For by one sacrifice He has made perfect for all time those who are sanctified. Hebrews 10:14
1600 years ago Augustine wrote, “Every man, whatsoever his condition, desires to be happy.” The pursuit of happiness runs through all of us, we can’t escape it. The gospel has everything to do with our happiness.
“The good news of the glory of the happy God.” (1 Timothy 1:11)
John Piper said of this verse, “A great part of God’s glory is his happiness. It was inconceivable to the Apostle Paul that God could be denied infinite joy and still be all-glorious. To be infinitely glorious was to be infinitely happy. He used the phrase, “the glory of the happy God,” because it is a glorious thing for God to be as happy as he is. God’s glory consists much in the fact that he is happy beyond our wildest imagination.” (Pleasures of God, 23).
What John Piper may not have fully realized yet is that through the one sacrifice we have been given all of God’s happiness now. God isn’t holding out on us. As the Bethel song goes, “You don’t hide yourself to tease us.” Through the work of the cross we’ve been filled with the fullness of God through our union with Him. We are one with Happiness Himself.
Why the struggle? Simple answer: Non-gospel teachings that fill our churches, our “worship” songs, our self-help magazines, and therapist’s opinions. Paul laid into Timothy, demanding that he instruct other teachers to not teach any “strange views” and to stop “inventing new doctrines.” (1 Timothy 1:3 Gspd; Phi)
These “teachers”, “preachers”, and “leaders”, devote themselves to myths and “never-ending pedigrees.” (1 Tim 1:4 Wms) They promote speculations, wild ideas that stir up arguments, and they “minister questions!” (1 Tim 1:4 KJV, Tay) They do this rather than simple “acceptance by faith of God’s administration.” (1 Tim 1:4 Ber)
There’s a lot of “empty talk” out there, much of it within the church! The empty talk produces tangible anxiety and depression for people. How much more, does the simple gospel produce the mighty power of God’s tangible happiness in His people!
Even Tertrullian, in the second century shortly after all the apostles had died, warned against this kind of Greek philosophical thinking. He wrote, “it is ever handling questions but never settling anything…” He went on, “After Christ Jesus we desire no subtle theories.”
Instead, there is a simple gospel to take hold of: Christ in us. No deep philosophical jargon. A living Person who is happier than anyone else in the universe. He’s finished the work and has the holes in his hands to prove it. We can’t escape his smile. We can’t get more of God than we already have.
Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter), or the universe or life or death, or the immediate and threatening present or the subsequent and uncertain future – all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. 1 Corinthians 3:22-23
You’ve been given everything: the universe and all of God Himself! The fullness of God dwells in Christ and since we are one with Christ, we too have been given the fullness of God. (Colossians 2:9-10) Today I give you permission to be happier than you’ve been in a long time. Whatever you think is holding you back, God took care of it all on the cross. Step out into His happiness today. You are a sign of God’s existence and also the age to come where the earth will be filled with the awareness of God’s happiness.
Lay down in His tangible presence of the fullness of joy. You are a wide open target for His pleasures forevermore that are at His right hand (where ironically enough is where you’re also seated – Ephesians 2:5-6) It’s what you were created for. Be a light of faith, hope, and love to your family, friends, and co-workers. Watch out for those who teach systems, theories, and rules. These people only feed their own businesses and egos. The gospel puts their ideas to shame.