Christian Hedonism - finding pleasure in God

[Special Revelation]

For Christians only - all who know Jesus Christ as Lord, Savior, and Treasure.

Christian hedonism is about finding our joy, satisfaction, and pleasure in God above all things. I am convinced that this Christian perspective is the only way to live that honors God. I have been watching teaching from Pastor John Piper with my kids that have really influenced me. I have read Piper books for several years too.

Please share with us how you have found personal joy and pleasure in God. How can we help each other to treasure Christ more than anything else in this world. I am asking you to share your personal experiences and Biblical truth that will help us grow in affection toward our great God.

 

[Scuba Pete]

I am not sure that I would use "hedonism", but being a Christian is the most legal fun you can have. It's the freedom that I love.

 

[Bishka]

By serving my fellow men and women.

"Charity edifieth" (1 Corinthians 8:1)
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up," (1 Corinthians 13:4)
"Charity never faileth" (1 Corinthians 13:8)

To me charity towards our fellow men and women is the pure love of Jesus Christ.

 

[Runlikethewind]

Something I realized recently while reading the good book. I was reading Mark and came to chapter 12. Its the story of the greatest commandments and the second commandment Jesus says is that you shall love your neighbor as yourself, the golden rule. Now this whole story is rich with meaning and important for all Christians. Anyway on to the point, I realized how often I have ignored the second part of this commandment. Love your neighbor as yourself. How often I have read this passage and though "well yes we should love our neighbor" without realizing that it starts with loving oneself. Now don't take this to mean a selfishness or egotism or anything, I am talking about true love which is not selfish or egotistical. We have to have respect for ourselves and love our selfs properly as images of God before we can love our neighbor, how can we follow the command to love our neighbor as ourselves if we don't love ourselves? Anyway I came to realize that there is God, there are others and there is the self. We must love all these and I think that properly loving ourselves and respecting ourselves as God intended is where we must begin. Sometimes we tend to focus too much on others and on God especially because love of self can so easily become selfish, which probably makes loving oneself properly the hardest thing to do. To truly love ourselves without it being a kind of perverted love. Anyway, I am not sure if this ties in all that well with Christian hedonism, maybe it does somehow. I just found it to be a profound insight recently and so I share it. To love our neighbor and to love God with our whole being begins with knowing and loving ourselves. And I think that for me, personally I tend to have a sort of self loathing attitude which prevents me from loving at all....

 

[Special Revelation]

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl - Matthew 13​

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Jesus Christ is the hidden treasure and the pearl!​

I hope Runlikethewind, Scuba Pete, Beckysoup, and others will post something everyday on this Thread so we can encourage each other to treasure Jesus Christ above all things. ​

 

[ChristineES]

Loving God is a joyous experience for me. I find a lot of joy in the Spirit. Some of the Psalms can tell of this joy!
Psa 43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; yea, on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God.

Psa 45:15 They shall be led with joy and gladness; they shall enter into the King's palace.

Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which You have broken may rejoice.

Psa 65:13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with grain; they shout for joy and sing.

Psa 67:4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You shall judge the peoples righteously and govern the nations on earth. Selah.

There are countless more. David and others were filled with joy with The Lord, our God. I am not saying I am always Mrs. Cheerful all the time, but I have that underlying feeling of pure joy in my spirit.
I like the stories that Jesus tells of the Kingdom of Heaven like being a pearl of great value, or a treasure. That is very much the way I see it.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I am not sure that I would use "hedonism", but being a Christian is the most legal fun you can have. It's the freedom that I love.

Yeah, I've never liked Piper's choice of words here.

 

[Special Revelation]

Philippians 4 - Exhortations

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. :shout

 

[Special Revelation]

Hedonism = a life devoted to pleasure.
Christian hedonism = a life devoted to pleasure in God!

Does God command us to be a Christian Hedonist? Let's start posting scriptures about rejoicing, praising, enjoying, and taking great pleasure in God.

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
:drool:​

 

[angellous_evangellous]

How 'bout this one:

Anyone who wants to be my disciple must take up his cross and follow me.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

How 'bout this one:

Anyone who wants to be my disciple must take up his cross and follow me.

"Always look on the bright side of life"

 

[Special Revelation]

How 'bout this one:

Anyone who wants to be my disciple must take up his cross and follow me.

Matthew 16
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

Do you want to lose your life or find it? You want to find your life, don't you?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Matthew 13
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

Do you want to loose your life or find it? You want to find your life, don't you?

Is this some kind of reverse psychology or just a vieled ad hominim?

 

[Special Revelation]

John 12
Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

:drool:​

If you die of self (take up your cross), you will find abundant life in Christ! Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!

 

[ChristineES]

Don't forget about the joy in heaven of one sinner repenting!

Luk 15:4 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he finds it?
Luk 15:5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Luk 15:6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.
Luk 15:7 I say to you that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

Luk 15:8 Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does she not light a lamp and sweep the house, and seek carefully until she finds it?
Luk 15:9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.
Luk 15:10 Likewise I say to you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

 

[Special Revelation]

The Gospel of John:

"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

 

[Special Revelation]

Psalm 100 - A psalm for giving thanks. ​

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; ​

come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.​

 

[Special Revelation]

Nehemiah 8:10B:

Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

 

[Special Revelation]

"All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and others avoiding it, is the desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even those who hang themselves."

Blaise Pascal

From the book Desiring God by John Piper, page 16

 

[Runlikethewind]

Seeking his workman in a multitude of people, the Lord calls out to him and lifts his voice again: 15 Is there anyone here who yearns for life and desires to see good days? (Ps 33[34]:13). 16If you hear this and your answer is "I do," God then directs these words to you: 17UP>If you desire true and eternal life, keep your tongue free from vicious talk and your lips from all deceit; turn away from evil and do good; let peace be your quest and aim (Ps 33[34]:14-15). 8Once you have done this, my eyes will be upon you and my ears will listen for your prayers; and even before you ask me, I will say to you: Here I am (Isa 58:9). 9What, dear brothers, is more delightful than this voice of the Lord calling to us? 0See how the Lord in his love shows us the way of life. 1Clothed then with faith and the performance of good works, let us set out on this way, with the Gospel for our guide, that we may deserve to see him who has called us to his kingdom (1Thess 2:12).

Rule of St Benedict, Prologue