“No doubt, [Paul] is the Theologian of Joy. He thought about it all the time. He bathed in it. . . . It is very dangerous to go through a day without proactively practicing the principles of joy present in this letter. Each day our circumstances, other people, our past, and our propensity to worry steal our joy. We need a counterattack strategy.”- Randy Frazee
“Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.”- Philippians 2:1 (NIV)
In Principle #11: Stay Clear of Legalism of The Joy Challenge, Randy Frazee notes why Paul opted to repeat himself at the beginning of Chapter 2. Because Paul loved the topic of joy. Above all, the various Greek words for joy appear 326 times in the New Testament. And the apostle Paul wrote 131 of them.
Most significantly, Randy notes, when Paul wrote this letter, he addressed a group of legalists infiltrating the church at Philippi. The legalists taught the need for people to keep the law in order to have a right relationship with God. Hence, these religious canines (watch out for those dogs, verse 2) weighed believers down with a religion based on performance. And that angered Paul.
Because, Randy explains:
“”Paul may have been known as the Theologian of Joy, but he was also known as the Theologian of Grace. Of the 153 times the word grace appears in the New Testament, 83 of them come from Paul. It is significant that the word for ‘joy’ (chara) and the word for ‘grace’ (charis) are derived from the same root. One produces the other. . . . Legalism and joy cannot coexist. One of the two has to go bye-bye.”
Above all, the author stresses, most legalists fail to see themselves in that light. As a result, they believe they honor God and defend the purity of God’s Word. Consequently, they walk around with an air of righteousness. But, Randy counsels, a fine line exists between justice and legalism.
Today’s question: What Bible verses sustain you in proactively practicing joy? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Recalculate what really matters”