The Happy Christian
Most reformed writers and preachers choose to avoid the word “happiness” with reference to an ideal for the Christian. Perhaps the thought is that happiness is too readily identified with superficial or even sensual delights. However, few would want to describe the model Christian as “unhappy”. So, which is it? Should we expect healthy Christians to be “happy” or “unhappy”?
A simple definition of the word “happy” would be “delighted, pleased or glad”. If we are thinking of a permanent or continual condition, the argument could be made that Christians alone have the potential of being truly happy. Non-Christians certainly know experiences of delight or gladness; however, continual delight or inner gladness is something else. Such is the nature of this fallen world that continual delight is impossible apart from spiritual life. Natural people are not spiritually alive. Therefore, the case could be made that people apart from the life of Christ dwelling in them are not capable of happiness as a state of being.
On the other hand, how many Christians manifest a state of happiness in any continuing sense? The witness of the Gospel would be far more compelling if Christians were indeed happy in an on-going way. And, I think, that is the Christian’s privilege. Happiness defined as inward delight, pleasure or gladness is the exclusive privilege of the person whose soul is united to Jesus Christ by faith. The fact that so few of us who believe experience or manifest continuous happiness argues not against the proposition that happiness is our privilege. Rather, it argues for the sub-par nature of our experience.
What factors comprise a happy soul? I will name a few which I count as essential. You will no doubt think of others. But, what I wish for you to consider is that each of these factors is well within the reach of every believer in Jesus Christ.
1. Peace with God: the removal of all condemnation from God and a standing of perfection in God’s sight. This is Christ’s gift to His people. He removes our sin and condemnation by His death in our place. He gives instead His righteousness to be our righteousness before God. None have peace with God apart from faith in Christ. All who believe in Christ have peace with God. However, too few of those who believe focus upon that peace. We permit the objective reality of our peace with God to be obscured, with the consequential weakening of our happiness.
2. Protection from God: the continual care of God as our Heavenly Father whereby He absolutely protects us from any and all permanent harm. The word “absolute” is a huge word. It should not be used often. Yet, I use it here without embarrassment. Deuteronomy 33:29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, The shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, And you shall tread down their high places. Ultimately such promises are true only in Christ and only to the spiritual Israel of God who trust in Him. But, it is true of all believers that God is making all things work together for their good. That is not to say that each individual experience is good in and of itself. However, it is to say that God only allows those individual experiences which He intends to weave together for our final and eternal good. There is happiness here. Whatever comes comes from God’s invincible will, He intends it for good. The happy Christian dwells much upon the doctrine of Providence as Providence relates to people joined to Christ.
3. Placid conscience: perhaps I am reaching a bit to preserve my alliteration; however, the word “placid” means pleasantly calm or peaceful and that does capture what I am trying to say. The happy Christian is the one whose conscience is pleasantly calm and at peace. This is where so many of us lose our happiness. Our consciences are often far from placid. Why is that? Often it is because we have sinned and have not dealt with our sins as Christians should. Some Christians in the quest for a placid conscience seek to heal their pains of conviction by excuses or rationalizations. But, the Holy Spirit who moderates the believer’s conscience will not be fooled by our self-righteous explanations for our crimes against God’s law. The way of peace, which is available only to believers, is to be completely honest about our sins in confession to God and to plead the forgiveness which Christ died to secure for us. Most of us have worn out the page on which 1John 1:9 is printed. But, how we need that guarantee: God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Nothing is to be gained by our equivocations. We must own our sins and cast them upon Christ with confidence.
Yet, that is only one explanation for our less than placid consciences. The other part of the explanation has to do with our failure to trust Christ for the grace required to do the things that God requires from us. Leaving assigned duties undone or at least unattempted is a prescription for a disturbed conscience. And it will not do to ascribe our responsibilities to legalism (as some foolishly attempt to do). God has a prescribed will for our lives. He has prescribed it in the Bible and we must yield to it. But, we must do so trusting in Christ! He has fulfilled that will completely; therefore, our failures will not separate us from God and condemn us. Furthermore, Christ will supply us with both the will and the strength to perform God’s will in substantial measure; thereby, averting a violated conscience. The life of faith in Christ is the life of abiding in Him–drawing by faith grace from Him to walk blamelessly before God. A placid conscience is a conscience which bears witness that we have made a conscientious effort to please God and to avoid those things which displease Him. That may seem utterly beyond our reach; yet, that is not the case for the believer who goes to Christ with his or her duties. And when we fail in our responsibilities, as we most surely will, we must not linger in the pain of our violated consciences. We must go immediately to Christ in confession and repentance.
The way of happiness is the way of constant trusting Christ for power and for cleansing. Keeping short accounts with God is a crucial element of happiness.
Much more could be said regarding the happiness of soul available to the Christian. We could and should think of love and the delight which we are privileged to enjoy through receiving and giving love through Christ.
However, I will end here. I will end by urging you to enjoy the happiness which is yours freely in Christ.
