- You should be happy because your sins are forgiven. Jesus was crucified for you that your sins can not be held against you. 1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. Notice it is not some or most, but ALL sin.
- You should be happy because you have a great High Priest. Hebrews 4:14 says, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” The Hebrews writer points out that Jesus, as our High Priest, can identify with us. He reveals that we can come boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy in time of need.
- You should be happy because you have an Advocate. 1 John 2:2 says, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” The word, “advocate” means a helper who stands by the side of another and pleads his or her case before the Father in heaven.
- You should be happy because you have the fellowship of other Christians in the church. You have a common bond in Christ. You have the common faith. Your brothers and sisters love you and desire to help you for any reason. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
It should be obvious that God wants His children to be happy. I hope you have a wonderful year in 2017.
Greely Kirkpatrick