The Joy of Christianity

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4–7 KJV)

2020 has been a difficult year for many. Because of the pandemic many have lost loved ones, have battled sicknesses, some have lost jobs, people have had to quarantine themselves and socially distance from others, and along with the pandemic the other sicknesses that have troubled us in the past are still present, only adding to the chaos that this virus has caused. This country has been through some troublesome times this year with other matters also, as the racial divide seemed to get worse at times, and the divide between political parties seemed to reach a new level of hatred and discontent for one another, the likes of which have never been seen. There have been several things that have taken place that, if one allowed it to, could cause one to become very pessimistic about the situations of earthly circumstances. As Christians, our attitudes should not be affected by earthly situations, but just as was written to the church in Philippi, we can and should be rejoicing always. This sounds cliché and unrealistic at times, but the truth of the matter is through all the hardships of life, through loss, through discouragement that may come from matters of the earth, Christians possess a joy that should not be taken away.

The Philippian brethren were told to praise. The Greek word that is being used for our English word “rejoice” is the word “chairo” which means “to be full of joy; to be overflowing with cheerfulness; to be happy.” This group of Christians were being exhorted to be overflowing with praises. It is sad to say but there are times when Christians act like they are the most miserable people of all. At times, when gathered together, we spend all of our time together complaining about trivial matters that should not bother us. At times our assembling together is nothing more than an opportunity to let the congregation know how terrible our lives are in hopes that we have come to the right pity party, when it should be a time of coming together to study the Word of God and praise Him for His goodness, mercy, and grace. The Bible commands us to rejoice in the Lord, or in other words to “be happy”. Regardless of what is going on Christians can rejoice, and like the writer of this letter, Paul, who was a prisoner of Rome at the time of the writing, we can be happy. Paul never wrote to the Philippians complaining about his situation, but in verses one through three of chapter four he addressed those that had helped him in the past and was able to be happy for the work he was able to accomplish because of these brethren. In another letter written by Paul, 2 Corinthians, he addresses the many things he suffered throughout his work and addressed his pleading with the Lord to remove his “thorn in the flesh” but was able to glory in his infirmities because as the Lord had told him, “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Cor. 11:23-12:10). Like Paul, our reason for rejoicing always is not contingent upon earthly circumstances, but rather our reason for rejoicing is because of the grace given by God that offered His Son for the redemption of our souls, and those that obey His commands can be added to the church (Acts 2:47), receiving all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3), having an inheritance that will not fade away (1 Peter 1:4), and know that we have a home prepared in heaven waiting for us regardless of what takes place on this earth. We can be happy always, praising God always, because we are in the Lord.

Not only is the command given to praise, but there is also a pattern by which Christians can rejoice (v.5-6). If we want to continually rejoice in the Lord, let your moderation (gentleness/forbearance) be known by all men. Gentleness is listed as being a part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and is something that should be a part of each Christians life. It is by our moderation that everyone is able to know by the life you live and the example you set forth. We should let our moderation be known unto all men because “the Lord is at hand”. Just as the psalmist reminds us that “the Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him” (Psalm 145:18), we should live with moderation because we desire to be nearer to the Lord. Another factor in the pattern of rejoicing is the command to “be careful for nothing” or as other translators have translated “be anxious for nothing”. This is easier said than done! Worry is a part of most people and pharmacies prescribe a multitude of people with anxiety medication. It is possible for Christians to be anxious about nothing when, by prayer and supplication, that let their requests be made known unto God, along with thanksgiving. Prayer is one of the greatest benefits a Christian has, as they are able to take their requests to the ears of God, but I suppose it is the most untapped resource we possess. By our gentleness and our opportunities to access God in prayer, the Christian can rejoice always.

Finally, being able to praise God, following the pattern He supplies, we are able to have peace (v.7). This world is in desperate need of peace. Every day crimes are committed, and wars are fought because a lack of peace in this world. When we follow the pattern set before us, we can enjoy the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. The peace of God is a peace that is no respecter of persons (Rom. 2:11), and is available to all races, social standings, ages, etc. This peace is available to anyone who will obey the commands given by God to out Christ on in baptism (Gal. 3:27), having your sins washed away (Acts 22:16), and being added to the body of Christ, the church of Christ (Acts 2:47; Matt. 16:18). Those that are in Christ can have peace, knowing that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5).

We can rejoice in the Lord always. If we follow the pattern set before us we can praise the Lord and have access to the peace He provides.