Be Glad in the Lord
- Bishop Keith Butler
- May 11, 2023
- 2 min read
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (Romans 5:11)
The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 5:11 that we can rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We can have joy in any circumstance because of what Christ has done for us. God wants us to have joy-filled, joy-empowered and joy-giving lives.
Paul explained that the joy we have came through the atonement we received from Jesus. The Greek word for received is lambano - and it means to have taken. We have received or taken the reconciliation with God Jesus provided for us. We were once enemies of God, but through Christ, we have been restored to our fellowship and relationship with Him. We are no longer separated from God, but have been adopted as co-heirs of the Kingdom because of Christ’s sacrifice.
However, our reconciliation is not just about ourselves. As believers, we have also been given the ministry of reconciliation. We are called to tell others about the good news of the Gospel - that God is not mad at them, and that the price for their sins and wrongdoings has been paid for them through Jesus’ sacrifice.
It's easy to fall into the trap of trying to change people's behaviors before telling them about the love and grace of God. But life change without life transformation is temporary. We are called to win people to Christ, not win them to better choices or better living. We are called to tell others about the good news of the Gospel first, and then, as they receive direction from the Holy Spirit, they will follow Christ and leave behind their old ways.
Let’s focus on the joy that comes from our reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. Share this good news with those around you and be an ambassador of the Kingdom to a lost and hurting world.
Practical Application
Find joy every day. God has given us His joy and a relationship with Him to display to the world what it means to live for Him. When you don’t feel you are joyous, declare it out loud. Say, “The joy of the Lord is my strength and I am full of the joy He has given me!”
