Question 30.
If I find a Bible verse that calls me to be joyful, haven’t I proven Christian Hedonism is correct?
Answer 30.
Many times we are called upon by God in His Word to express joy and gratefulness to God for all He has done and for the salvation He has granted us. Expressing joy and gratitude is not hedonism. And being commanded to express joy is not a command to pursue hedonism.
Hedonists in order to get from a command to rejoice to a command to pursue pleasure put the logic together something like this:
- God tells me to rejoice in the Lord.
- Rejoicing is emotionally laden and fun.
- Because rejoicing is fun and pleasant, the command to rejoice is actually a command to have fun and to chase after pleasure.
- Since God commands me to have fun, pursuing my pleasures is a command from God.
- Pursuing my pleasures is now the highest calling of mankind and my greatest pursuit.
I am still unclear how the logic step is taken to get from "pursuing my pleasures is a command from God" to "pursuing my pleasures is now the highest calling of mankind and my greatest pursuit".
Suffice it to say that the hedonist’s logic is faulty and that God does not command us to "pursue pleasure" when He commands us to "rejoice in the Lord."
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. (Philippians 3:1)
.
Why rejoice? Why "be full of cheer" (Gk: chairo)? In this case because Epaphroditus did not actually die and was able to minister to Paul, completing the ministry that the Philippians had left unfinished with regard to taking care of Paul. And rejoice that Paul is able once again to provide instructions that will safeguard the flock. So rejoice that the Lord’s church is thriving and that the Lord guides and protects.
This rejoicing is not a personal command for the Philippians to pursue pleasure. This rejoicing is to be an expression of positive gratitude (and relief) to God that Paul and Epaphroditus are well and working for the Lord. It is not a command to pursue pleasure so that they can be filled up with good sensations, it is a command to acknowledge that God is good.
What is the difference? The goal is different. "Pursue your own pleasure and happiness so that you feel good" is different than "rejoice in the Lord because Paul and Epaphroditus are able to do the Lord’s work." Not only are the goals different, but the outcomes are different. When one rejoices in order to feel good, he ends up focusing on himself, striving for ever more exciting feelings and sensations. When one rejoices for the purpose of praising God with thankfulness, the focus is on the Lord and the fact that the person may feel some pleasure in that is simply the natural human response. Since pleasure is not the goal, the celebrant is not so concerned about filling themselves up with ecstasy as they are on thanking God and pleasing Him.
While it is sloppy scholarship to equate "rejoice in the Lord" to "pursue your own hedonistic pleasures" it is unconscionable to equate "rejoice in the Lord" to "pursuing my pleasures is now my highest calling and my greatest pursuit."
