More at Stake Than Pleasure

There is more at stake in the Christian battle for joy than pleasure.

Romans 5 teaches that Christians have:
1. Peace with God
2. Sure hope
3. Assurance that our bad times will bring about good things
4. The love of God, poured out in us
5. A secure salvation from the punishment we deserve
6. Reconciliation with God (the stuff that separated us from Him is taken care of)
7. Justification before God (we're not going to be condemned for our crimes against Him)
8. Abundant grace
9. Righteousness (we're made right)
10. Eternal life

For the Christian, the battle for joy is a battle to live in light of all this. It's a battle to have faith in it and to proclaim it with our lives.

Perpetually joyless Christians, though they may communicate with their lips that the 'good news' of Jesus is true, communicate loud and clear with their lives that it's a lie.

That there is no peace, no hope, no assurance, no love, no security, no connection with God, no grace, no righteousness, and no life in God through Jesus.

The gospel is at stake in your battle for joy.

Let's fight to live our lives in accordance with the gospel. Let's fight to proclaim its truth with our joyful lives. Let's fight for joy together.

This Sunday, we study Philippians 1:1-11 about how joy relates to love. 10:30am. Please join us.