Rejoice Always - Brian Taylor

 In the early days following my conversion to the Faith, I grew quite fond of contemporary Christian music. At the age of seventeen, having been redeemed from a very rebellious lifestyle, such an appeal was quite necessary and helpful. So, to make a full confession, yes, I thoroughly enjoyed Petra crooningthat God had given rock and roll to me, as well as Degarmo and Key challenging me not to be a casual Christian. I must say, though, that not all such music was doctrinally vapid. Some tunes actually evinced a fair amount of theological acumen. One example was the song Be Ye Glad, by the group Glad. From time to time, throughout my life, the lyrics of that melody have echoed in my mind. I would even go so far as to say that such ministered comfort, strength and joy to me, as it reminded me of certain spiritual truths as revealed in God’s Holy Word. So, for instance, when enduring particularly challenging, perhaps even painful trials, I found the first few lines particularly encouraging: 

In these days of confused situations

In this night of a restless remorse

When the heart and the soul of a nation

Lay wounded and cold as a corpse

From the grave of the innocent Adam

Comes a song bringing joy to the sad

Oh, your cry has been heard and the ransom

Has been paid up in full, be ye glad

Oh, be ye glad

Oh, be ye glad

Every debt that you've ever had

Has been paid up in full by the grace of the Lord

Be ye glad, be ye glad, be ye glad

The song itself, but perhaps especially this first stanza, reminds me of Paul’s command to all believers, as found in Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” If there has ever been a moment where we do need the reminder to always rejoice, despite what travails we may encounter, now is that time. Do we not live in a time of confused situations? Is not our nation wounded and cold as a corpse? Are not many people in a state of remorse and, I would add, anger?  Even as I pen this article, our country is suffering the effects of a new strand of the Covid virus, causing discord amongst a people already plagued by the old divisions of race, gender and political ideology. And rumors of war whirl about, as the nations are raging. In the midst of such confusion and fear, how can we as believers hearken to the command of our Lord to rejoice always? It is because of what the grave of innocent Adam does proclaim to us today. 

​The message of the empty tomb is aptly declared by that angelic band on that glorious Resurrection morn: ““Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”(Luke 24:5–6). The empty tomb does declare to all who have ears to hear that the people of God serve a risen King, who even now sits enthroned at the right head of God, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only is this age, but also in the one to come” (Eph. 1:21). As Paul goes on to declare in that Ephesian passage, all things have been placed under his feet and God has made him the head of all things. God has so exalted him for the sake of the church.  As Frank Thielman comments regarding Ephesians 1:20-23: 

God has given Christ to the church in his role as victor and head over all things, including the enemies of God and his people. Christ and the church, his body, are one; thus Christ’s victory is also the church’s victory.

This risen King not only provides and protects his people by having defeated his and their enemies, he likewise rules over them now so to insure the church’s success in the King’s mission. Despite what foes we might encounter, we, as the victorious people of God, will overcome and rightly declare to the nations that our King does live and will save all who call upon him. To the eye lacking faith, all around is confusion and fear. To the eye of faith, which believes upon the risen King, we see his sovereign rule working even through the calamities all about to bring about the completion of his mission entrusted to his church. So, do not fear or be dismayed, but rejoice, for your King is risen today and exalted to the right hand of God. 

​Indeed, our risen King is a conquering King. As already noted, Christ has subdued and continues to subdue both his and our enemies. As our Larger Catechism, question 54 does teach regarding his exaltation to the right hand of God, he is thus exalted by, among other things, gathering and defending his church, and subduing the church’s enemies. One adversarywhich he has vanquished is our greatest enemy, death. Of course, we know he has defeated that vile foe because he has defeated another of our enemies, sin. As Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15:55-7: 

““Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Our conquering King is our saving King for he has defeated sin and death. He has dealt a deathblow to these dreadful foes by himself suffering death on our behalf. We were debtors to the Law of our God, which made us captive to the justice of God for the punishment of our sins, that terrible foe known as death. But Christ became our ransom. By substituting himself in our place, taking upon himself the just punishment for our sins, he satisfied the justice of God. As the gospel does declare: 

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13–14)

With our sins forgiven, death now holds no power over us. Even should Covid do its worst, the believer has nothing to fear. For our Savior King has vanquished that fearsome foe. Now, death is but a sweet passage leading us to the very presence of our beloved Savior (Phil. 1:23). What should the believer do in light of this great victory? He should rejoice always. 

​But let us not end by speaking of death, for while we have comfort in this prospect, it is not our hope. No, that victory over sin and death will not find it consummation until our risen, saving King returns. As Paul declares in the verse just prior to his grand announcement of Christ’s victory over sin and death: 

“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written” (1 Corinthians 15:54 ESV)

Then death will be fully and finally swallowed up. Then the sting of death, sin, shall be felt no more. His death defeated sin and death, as his resurrection guarantees our resurrection. If we have died with him, we will also live with him. If we endure we will also reign with him (2 Tim. 2:11-12). Yes, endurance is a mark of genuine faith. It is the one who stands firm to the end that will be saved, who will experience that glorious transformation from mortality and corruption to immortality and incorruption. 

This is our hope, a hope focused on our coming King. It is a hope that gives strength and vitality, even when the soul of a nation lies wounded and cold as a corpse. It is a hope that gladdens the heart amidst division and rancor. It is a hope that provides reason to rejoice, even should the fig tree not blossom, nor the fruit be on the vine (Hab. 3:17). If Habakkuk, who saw but dimly, could rejoice in the God of his salvation, how much more should we, who have the fuller revelation, rejoice in the God of our salvation. How much more should we rejoice for we know our King is coming. Rejoice always. Again, I say rejoice.