The Endless Pursuit Of Pleasure As A Goal

"If I want to know how to live in reality, I must know what God is really like." --Plato
"The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." --The Westminster Shorter Catechism, 1646  "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" (1 Tim. 1:5, NIV, emphasis added).

The Epicureans (cf. Acts 17) were known as pleasure seekers (today known as hedonism), who were essentially atheists who lived for the here and now: "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die!"  (Those on this pursuit are really searching for happiness without God's input.)  This saying is actually from the Bible too (cf. Isa. 22:13; 1 Cor. 15:32; Luke 12:19).  In the worldview of Secular Humanism, one does just that without living in light of eternity as the Christian.  When you remove God from religion or the equation and live for self as the dynamic of one's life, all that's left to relate to is man as "the measure of all things" and this life to think about: no hell to shun, no divine Law to obey, no heaven to prepare for nor to expect and hope for.  They don't take any responsibility for their actions, good or evil since they deny Judgment Day and any divine accountability.

This is where Christianity breaks with Secularism and Hedonism:  they want believers to get out of their pants and stop interfering with their own mores and values, which they see as relative or unknowable, even nonexistent.  The Bible clearly states we are mere stewards of all the resources God has granted us in this life and will be rewarded or judged accordingly; i.e., vis-a-vis our works and that which is done in the flesh.  The Epicureans weren't seekers of maximum physical pleasure though, but what they deemed optimum pleasure--a point of contentment and balance, even of intellectual pleasure to boot. NB:  Didn't Solomon experience the vanity of intellectual pursuits, obsession with possessions or materialism, and sensual or sexual pleasure-seeking for fulfillment? If you seek pleasure, you'll never find it--seeking God it's part of the package.

The mature Christian (and when Paul "became a man he put away childish things") doesn't live for pleasure-seeking, but for a purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in Christ as he brings glory to Christ through a life of good deeds that are foreordained.  He doesn't dwell on just "having fun" as some people are focused on and feel their day is wasted if they got none!  Specifically, he would rather be doing the Lord's work than spending the day at Disney World!  Don't get me wrong: there is a degree of pleasure watching one's children grow up and enjoy themselves and there is vicarious fun. 

But how many parents would go there by themselves without the kids?  Most vacations are heavy on relaxation, withdrawal, and recreation, not having fun in a conventional way. The Christian defines fun in a lot different manner than do children and may think it's fun to have a fruitful conversation.  The Bible says in Ecclesiastes that man is meant to find enjoyment in his labor and in his eating.  The believer's so-called fun is much more sophisticated and is basically R & R so that he is up to getting back to doing the Lord's work or fulfilling his calling.

But the believer doesn't make pleasure-seeking the goal or purpose of his life and doesn't feel left out if he didn't have all the fun he felt entitled to--felt needs are often ignored by God.   The whole Christian walk is to be one of abundance and fulfillment in Christ and we are complete in Him.  In contrast, it's the job of kids to play and have fun, they are not mature enough to know the fulfillment of finding the image of Christ in work and doing God's will. 

The more we understand who we are in Christ, the more focused we who know our God can "be strong and do exploits" (cf. Dan. 11:32).  In a way, all play of childhood is merely a foreshadow of what the work-world is like when one has found his higher calling.  One may wonder where some believers get their drive, and the only answer is that they know the Lord and are purpose-driven, not fun-driven for our emotions and feelings can be deceptive and mislead us.

This is where the Protestant work ethic enters the equation and one actualizes his potential in Christ to the full.  Luther restored dignity to all labor, not just the noble pursuits and we must realize we are a creature not made or hard-wired for idleness, but meant to walk with Christ in a joy-filled life; i.e., "rejoice in the Lord always" (cf. Phil. 4:4).   On the other hand, the believer must beware not to be all work and no play, so to speak, and to be no fun, neither the party-pooper nor necessarily the life of the party either; however, things go better with Christ!  Our pleasure ought to be in God!

CAVEAT:  SATAN WILL ENTICE US WITH HIS DELICACIES AND IF WE FALL IN LOVE WITH THE WORLD AND WHAT IT HAS TO OFFER, IT DIMINISHES OUR APPETITE FOR THE SPIRITUAL AND DIVINE AND WE BECOME SPIRITUALLY HANDICAPPED.  

In sum, when one seeks pleasure it eludes him, but when one seeks God pleasure is a byproduct and blessing.  In the final analysis, we all must take stock of what drives us, what our pleasure is, what motivates us, and what inspires us and gives us a reason to live--taking a spiritual inventory or checkup; can man survive without God in the picture?      Soli Deo Gloria!  

