Guilty Or Joyful

For a believer it is not guilty OR joyful. It is guilty AND joyful. Reproof is the work of the Holy Spirit and joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The purposes of the Holy Spirit are not accomplished in us until and unless we have had both guilt-producing reproof AND joy.

John 16:8: And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Galatians 5:22a: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

All believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit but not all believers are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:9: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Ephesians 5:18: And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Paul wrote the instruction to be filled with the Spirit to believers (saints and the faithful) in Ephesus and to you and me.

Ephesians 1:1: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

So when should we feel guilty and when should we feel joyful?

Galatians 5:16: This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

When we fulfill the lust of the flesh we need the reproof of the Holy Spirit. We need to feel guilty. We should feel guilty enough about our sin to confess it AND forsake it. Then we can be filled with the Spirit and have the fruit of the Spirit, which is joy.

Proverbs 28:13: He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

The worst persons that we can try to hide our sin from are ourselves and God. Others do not know as much about my sin as I do. God knows all about it anyway. Others cannot confess it and forsake it for me. They cannot experience the reproof of the Holy Spirit in my place. Neither can they experience the joy of the Lord on my behalf. If we are going to confess our sin to God we must also confess it to ourselves.

Psalms 51:3: For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

A Christian should have guilt over his sin and he should have the joy of being forgiven. Then he can also have the joy of serving the Lord. I believe that the joy of a Christian should at least double his guilt.

2 Peter 1:2: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

Since the fruit of the Spirit is both joy and peace, I see no reason the joy cannot be multiplied too. Jesus didn*t use the word multiplied about joy but He did use the word full.

John 15:11: These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

The words sorrowFUL and joyFUL both appear frequently in the Bible. I believe a more joyful Christian is a stronger Christian and a stronger Christian is a more joyful Christian. The guilt comes first but it doesn*t have to last as long.

Nehemiah 8:10: Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Psalms 34:18: The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Care to discuss Guilty Or Joyful with Ron?

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