The Joy of Sanctification

Philippians 1:3-11

Philippians 1:3–11 “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Lexham Theological Wordbook χαρά

χαρά (chara). n. joy. The experience of gladness.

In the NT, the term chara often denotes a primary response to the reception of the event of eschatological salvation by human beings. There are other cases in which joy is attributed to God or his representatives. The term chara often comes as a result of people experiencing God’s presence by the Holy Spirit. Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit’s presence and work in the lives of believers (Gal 5:22). Joy enables believers to endure trials and suffering of the Christian life. The Thessalonians received the Word “with much suffering and with the joy of the Holy Spirit,” which probably means joy given by the Holy Spirit (1 Thess 1:6). At the same time, believers are to count their difficulties as joy (χαρὰν, charan; Jas 1:2), and God gives joy along with patient endurance (Col 1:11). In an analogy between parental discipline and God’s discipline, the author of Hebrews acknowledges that discipline does not seem to be joy (Heb 12:11). Joy is connected with and is an evidence of faith (Phil 1:25). For example, Peter tells his audience that though they do not see Jesus Christ, they believe and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and full of glory (1 Pet 1:8). Paul experiences joy when he prays for believers (Phil 1:4). Jesus teaches that one who finds the kingdom of God will, with great joy, give up all of one’s possessions to gain it (Matt 13:44). Chara thus refers to both an internal emotional response and an action that one does. In both ways, this noun is similar to many other words for joy.

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