FULNESS OF JOY*by C. R. Stam

* FULNESS OF JOY*
* by C. R. Stam*
* *
*
About 3,000 years ago David wrote in Psalm 16:11: "...In Thy
presence is fulness of joy...." He was right, for there is no greater
joy than personal fellowship with God. Yet David could not know the
fulness of joy now spoken of in Paul's epistles, for he did not know
Christ, who later came into the world as God, manifested in the flesh,
to die for our sins. He did not know that Christ would make full
satisfaction for sin and be raised from the dead to confirm our
justification. Nor did David know that believers would be given Christ's
resurrection life, and a position, and "all spiritual blessings IN THE
HEAVENLIES in Christ" (Eph.2:4-6; 1:3).

When Paul wrote that God has called believers "unto the fellowship of
His Son", he referred to a spiritual, heavenly fellowship, far more
intimate and precious than any previously enjoyed by mortal man. This
fellowship is to be enjoyed by faith, but it is faith based on fact, the
fact that Christ indeed died our death and rose again from the dead that
we might partake of His life and enjoy a position at God's right hand in
Christ. This is why the Apostle Paul urges believers of this
dispensation of grace to "seek those things which are above, where
Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" (Col.3:1).

Peter and John both came to know much of this fellowship through Paul,
who was sent to Jerusalem "by revelation" to make known to the leaders
there "THAT GOSPEL WHICH I PREACH AMONG THE GENTILES" (See Galatians
2:2-9; II Peter 3:15-18). This is why John writes in I John 1:3,4:
"Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus
Christ. And these things write we unto you, THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL".

*

_Life is a gift...
Live it...
Enjoy it...
Celebrate it...
And fulfill it..