Years ago I heard a wise Preacher say, “Joy (here in our “fruit of the Spirit” list) is merely love (agape) smiling, rejoicing! In other words, the one leads to the other!
Would there ever be any joy … without love?
Paul preached it, more than once apparently: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.”
And, as you can already tell, we are (studying) on the second of these graces today.
The Greek word for “joy” is “chara.” It is used as a noun 59 times in the New Testament. And as a verb (“chairo”) 74 more times. (Then we can rightly conclude … “the New Testament is a rather JOYFUL Book,” isn’t it?)
To define “chara” … “gladness” is about the best I can do!
But it is not merely human joy, happiness! It is “joy in the Lord!” It is joy as a “fruit of the Spirit!” It is joy as a result of being “right with God!” In fact, “chara” (joy) is grammatically, etymologically related to the Greek noun “charis” (grace)! One likely never knows the true joy of God in his or her life … apart from already knowing the Grace of God in that heart!
Wow!
This Quality (joy) meant so much to the Godhead, then to the early Christians who were truly saved … that they even used the verb (“chairo”) as a greeting!
This is how James began his Epistle. “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, GREETING.” James 1:1 where “greeting” is the verb “chairo!” Literally the sentence is “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, REJOICE!”
Even angels use such language! “And the angel (Gabriel) came in unto her (the Virgin Mary), and said, HAIL, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” Luke 1:28, where “Hail” is “chairo!” As in: “And the angel came in unto her, and said, REJOICE, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”
Even the Resurrected Jesus did this! “And as they (a group of ladies) went to tell his disciples (about the Resurrection), behold, Jesus met them, saying, ALL HAIL (“chairo” … REJOICE). And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.”
Joy that comes from Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit!
Joy that cannot be described, not adequately! “Whom (Jesus) having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy UNSPEAKABLE and full of glory.” 1 Peter 1:8, “joy unspeakable,” (a+ek+laleo), Greek for “that cannot be exposited, cannot be spoken!”
This joy permeates every area of life for the Christian.
We are happy people!
No mater the circumstances!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Praise the Lord!