The Advent of Joy | Freedom From Sin and The Joy of Life
The effects of sin left humanity ravaged and separated from God. We rebelled against God, choosing to follow the passion of our hearts and our own desires instead of the presence of God. For the people of God, their need for a Savior had become abundantly clear. The result of their rebellion had a pricely cost of blood being shed. The Israelites had presented sacrifices of blood offerings once a year to beseech God for the forgiveness of their sins. Yet, this sacrifice had never been fully sufficient, required it year after year after year as each person shed innocent blood on the altar. Furthermore, while the outward consequences of sin had been temporarily been paid, the condition of their soul remained far from God that the only reaction could be to cry out for a Savior.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” (Psalm 51:7-12, ESV)
As those who seek to follow Jesus Christ, we must come face to face with the depression and separation that stems from the sinfulness within us and the sinfulness of the world. While sin may seem enticing at first, the separation we experience leaves us alone and stranded, crying out for a savior to purify and redeem us. The coming of Jesus Christ brings the joy that we will find freedom from the sin that ensnares us. Our separation from God is over as Jesus Christ takes on flesh to be with His people. Furthermore, we can find joy in having been reestablished in right relationship, being upheld by God Himself who draws us to Himself.
Joy In Freedom From Sin
The temptation of western cultural Christianity has been to downplay the impact from sin or minimize its effects on our life. We desire to only talk about the feel good portions of the word of God and negate the portions that confront us with the reality of the effects of sin. Sin separated us from the holiness and perfection of God, removing us from His presence. In sin, we will never be fully able to find joy, though we may experience happiness for a bit. Deep down our hearts know this struggle and the truth of our separation from God. We are lost and ensnared by the grips of sin. And so, like the Psalmist, we cry out for a Savior who deeply desires that God purify him from all unrighteousness.
There is joy in the freedom from sin. When we sin it may first feel enjoyable and may even at times bring a moment of happiness, but that moment will fade with the realization of the decay we face in our soul and separate we experience from God. The coming of Jesus Christ sought to free people from the decay of sin, knowing that we can cast off the chains of our sin because of the works of Jesus Christ in coming to be with us. As Christ comes, He institutes his earthy ministry of coming to redeem and restore right relationship with God by paying the cost of our sin and shedding His own blood on our behalf. We, as people whose faith and hope is in Jesus Christ, have been set free from sin by the coming of Jesus Christ as one of us. He understood the fullness of sins temptation yet never gave in to sin, living the perfect life we could not and dying the death we could not afford to die. We have joy in the freedom from sin by the coming of Jesus Christ.
Joy In Our Right Standing With God
While the freedom from sin brings us joy, this is not the fullest extent of our joy that comes from being in Jesus Christ. Our initial relationship with God had been marked by intimacy and communion with an eternal and perfect God who desired to know and be known by us. Sin, though, separated us from God. In Christ’s coming, the consequences of sin had been paid through Jesus’ death on the cross. The coming of Jesus Christ, though, meant so much more. The Psalmist proclaimed the joy of salvation from sin and the joy of righteousness found by being in God. There is more to the Christian faith than simply not sinning, but in having our right relationship with God being restored. God does not leave us at a neutral state and then wave us off to do our best on our own, but draws us to Himself.
We have joy in our restored right relationship with God. He draws us to and dwells among His people. We have not been left alone to our own devices but God’s desires to restore us to right relationship to Himself. There is profound joy for the King of the Universe to descend from the throne and take on flesh to be with His people. No longer do we need to lament our separation from God because God drew near to us first. He restored the right relationship with Him and drew us closer. Our joy comes from the standing we have with Jesus Christ, having conquered sin, and raising from the dead to bring us into eternity with Him. Jesus Christ does not just bring us joy, but is the fullness of our joy in human form, knowing that God made a way where there was no way before.
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
