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Joy: A Virtue of Christ
T.W. Hunt and Claude V. King
Excerpted from the Study: Mind of Christ, from LifeWay Christian
Resources.
The second virtue in Galatians 5:22 is joy. You may be surprised
to think of joy as a virtue. However, it is a virtue of Jesus;
and we are noble when we aim for Christ’s joy. At times
Jesus knew joy derived from the occasion (Luke 10:21). He
obviously enjoyed the fellowship of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha
in their home in Bethany (Luke 10:38-39; John 11:3,5).
Nevertheless, Jesus’ highest joy was a constant experience.
It did not depend on circumstances but on a deep reality of
His being. Jesus spoke of His obedience to His Father, and
then He told the disciples, “These things I have spoken
to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be
made full” (John 15:11, NASB). Jesus wants His disciples
to have a full joy. Later He promised that their joy after
His resurrection would be indestructible—a permanent
feature in their lives (John 16:22). From this time with the
disciples He went to the cross.
Jesus realized joy when He sought to glorify His Father in
every circumstance. “For the joy set before Him, [Jesus]
endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2). In His high priestly
prayer Jesus prayed,
“Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy
Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over
all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as
thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might
know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished
the work which thou gavest me to do” (John 17:1-4 KJV).
Facing that hideous punishment, Jesus’ experience of
joy was undisturbed. His joy was, in fact, full. In the parable
of the talents, the master commanded the industrious servants
to “enter into the joy of your master” (Matt.
25:21,23, NASB). This is the joy we will enter into—the
joy of Jesus.
The opposite of joy would be sadness or even hurt. The perversion
is frenzy. Like all emotions, joy is under the control of
a temperate person. Christian joy is a superlative. It cannot
depend on outward circumstances, although circumstance may
produce a particular expression of joy. Many people settle
for pleasure, but joy is more than pleasure. Pleasure in itself
is not wrong because Jesus enjoyed His friends. Joy, however,
is higher and grander than pleasure. It is a constant experience
that comes from your inner being. It is the joy of Christ
in you.
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