The Peak of the Pyramid – Romans 5:8-11

 “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This is one of the most famous phrases in the history of the United States. These three things are listed among the “inalienable rights” of every American. I am told that it was Thomas Jefferson who put these words into the Declaration of Independence. But the history of that phrase might make for a very interesting study. It appears to have been is based on the writings of John Locke, who expressed a similar concept of “life, liberty, and estate (or property).” Locke said that “no one ought to harm another (person) in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.” His phrase was a list of property rights that a government should guarantee its people. Jefferson’s list, on the other hand, covers a much broader spectrum of rights, possibly including the guarantees of the Bill of Rights such as free speech and a fair trial. This tripartite motto is also comparable to the “liberty, equality and fraternity” of the France Revolution, and to the “peace, order and good government” in Canada. The phrase can also be found in the 1947 Constitution of Japan, as well as Ho Chi-minh’s 1945 declaration of independence of the Republic of Vietnam. It is also a part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” But only in the Declaration of Independence do we have that word “happiness.”

Certainly it is a desire of every human heart to be “happy.” It is as natural a thing as a desire to eat and sleep, but in some ways it may be rooted to our sinful depravity. It’s not a sin to be happy, or to have a desire to be happy. But a desire to be happy at any cost, generally implies a sacrifice of holiness and other more important principles. It is not a sin to be hungry, but it might be a sin to be hungry for a third piece of chocolate cake. In marriage it should be our desire to make our spouse as happy as possible. But to sell illicit drugs in order to have money to buy things to make him our spouse is sin. And then again, when one partner in that marriage seeks his own happiness – first – that relationship is doomed to serious trouble, because it isn’t the right kind of happiness. In marriage, one partner should be at his happiest when the other partner is really happy.

But of course, we don’t find the word “happiness” here in this scripture. And although we can read the word “happy” in the Word, the word “happiness” is foreign to the Bible. But there can be a correlation between Biblical “joy” and “happiness,” even though they don’t necessarily mean the same thing.

Here in verse 11, Paul speaks of having joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Joy, or happiness, in God is the highest of all kinds of joy. But it doesn’t belong to a great many people in this world. It is available to only a few, and it is enjoyed by even less.

There is a pyramid of thoughts being built in this passage – with this joy at the pinnacle. It begins with justification in verse 1. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I hope that every person here can define Biblical justification. It is – ” to be declared righteous.” Justification is either the act, or the result, of justifying something or someone. When I try to justify my actions, I try to say that they were good or right. Unfortunately, I may be a bit biased, and they aren’t even close to being good or right. Bible justification is something that the Lord does for the believer. It is not done in us, but rather for us. Justification is the gracious act of God whereby, based on the substitution of Jesus’ death for ours, He declares us righteous. And when God says something is pure or righteous, that is what it is, because He is God.

But there are two kinds of Biblical justification: legal and without a better word – evangelical. Legal justification usually takes place in sinless creatures or sinless situations. For example, anyone can declare the Heavenly angels justified in what they do. Their every deed is pure, clean and righteous, because what they do is sin-free. But evangelical justification, on the other hand, involves sinners who are not clean, pure or righteous. This kind of justification is something that only the Lord can do and be right about it.

The Old Testament priests were sometimes called on to pass judgment about leprosy. Sometimes they would say, “This man has a heat rash; this is not leprosy.” And sometimes they would say, “This man HAS HAD leprosy, but now he is clean.” We might call this kind of statement “legal justification” – it’s a declaration of a certain truth. But then sometimes God says, “This man has leprosy, but I am cleansing him, and he is clean.” This is a statement of grace. This is making something which was not true, now absolutely true. This kind of justification is not possessed by everyone. Only those who cast their souls upon the mercy of God, prove their justification. Only those who acknowledge the shed blood of the Saviour, in their faith and repentance are people who have been evangelically justified.

Upon this foundation of justification Paul builds a pyramid, like Rameses in Egypt. With Justification as a base, we have peace with God. What is so special about this? Absolutely everything, for generally speaking, humanity is at war against God. But some people – “we” – have peace with God. Who? Only those who have been declared righteous, the justified ones. Is this because we deserve peace? Absolutely not. Is it because we, like the Gibeonites, have tricked God into signing a peace treaty with us? No! There is only one way to peace with God – absolute surrender to His judgment and His grace. Something which indicates the presence of God’s justification.

Then coming out of this peace there is access into further grace. “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.” This appears to refer to the results and effects of peace with God. It includes prayer. Can just anyone pray? Legally speaking, no. Although God hears every syllable uttered by man. And He can grant whatsoever He chooses; even the prayers of the most wretched people on earth. But the promise of positive answers to prayer is given only to those who enjoy His peace.

And then there is the hope of eternity. “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Eternity is an awfully dark subject and a still darker place – to those are without justification. But to the children of God – those whose citizenship is in Heaven and from whence they look for the return of the Saviour – eternity is a delightful thought. It is certainly a step above simple peace.