Glorify God In Your Body

"My dear friends, since we have these promises, let's cleanse ourselves from anything that contaminates our body or spirit so that we make our holiness complete in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1, CEB).
"For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer" (1 Tim. 4:4-5, NASB).

Our bodies are not our own as believers but have been purchased by Christ and we are His--He owns us!  (cf. 1 Cor. 6:20).  We must glorify God bodily as living sacrifices and offer ourselves up to Him daily; God doesn't call us to martyrdom, but to live for Christ as witnesses.  Glorifying God in our body doesn't mean we exalt it nor worship it, but that we show all due respect and not neglect or demean it.  We show no respect when we don't watch our diets and eat virtually anything, including thriving on comfort foods or fast food when we know they are not good for us and have access to good food.

I'm not addressing attitudes toward the opposite sexual persuasion, but toward our own body--remember, no man hates his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it, according to Scripture though.  There is profit in exercise for this life (cf. 1 Tim. 4:8), but we must not overemphasize it and forget the more important exercise of the spirit in godly matters such as prayer, witnessing, and Bible reading--spiritual exercise.  The person with the best body doesn't win!

We all have a cross to bear and different responsibilities and we cannot and must not compare ourselves with others (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12)--we will be judged individually and held accountable for what God allotted us (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10,12).  One way to show respect for the body is to keep it clean, especially when in public or in the company of others.  Cleanliness is still a biblical principle, and though it was a ritual according to the Law, and Jesus wasn't serious about washing His hands, which offended the Pharisees, we show respect for others by bathing and not being unnecessarily offensive, thus creating stumbling blocks to our testimony.  We aim to offend no one!  Christ is offensive to some but that doesn't mean we are to be.

Being a good Christian doesn't mean we necessarily are spiritually measured by our weight as if we can't be a spiritual or good believer if we are overweight, but Christians shouldn't be addicted to food nor have food disorders such as binge eating.  Some people's sins are more visible, while those of others are not that apparent.  But we can be sure our sin will find us out (cf. Num. 32:23).  We are to reject no food on religious grounds that it's contaminated or unclean, for God has cleansed all food--all food is blessed or consecrated "by the Word of God and prayer" (cf. 1 Tim. 4:5).  But that doesn't give us free rein to eat foolishly on junk food with a devil-may-care attitude.  Gluttony is a real sin and was considered one of the so-called Seven Deadly Sins.

Then again, spiritual discipline and care far outweigh the physical, but we must never forget the offering of our bodies to Christ and realizing they belong to Him as our reasonable service and worship (cf. Romans 12:1). We are mere stewards of our bodies, on loan from God, and respecting them and treating them with dignity goes along with being pro-life in general.  Note that in Christ's servile act of foot-washing of his disciples, He showed that cleanliness is not merely physical, though we are "clean" physically if we have bathed--grooming and hygiene are equally of concern.  Christ also chided the Pharisees for declaring that nothing that enters the mouth defiles him, but only what comes out! Food isn't unclean nor evil of itself (cf. 1 Tim. 4:3).  Glorifying God in your body entails much more than respect for the body per se, but using it in good works, like lending a helping hand, having heart, sharing your strength and talents to help the weaker brother, walking the extra mile, putting your best foot forward, hearing, seeing, and speaking no evil, and so forth.

Also, it's a no-brainer that respected bodies entail clean clothes (cf. Zech 3:3-4), for there is much truth in the proverb:  "Cleanliness is next to godliness."  Ben Franklin had some noteworthy words of wisdom:  Dress to please others [especially pleasing to Christ if you're saved]; eat to please yourself [with self-control, a fruit of the Spirit]; and speak to please God [Paul strove to be offensive to no one--Acts 24:16!].  In the final analysis, Scripture lists one sin specifically against the body, namely, sexual immorality or adultery (adultery means impurity, uncleanness, making weak, mixing impurities with, or corruption by the way).

Paul bore in his body the marks of Jesus and it goes without saying that suffering in the body brings glory to God, as we bear our cross and follow Him. Paul had suffered the thirty-nine lashes minus one five times!  He who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.  This is the real stigmata, not necessarily what Saint Francis of Assisi supposedly had.  Note that loving God with all our strength implies we use all the strength God has endowed and blessed us with faithfully and not fainting in the Lord's work, to become lackadaisical or slack.  Soli Deo Gloria!