Well, we are coming off Easter Sunday, yesterday, my favorite date in the church calendar.

And there are so many sources of joy in the Christian life.

Certainly, Christ's victory over sin, the devil, and the grave is one of the most astounding

sources of our joy in this life.

And it leads to today's question from a woman who listens regularly to the podcast.

She writes this, quote,

Hello, Pastor John, can you explain how our joy relates to the three aspects of the Christian

life, justification, sanctification, and glorification?

Specifically, I would like to know how joy is obtained in each of these distinct blessings

in how they are similar or different from one another.

I love this question.

In fact, I love it so much.

I love it so much that I want to make it bigger.

So I'm going to add to justification and sanctification and glorification, propitiation,

which comes before those three, and without which they could not exist for sinners

like us.

So how does joy relate to each of these four massive, indispensable, wonderful works

of God which make up the steps of our great salvation?

So here's my short answer.

In propitiation, joy is purchased and secured once for all.

By justification, joy is given once for all.

In sanctification, joy is tasted throughout this life.

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