Christ is Preached, and in This I Rejoice
What does Joy mean for the believer?
This week will be a brief study on the words joy and rejoicing as used in the book of Philippians. This is a book in which the Apostle Paul expresses joy and rejoicing throughout. Biblical joy is not a fleeting feeling or happiness because something good just happened or things in your life are going well. Instead, joy refers to the “extreme happiness with which the believer contemplates salvation and the bliss of the afterlife. Unexpected benefits from God are expressed in terms of common experiences. The psalms express the joyous mood of believers as they encounter God. Believers rejoice because God has surrounded them with his steadfast love and brought them to salvation. David rejoices that God has delivered him from the hand of his enemies. Joy is also response to God’s word (Psalm 119:14 ) and his reward to believers ( Isa 65:14 ) and their strength ( Ne8:10 ).”
Bible Dictionaries – Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology – Joy
Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preaches Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
Philippians 1:3-5
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.
And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith.