The Christian Ethic of Joy and Suffering

Consider with me for a moment Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 6:4: “As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything” (6:10).
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How is it possible to be characterized by both sorrow and joy; having nothing, yet possessing everything? At first glance, they do seem to be contradictory or at the least, strange bed-fellows. At second glance, we recognize the harm it would be to experience a life of joy with no sorrow, or on the other hand, sorrow with no joy.

Imagine the danger of experiencing a drowning sorrow that knows no joy or the alternative - a triumphal joy that knows no sorrow. Would not a pure unmitigated sorrow be characterized of hell? And wouldn't a pure, undiluted joyful bliss be characterized of heaven?

Neither an unmixed joy nor an unmixed sorrow would be in touch with reality, which is our situation on earth. Neither mental states would reflect a healthy mindset. For as long as we live on this earth, in this temporal plane, sorrow and joy are mixed in our experiences. For this old-creation world participates in both the common curse as a result of the fall, and common grace as a result of God's Noahic covenant to preserve the world for the redemption of Christ.

And yet, all humankind participates in both common curse and common grace, thus experiencing mixed joy and sorrow, while awaiting the return of Christ who will indeed redeem and judge separating a new-creation heaven (and new earth) filled with joy from the old-creation hell filled with sorrow. But that's not really our topic for the moment. We are considering the mixed sorrow and joy of the believer-in-Jesus as a motivation for serving Christ today. 

​Omaha Bible Church: Omaha, NE > The Christian Ethic of Joy and Suffering