The Joy of Holiness

          Highlights from the final chapter of The Pursuit of Holiness, by
     Jerry Bridges.


                                     "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of
                                      eating and drinking, but of righteousness,
                                      peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
                                                                            Romans 14:17


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          God intends the Christian life to be a life of joy -- not drudgery.
     The idea that holiness is associated with a dour disposition is a car-
     icature of the worst sort.  In fact, just the opposite is true.  Only those
     who walk in holiness experience true joy.

          Jesus said,

                                      "If you obey my commands, you will remain in
                                       my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's com-
                                       mands and remain in His love.  I have told you
                                       this so that my joy may be in you and that your
                                       joy may be complete."
                                                                           John 15:10-11


          In this statement Jesus links obedience and joy in a cause and effect manner;
     that is, joy results from obedience.  Only those who are obedient -- who are pur-
     suing holiness as a way of life -- will know the joy that comes from God.


          Holiness produces fellowship with God.
          David said,

                                "You will fill me with joy in your presence,
                                  with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
                                                                          Psalm 16:11

          True joy comes only from God, and He shares this joy with those who walk in
     fellowship with Him.  A life of disobedience cannot be a life of joy.

          David lost his sense of God's joy because he lost fellowship with God when he
     committed the awful sins of murder and adultery.  Later he prayed,

                                   " ... restore to me the joy of your salvation."
                                                                  Psalm 51:12


          The daily experience of Christ's love is linked to our obedience to Him.  It is not
     that His love is conditioned on our obedience.  That would be legalism.  But our ex-
     perience of His love is dependent upon our obedience.
                           
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          In addition to the joy of fellowship with the Holy God, a holy life also produces
     the joy of anticipated reward.  Jesus was motivated to endure by anticipating the  joy
     of His reward.  No amount of hardship and struggle could deprive Him of that an-
     ticipation.

          In the parable of the talents, the Lord said to the two servants who used their tal-
     ents, "Well done thou good and faithful servant ... Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
     Matthew 25:21,23

          One of the "talents" God has given to every Christian is the possibility of walking
     in holiness, being free from the dominion of sin.  We, too, can look forward to enter-
     ing into the joy of the Lord as we walk in holiness to the end of our days.

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          Joy not only results from a holy life, but there is also a sense in which joy helps
     produce a holy life.  Nehemiah said to the dispirited exiles who returned to Jerusalem,
    
                                "The joy of the Lord is your strength."
                                                                Nehemiah 8:10

          The Christian living in disobedience also lives devoid of joy and hope.  But when
     he begins to understand that Christ has delivered him from the reign of sin, when he
     begins to see that he is united to Him who has all power and authority, and that it is
     possible to walk in obedience, he begins to have hope. 

          And as he hopes in Christ, he begins to have joy.  In the strength of this joy he be-
     gins to overcome the sins that so easily entangle him.  He then finds that the joy of a
     holy walk is infinitely more satisfying than the fleeting pleasures of sin.

          But to experience this joy, we must make some choices.  We must choose to for-
     sake sin, not only because it is defeating to us, but because it grieves the heart of
     God.  We must choose to count on the fact that we are dead to sin, freed from its
     reign and dominion, and we can now actually say no to sin.  We must choose to ac-
     cept our responsibility to discipline our lives for obedience.

          God has provided all we need for our pursuit of holiness.  He has delivered us
     from the reign of sin and given us His indwelling Holy Spirit.  He has revealed His
     will for holy living in His Word, and He works in us to will and to act according
     to His good purpose. 


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          If we are to attain any measure of holiness we must have a similar attitude.  God
     has said, "Be holy, because I am holy"   Leviticus 11:44.

          Surely He has not commanded us to be holy without providing the means to be
     holy.  The privilege of being holy is yours, and the decision and responsibility to be
     holy is yours.  If you make that decision, you will experience the fullness of joy
     which Christ has promised to those who walk in obedience to Him.