What state of being should characterize Christians? Should Christians always be happy? Should Christians always be sad? Should Christians always be anything? Most would argue that Christians should always be loving, and I would agree. I would also argue that Christians should always be soberly joyful.
Of course, like anything else, one can take one without the other. One can be very sober-minded and not very joyful. Or, one can be very joyful and not very sober-minded. I believe Christian doctrine demands an embrace of both.
On one end of the spectrum there is the ever bubbly, cheery, smiling Christian. Maybe this man believes he must be happy as a Christian--he will spend eternity with Jesus, after all. Cheery Christianity may be characterized by only happy songs and an upbeat mood within the church. The cheery Christian might believe everything must be upbeat for the message to be attractive. "Who wants to be a part of something dreary?" I would agree that the mood of a Christian or a church service should not be despondent, but I don't think it should always be peppy either. There is hope and happiness in the reality of eternal life with God, but that is only half the story.
Focusing solely on the other half of the story is not the answer either. On the other end of the spectrum would be the sullen, glass half-empty Christian. Maybe this Christian has taken the brokenness of this world and himself very seriously, or maybe he is weary from trying to please God without recognizing he is already forgiven. Regardless, this Christian is missing part of the picture as well. Maybe he would be well served by spending some time with the peppy Christian.
You see, I believe sullen Christian and peppy Christian are each missing part of the truth. The state of a Christian is neither sullenness or peppiness but, rather, a state of sober joy. A Christian is sober because he knows his sin is so real that Jesus came to die for it. He knows sin is so real that God has a place of eternal suffering for unrepentant sinners. He also knows that this sin still infects the world. This sin leads to families splitting, children being molested, and the Christian gossiping. It is hard to be peppy when staring in the face of sin.
It should also be difficult, however, to be despondent in the face of Jesus' death on the cross. The truth is, we have a lifeline, and if we accept the lifeline we have eternal life with God Himself. Such a reality does not erase the reality of sin and suffering but it sure does make it bearable. The Christian who loses a child to a drunk driver can have sober joy (and practice forgiveness). The Christian who loses his job can have sober joy--as can the Christian that receives a promotion, and the Christian that gets to celebrate a child's birthday. In the good and the bad, there is always joy and it is always sober. The sober joy may sometimes be happy, and the sober joy may sometimes be sad, but it will be sober joy nevertheless.
Of course, like anything else, one can take one without the other. One can be very sober-minded and not very joyful. Or, one can be very joyful and not very sober-minded. I believe Christian doctrine demands an embrace of both.
On one end of the spectrum there is the ever bubbly, cheery, smiling Christian. Maybe this man believes he must be happy as a Christian--he will spend eternity with Jesus, after all. Cheery Christianity may be characterized by only happy songs and an upbeat mood within the church. The cheery Christian might believe everything must be upbeat for the message to be attractive. "Who wants to be a part of something dreary?" I would agree that the mood of a Christian or a church service should not be despondent, but I don't think it should always be peppy either. There is hope and happiness in the reality of eternal life with God, but that is only half the story.
Focusing solely on the other half of the story is not the answer either. On the other end of the spectrum would be the sullen, glass half-empty Christian. Maybe this Christian has taken the brokenness of this world and himself very seriously, or maybe he is weary from trying to please God without recognizing he is already forgiven. Regardless, this Christian is missing part of the picture as well. Maybe he would be well served by spending some time with the peppy Christian.
You see, I believe sullen Christian and peppy Christian are each missing part of the truth. The state of a Christian is neither sullenness or peppiness but, rather, a state of sober joy. A Christian is sober because he knows his sin is so real that Jesus came to die for it. He knows sin is so real that God has a place of eternal suffering for unrepentant sinners. He also knows that this sin still infects the world. This sin leads to families splitting, children being molested, and the Christian gossiping. It is hard to be peppy when staring in the face of sin.
It should also be difficult, however, to be despondent in the face of Jesus' death on the cross. The truth is, we have a lifeline, and if we accept the lifeline we have eternal life with God Himself. Such a reality does not erase the reality of sin and suffering but it sure does make it bearable. The Christian who loses a child to a drunk driver can have sober joy (and practice forgiveness). The Christian who loses his job can have sober joy--as can the Christian that receives a promotion, and the Christian that gets to celebrate a child's birthday. In the good and the bad, there is always joy and it is always sober. The sober joy may sometimes be happy, and the sober joy may sometimes be sad, but it will be sober joy nevertheless.
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