. According to the Stoics, there are many things that keep us from lasting joy that do not need to. For example, most of the things we worry about never happen and are not even likely to happen. We get nervous even when things are going well. As Seneca said: “The mind at times fashions for itself false shapes of evil when there are no signs that point to any evil” (XIII, 28). Even if bad things could possibly happen, “It is indeed foolish to be unhappy now because you may be unhappy at some future time” (XXIV, 57).

2. Don’t seek your joy in changeable things. People, pleasures, and places can bring us joy. However, if they are the ultimate source of joy, then we will inevitably lose that joy when we lose those things. Seneca put it this way: “For his joy depends on nothing external and looks for no boon from man or Fortune” (LXXI, 190). For example, if our joy depends on our business doing well, we will lose our joy when our business fails. If our joy depends on laboring honestly, then we have a source of joy that is independent of circumstances (or fortune).

3. Re-interpret suffering and hard things. The Stoics did not seek out suffering. They believed that one could live a virtuous life in spite of suffering. They also saw that living rightly in the face of suffering could actually strengthen a person. Seneca compared learning to live virtuously in the face of suffering with training to fight well:

The only contestant who can confidently enter the lists [i.e., engage in the conflict] is the man who has seen his own blood, who has felt his teeth rattle beneath his opponent’s fist, who has been tripped and felt the full force of his adversary’s charge, who has been downed in body but not in spirit, one who, as often as he falls, rises again with greater defiance than ever (XIII, 26).

Responding well to suffering strengthens our character, and that is just one of the many ways we can reinterpret suffering to de-fang it.

4. Find a source of joy independent of fortune or circumstance. For the Stoics, that source was within oneself. Seneca said: “Do you ask me what this real good is, and whence it derives? I will tell you: it comes from a good conscience, from honourable purpose, from the right actions, from contempt of the gifts of chance, from an even and calm way of living which treads but one path” (XXIII, 55). Living rightly and responding well to what happens is something you can always do and that fortune and circumstance can never take away.

I think there is much to commend the Stoic perspective. We should let go of unnecessary worries, not found our joy on changing things, see the benefit of suffering, and find a joy independent of our circumstances. In my view, there is a large overlap with the Christian perspective, but there are important areas where our faith takes up the good insights of Stoicism and provides a much more solid context for lasting joy. Consider this in light of 1 Peter 1:3–9.

1. Christianity like Stoicism calls us from placing our joy in changeable things. Peter recognized that this world would bring us suffering and take away from us things that we value and find joy in: “You may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1:6).

2. Christianity reinterprets suffering in a way similar to Stoicism. Suffering builds character. 1 Peter 1:7 is a bit difficult to translate, but the point is that suffering is like fire that makes your faith shine forth. When Jesus Christ is revealed, it will result in praise, glory, and honor.

3. Christianity finds joy in our character. We rejoice in the salvation of our souls, of who we are as human (1:9). We are being re-made, and this is something the world cannot take away from us. What is truly valuable that we possess? Our faith. It is of greater worth than gold (1:7).

4. Christianity finds joy in a relationship with Jesus. Here is where Christianity puts us on much better ground than Stoicism in finding lasting joy. There is a relationship with someone that is not changeable and is a source of continual affirmation and love. “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy . . .” (1:8).

5. Christianity finds joy in the hope that all things will turn out well. Again, Christianity here redeems the insights of the natural world. It promises a world where the suffering we experience will be eliminated. It provides us a certain and unalterable hope that does not change based on circumstance. We have been born again into a new hope and an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. “In this, you greatly rejoice” (1 Pet. 1:6).

Stoicism represents one of the best human attempts to find lasting joy, and it is one from which we can learn much. As the Church Father Tertullian said, “Seneca is often one of us.” However, our faith provides us with a source of joy that is far better than anything the mind of man could have imagined: virtue based on God’s powerful transformation, a relationship with someone who will always love us, and a hope that will not disappoint. That is a sure ground for lasting joy, if we can learn to see it.

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Livin’ in America

As the 4th of July approaches, we Americans find ourselves in a nation with amazing opportunities, incredible economic power, and considerable challenges. As Christians, we face the challenges of secularization and polarization. Secularization is the result of less and less of the non-church going population identifying as Christians. Polarization is division around a small set of issues that pits one part of our population against another. How are we as Christians to live in the 21st century America? What should our basic stance be?

I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I have a few thoughts. Recently, I have been studying Romans 12, and it occurred to me that Paul is writing to a group of people who had the opportunities of Rome, the benefits of its political and economic power, and the challenges of being a minority religion in a great empire. What stance were they to take?

Let me summarize with three words: honor, love, and joy. They were to be people who knew how to love and honor others and had a joy not based on their circumstances. This was the stance they were to take toward Rome, and it seems to me that these three virtues could serve us well as a basic stance toward the United States as well.

The first word is honor. “Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” To honor is to esteem highly and to acknowledge what is good and excellent in someone or something. In the case of the ruler, it means honoring his or her position. “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience” (Rom. 13:5).

There is much to criticize in Rome. It was brutal in many ways. However, it was the ruling power. It administered the government in a large area. The rule of Rome was tough for many, but it also brought a lot of benefits and opportunities for commerce. There was more peace within the Empire than there would have been otherwise. Various ethnic groups and nationalities could interact peacefully. Rome provided a governing system that allowed culture to develop and the Gospel to travel to the ends of the earth. This is something that should be honored. In every place, God establishes a government and a hierarchy, and this should be honored.

