"Joy Unspeakable"
The apostle Peter contemplates the joy of the Christian when he speaks of Jesus Christ, "whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (I Pet. 1:8-9). What child of God, having made a deep perusal of salvation, has not had such to result in "joy unspeakable?"
Peter has in mind, I believe, a joy that is partially experienced here, but consummated in "the salvation of your souls. "It is the same consideration set forth by our Lord in the statement, "Well done, good and faithful servant... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" (Matt. 25:21,23). The state of the righteous both is, and will be, a condition of joy -- not only because all tears shall be wiped away, but because of the fulness and depth of the mercy and love of God which accepts His children into the same joy experienced by "the only begotten Son."
"The joy of thy Lord" is that which He Himself has purchased and provided for His followers; the joy of the redeemed, bought with the sorrow of the Redeemer. It is the joy which He Himself is in possession of, and which He had His eyes upon when He "endured the cross, despising shame" (Heb.12:2). It is the joy of which He Himself is both fountain and center.
Abraham was not willing that the "steward of his house," though faithful, should be his heir (Gen.15: 2-3); but not so with Christ. Christ admits His faithful stewards into His own joy, to be joint-heirs with Him of all the good things He possesses (see Rom. 8:17).
Glorified saints shall enter into this same joy, shall have a full and complete possession of it, as the legal heir when he comes of age enters into his own estate. Truly, when considering the vast abundance of God's love and mercy toward us, we cannot but "rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable!"
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