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"In this you greatly rejoice..."

Text: 1 Peter 1:6a

JOY IN THE LORD

There should be joy in our heart as we read the Scriptures. Joy is a wonderful blessing the Lord wishes to give to all who believe in Him.

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while,
if need be, you have been grieved by various trials.”
1 Peter 1:6

1. “In this”

a) The word translated “this” is actually a “relative pronoun”.

b) The word “this” is called “a demonstrative pronoun”.

c) What is a relative pronoun?

i) It refers to a person or an object mentioned earlier.

ii) Technically, it should be translated “In whom” (person).

iii) Or, “In which” (thing).

d) The relative pronoun here is better understood as “whom”.

e) The translation would then be “In whom” rather than “In this”.

2. “You greatly rejoice”

a) In whom do we rejoice?

i) God as Father.

ii) The Lord Jesus as our Saviour.

iii) The Spirit of God who sanctifies us.

b) This is the right focus.

i) Though there may be joy in the blessings given.

ii) Our greatest joy should be in God!

c) The gender of the relative pronoun fits the Person of God.

d) The gender of the relative pronoun would not fit “salvation” or “inheritance”.

e) “Greatly rejoice”

i) The verb employed here suggests “extreme joy”.

ii) Joy is not just a “nice feeling”.

iii) Our joy in the Lord should cause us to feel exuberant joy.

f) This kind of joy is found in the Lord Himself and not in a blessing, no matter how wonderful that may be.