An Invitation to Joy — Part Two

In Part One of An Invitation to Joy, we saw that joy is the soul's response to the reality and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, this joy is under attack—from false teachers, the world, deceptive spirits, the devil, and idolatry. This attack on joy wasn't just a problem for John's day; it's a problem today.

In Part Two, let's explore how John not only warns of this attack on joy but also provides practical ways to experience the fullness of joy through the reality and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Notice first,

John Connects Joy to the Person of Jesus

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (1 John 1:1, KJV)

Joy Attacked by False Doctrine

There was false doctrine going around in John's day, and John called it out. One of the ways the enemy tries to rob the believer of full joy is to undermine confidence in the Bible, especially what the Bible has to say about Jesus. The false teaching going around was that Jesus did not have a real human body (2 John 7).

Who Was Jesus?

Before we move on, let's do a little review. How many of us know John 3:16?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16, KJV)

So, let's talk about God for a minute. There is one God. He is a triune God. Meaning:

• The Father is God.
• The Son is God.
• The Holy Spirit is God.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three persons, yet co-eternal, co-identical in nature, and co-equal in power and glory.

In John 3:16, we see that the Father gave the Son. This means that the Son existed before He was given to be born of a woman. Being born of a woman, or begotten, means that Jesus, the Son, was also a man with a physical body. Jesus is, therefore, the God-man, fully God and fully man, and, of course, with a body.

John says in so many words, "I saw this man in the flesh, the Word of Life, with my eyes. I heard Him speak with my ears. I touched Him with my hands, and not just me, but others also." Those who say otherwise are deceivers. To believe otherwise is to accept a false doctrine.

Was Jesus a Lie — Like the False Teachers Said?

Let's face it: if anything Jesus said or did was a lie, there can be no joy! There would be no joy because there would be no redemption. There would be no forgiveness of sins. There would be no blood, like a lamb, without spot or blemish, shed to make an atonement for our souls. How miserable we would be if Jesus were anything other than what He says He is — anything other than God and man!

Jesus Is Real! Joy Is Real!

You and I have joy because Jesus is real, both God and man in an actual body, in which he accomplished the work of redemption (Ephesians 2:14–16). The reality of Him, the knowledge of Him, and His literal bodily resurrection means the sting and fear of death are broken (1 Corinthians 15:19–21)! The power of sin over us is broken (1 Corinthians 15:56)!

This causes us to anticipate the following truth that John connects joy to, which he inserts in parentheses (John 1:2). John was getting so caught up in the thought of Jesus being real and what that means for us as believers that he had another thought before he could finish his first thought! Notice how John connects joy not only to the Person of Jesus but also to the...