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).

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 Him.  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.

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