The next tier of this pyramid involves triumph over tribulation – verses 3-8. Do you remember Jeffery Dalmer, the serial killer, who murdered and then ate a number of people? Instrumental ingredient in that man’s capture was the escape of one of his intended victims. He was locked in Dalmer’s house, with a door that had eight different locks. When he realized what going on, he hit Dalmer and ran for the door. He claims that it was God’s grace which quickly led him to the two locks which were actually bolted. If it had been four, or five, or eight locks he wouldn’t have had time to release himself. By God’s grace he had the right combination for his escape. And in midst of our troubles, the justified, peace-given soul, as a key for them all. Remember that Paul knew the pain of persecution as well as anyone else on earth, and yet it is Paul who is telling us about being joyful in God.

Some people think that monetary troubles, health problems and family difficulties are about as bad as this old world can get. But such things as these are not comparable to the little finger of the wrath of God. That wrath will eventually be seen in the fires of Hell. And that wrath will be seen on earth when God pours out his vials of judgment upon this place. But the justified soul, will be delivered. “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Why and how? Because we have been reconciled to God by the death of his Son.

With all these things in place, we come to the subject of joy in God. “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” This is at the peak of the pyramid so to speak.

But what is it to Joy in God?This is where we have to stop and think just a little bit. To joy in God is not to be merely happy because things are going so well in our lives. This is not material joy or maternal joy. This is not the traveler’s joy, who finally sees home after six months on the road. This is not warrior’s joy, who returns from the battle with the spoils of his victory. Nor is this the joy that some of you learned theologians are picturing. The word is “kauchaomi” (cow-co-ma-he) not “chairo” (ca-ero). The Greek word doesn’t mean to “be happy” as we usually think of it, but to “boast or glory” in God. It is not the usual word for “joy” that we find in the Bible.

To joy in God is to delight in Him; to boast in Him; to glory in God. That begins with delight about the fact that He exists. This was the sort of thing to which I was referring this morning. It is one thing to have a Saviour who died for you 2,000 years ago, but it is something else to relish and bask in the blessings of the Saviour today. Do you delight in the existence of God, or is that of only passing concern? If there was no God – if the universe was spinning randomly or out of control – we could never be sure that there would ever be any relief for the problems of sin. There could never be any deep-seated happiness. But there is a deity who will make all things right; Who will judge the wicked, and Who will judge you. He will reward the servants of righteousness. Do you delight in God as you find Him revealed in His Word? There are lot of imaginary Jehovah’s dwelling in people’s minds and cathedrals. Do you delight in the God who is absolutely sovereign over the affairs of man? Are you glad that He is perfectly holy? Do you rejoice in His knowledge of the smallest details of your life? Do you delight in that Jehovah can be addressed as father? Remember that “if we be children, then are we heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.” Remember, too, that He bestows mercy upon whom He will. To joy in God means what we delight in the way that He treats us. That means in those periodic times of chastisement. Whom God loves he chastens and scourges when they choose sin over righteousness. Do you delight in God in the days of testing? Even in God’s choice of death, we have reason to delight in Him. Job said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Do you joy and delight in God?

This kind of joy is the happiest of all happiness. It is solid, substantial and abiding. It is the most invigorating and uplifting kind of joy or happiness. What if a person’s greatest joy is in his wealth? I see trouble ahead. What was the price of silver last week? $17.80 an ounce. And what was the price yesterday? $16.84. If our glory and joy is in silver, then we have less reason to rejoice today than last week. But Paul says that his joy was in the Lord, and that is where ours should be as well.

Why is this so important?First, because this kind of joy is essential to proper praise. Songs with words of praise and thanksgiving are nothing if they are not fully meant. Apply that to baseball fans. There are two varieties: those who love the game and those who love the team. Those who love the game are thrilled to see any good play by any team. But those who love only one team groan when opponents make spectacular plays. Praise is a natural response in those who fully enjoy the game. When watching a game, it is natural to shout and clap when there is a great play. But if we were forced into silence during a game, we are not going to enjoy it as much. Without joy in God there will be no true worship or praise of God.

Then too, this joy in God is evidence of the rest of the pyramid. Only the truly reconciled and justified can whole-heartedly joy in the Lord. Those who joy in God give testimony that they are reconciled to Him and have His peace. And this is one reason that “the joy of the Lord is our strength.” When someone cannot joy in the Lord, there is reason to fear that he is still a child of Hell.

And then JOY in God is a wise use of our spiritual energy. Joy in the things of this world is eventually going to be proven to be wasted time and effort. “This world passeth away and all the joys thereof.” Don’t place your joy in fading flower; rather joy in God. Joy in God is not dependent upon worldly blessings. This joy is abiding and well invested.

And once again, How is this joy POSSIBLE?Just as the pyramids of Egypt were drenched with the blood of Jewish slaves, the pyramid of this chapter is covered with the blood of the Saviour, Jesus Christ. Every step is His, and we simply ride along in His elevator of grace. He is the means of justification. He is the cause of our reconciliation to God. He is our peace and the procedure for escape from tribulation and wrath. Christ Jesus is made of God unto us “wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.”

So, for the Christian, in theory every aspect of this chapter is ours. But, the enjoyment of each of its aspect depends on our nearness to Saviour. Earthly trials will knock the stuffing out of us every time, if we’re not daily walking with Christ. If there is sin in your life, you cannot feel the joy of peace with God. If there is unconfessed sin in your life, you will not boast and glory in the Lord. And you will certainly not joy in God.