However, governors aren’t the only ones who deserve honor. There are people around us who have many gifts, and we receive benefits from many of those gifts. This deserves our honor. In fact, the Apostle tells us to be people who “outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12:10b).

The second word is love. The Christians made extensive use of one of the Greek words for love, agapē. It was rooted in the love or agapē of God who loved us when were His enemies. He reconciled us to Himself (Rom. 5:8). That’s the sort of love they wanted to have toward each other and those outside the church, following Jesus who said, “Love your enemies” (Luke 6:27).

What does this look like? It looks like blessing those who curse you (Rom. 12:14), not returning evil for evil (12:17a), doing what is right in the eyes of everyone (12:17b), and seeking as much as possible to live in peace with everyone (Rom. 12:18). It means overcoming evil with good (Rom. 12:21). This is the sort of thing that would have and actually did impress the Romans.

Do we have room to grow here? How often do we let ourselves be drawn into the tit-for-tat polarization that characterizes our society? How many of us have learned that when others attack us “the best way of avenging [ourselves} is not to become like the wrongdoer,” as the Emperor Marcus Aurelius said in his Meditations (6.6)?

When we can really stand up and love in the face of great challenges, the world will stand up and take notice, as they did in the case of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Ed Thomas family (see the story here).

So, why do we not honor and love others? I think that sometimes it is because we are so afraid that things will not turn out well for us individually or collectively that we cannot focus on giving others what they need. And that’s why we need joy. Joy is a major theme of Scripture. In Romans 12, Paul told the Romans that they were to be “joyful in hope.” He told them that the kingdom of God was all about joy (Romans 14:17). His conclusion of the teaching in Romans was a blessing that they would be filled with joy (Romans 15:13). Rejoice! This is a key to the Christian life.

Dallas Willard describes joy as the internal elation at knowing that all things will turn out well for us. So, joy is rooted in hope, a confident expectation of good things. That’s why joy can also co-exist with sorrow as Paul says in 2 Cor. 6:10, “sorrowful yet always rejoicing.” There are hard things along the way that requires us to be patient in affliction (Rom. 12:12), but they don’t keep us from being “joyful in hope.”

Nowhere is the foundation for this joy expressed more clearly than in what Paul says in Rom. 8:18-39. There he says that the present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18). He says that we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). The reason for this is that nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ (Rom. 8:38-39).

Honor, love, and joy. Will it work? Yes and no. We cannot say for certain that such an approach will “win” our culture. What we can say is that it will be better for us, and it will have a positive impact. The approach of honor, love, and joy is inherently more helpful highly reactive approach to the politics, news, and culture of the day. As the Apostle Peter said: “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:8, 11).

That’s not to say we should avoid politics. We should be involved, but we need to enter into with the character of Christ, as those who honor, love, and rejoice. We should do nothing that compromises our character. We should be above party spirit, even in the midst of contentious issues. We should avoid any blind devotion to groups, causes, or people. Character first!

Political involvement profits a little, but being a loving and joyful is far more profitable for us and those around us, having profit for this life and the life to come. The Apostle Paul recommended honor, love, and joy as the basic stance of the Roman Christians in the rich and yet challenging environment of Rome. This same basic stance can serve us again in our day.

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God’s Marvelous Plan

We have a choice in life: we can find joy based on circumstances or find a joy that transcends all circumstances.

The Christian faith, in my view, provides unparalleled resources to find joy that can transcend all circumstances.

A leader of the early church named Paul demonstrated this in his life and words. He shared his life with thousands through his travels. Throughout the Roman Empire, he started little communities of people who had put their hope in Jesus.

As he traveled, he wrote these communities letters (sometimes called “epistles,” but they were just letters). He wrote several of them from prison.

What is striking about these prison letters is the note of joy and optimism that marks them. In his letter to the Christian community at Ephesus, Paul explained the basis for his hope.

I would encourage you to read the whole passage (Ephesians 1:1-14) as a beautiful example of the heart of the Christian life in praise to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is so much fruit for reflection in these verses, but consider just one: God’s marvelous plan.

Paul’s confidence was that whatever may be the explanation of any specific circumstances, God had let them in on the secret of the ages. God was going to take everything that was broken and put it back together under the leadership of Jesus (Eph. 1:9–10). That was God’s plan, and God had chosen Paul and the believers of Ephesus to be a big part of it (Eph. 1:11).

Because of that, Paul could rejoice. Whatever the circumstance, he knew that he was playing a part in the plan of the ages, and it was good for him and for everybody else.

As I have thought about this, I have begun to apply it to my own life. I have been working on a Doctor of Ministry degree for the past 3 years. I am now working on my final project. I went to the library at Johnson University to do some research. After gathering some books, I sat down and opened my computer and . . . all the files from all my classes had disappeared! I eventually was able to get most of them back, but it was frustrating, especially the loss of a paper I was working on and a large amount of notes.

As I thought about it later, I realized that as frustrating as it was, I was still part of God’s marvelous plan. He had chosen me to be a part of what He was doing in bring all things together in unity in Christ. What was a few lost files compared to that? This thought helped me to have joy above my circumstances.

Recently, I was thinking about my time at college. I really enjoyed college, but I made some choices that I have often questioned since, especially in the way I carried out those choices.

After reflection, I was comforted by the thought that whatever regrets I may have, the big plan is still in place. It was going to be OK. God was restoring all that was lost in Jesus, and he has chosen me to be part of that glorious work. That is a great comfort.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is what our faith is all about, lifting our hearts to the Triune God and seeing the big picture of His marvelous plan for the world and being amazed that He has made us a part of it.

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