Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 5

Overview

Confronting Hedonism: When Pleasure Becomes the Measure

Hedonism is the worldview that defines good and evil by pleasure and pain. Whatever feels good must be true and right; whatever causes pain must be evil and to be avoided. While every human naturally prefers pleasure to suffering, hedonism elevates that preference into the ultimate criterion for value, truth, and goodness. Its roots reach all the way back to Eden, where Eve "saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes" Genesis 3:6. Pleasure became her measure of goodness—and the result was not pleasure but pain: shame, broken relationships, and the power struggles described in Genesis 3:7 and Genesis 3:16.

Even unbelieving philosophers have noticed hedonism's failure. The Epicureans recognized what they called the hedonistic paradox: failing to attain pleasure produces frustration (which is painful), while attaining all desired pleasure produces boredom (which is also painful). Either way, the pursuit collapses on itself. Worse still, hedonism's logical end is tyranny: when one person or group can only maximize pleasure by inflicting pain on others, the strong dominate the weak. Augustine, himself a former hedonist, named the deeper diagnosis: "Thou hast created us for thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee." Restlessness is the fruit of living against the purpose for which we were made.

Jesus was no hedonist. He repeatedly told His disciples that "the Son of Man must undergo great suffering" Luke 9:22, that He longed to eat the Passover before He suffered Luke 22:15, and that "the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day" Luke 24:45-47. Nor are His followers exempt. Paul writes that believers have been graciously granted not only to believe in Christ "but of suffering for him as well" Philippians 1:29. Peter adds that enduring unjust suffering for doing right has God's approval 1 Peter 2:20 and that suffering as a Christian is no disgrace but an occasion to glorify God 1 Peter 4:16.

The Christian alternative is not stoic resignation but reordered desire. Goodness is defined by faithfulness to the Lord and His Word, regardless of consequences. Paul opens his letter to the Galatians by proclaiming that Christ "gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age... to whom be the glory forever and ever" Galatians 1:3-5. Jonathan Edwards resolved as a young man to do whatever would bring most glory to God, convinced that this very pursuit was tied to his deepest "good, profit, and pleasure." The Westminster Catechism agrees: our chief end is "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." When the world tempts us to make pleasure our god, we return to the cross, where forgiveness is freely given, and rise each day renewed by grace to live for the glory of the One who made us for Himself.

Transcript

Thank you. 4s

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for this opportunity to be in your house. 6s

We thank you, O Lord, how you feed us through word and sacrament and then send us forth 11s

to be missionaries. 18s

Bless we pray now. 19s

This time in your word to your glory in Jesus' name, amen. 21s

Well, we have been examining worldly assumptions and taking a look at biblical responses to 26s

these worldly assumptions and just to get our moorings here of what we have studied so 32s

far, we took a look at the subject of epistemology. 37s

You'll recall that that deals with the questions of what is truth and can we know it? 41s

And there are some worldly assumptions in the area of epistemology, which is there's 49s

no such thing as objective truth. 55s

Truth is relative to the individual. 56s

Truth's a social construct. 59s

And influencing all of those worldly assumptions is the understanding of the worldview of humanism, 62s

which says that human beings are the measure of all things. 72s

That the human being decides, which is true, that which is false, that which is good, 78s

that which is evil. 86s

We took a look at the biblical responses that negate that worldly assumptions. 88s

Next week we took a look at the subject of ontology and worldly assumptions around that. 94s

Ontology has to do with the question of what exists and where did it come from. 99s

And we took a look at worldly assumptions that there is no God, that all matter in the universe 106s

as always existed. 114s

The worldly assumption that the universe will balance things out, which is an understanding of 116s

karma of having some kind of supernatural force and a belief in karma. 124s

We took a look at the biblical responses that reject that. 132s

The following week we took a look at the subject of anthropology, 137s

dealing with the questions of what's a human being and why do we exist? 141s

And we dealt with the assumptions of the world in that area, 149s

such as humans are simply the result of evolution and not fundamentally different than animals. 156s

Or human identity is principally defined by individual sexual preference, orientation, 163s

gender choice, or self identification. 171s

We took a look at the biblical responses to that and we saw that our identity is that we've 175s

died to sin and venerate to newness of life, that were sheep, that were priests, that we are chosen. 182s

We also took a look at the subject of axiology, which deals with what's important? 188s

And what should be valued and why? 194s

And we took a look at the worldly assumptions associated with that, such as what you feel is important. 198s

What you feel is important in the moment is what you should prioritize. 204s

And the faith beliefs and values of other people are equally valued to your set of faith beliefs and values, 209s

even if they contradict each other. 218s

So we examined those worldly assumptions in light of what Scripture has to say. 220s

Well, today I want to talk with you about the subject of hedonism, hedonism, 226s

and what are some worldly assumptions with regard to hedonism and how is that addressed? 231s

Hedonism is the basic principle that says, this good and evil are defined by pleasure and pain. 240s

So hedonism is this perspective that says good and evil are defined by what is 251s

pleasure and what causes pain. 260s

And the ultimate purpose of hedonism is to enjoy pleasure and avoid pain. 265s

Now certainly, certainly all of us I think would say that we would prefer pleasure over pain. 274s

What would you rather have a nice vacation or burn your hand on the stove? 286s

What would you rather have on that? Would you rather feel good or feel bad? 292s

Certainly we look and we say, well, yeah, we've all got the preference that we would rather have 299s

a pleasure instead of pain. 304s

However hedonism, hedonism says that which is pleasurable is that which is true, 309s

that which is pleasurable is that which is good. 319s

hedonism says that whatever is good is pleasurable and whatever causes pain is evil. 325s

The phrase, if it feels good, do it. That's the worldview of hedonism, isn't it? 340s

hedonism is traced all the way back to the garden. Let's take a look at Genesis chapter 3, verse 6. 349s

Genesis chapter 3, verse 6. 357s

And here we are in the in the garden and you'll recall that God had said that our first 361s

parents could eat of any tree of in the gardens, save one, the tree of knowledge and good and evil. 368s

God said the day you determined for yourself what's right and wrong you die. Every other tree, 374s

including the tree of life, could be consumed. That was God's plan. But we see then the fall 380s

into sin of our first parents and looking at verse 6 of chapter 3, it says, so when the woman saw 389s

that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be 399s

desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate and she also gave some to her husband 407s

who was with her and he ate. Notice that phrase, the light to the to the eyes. The fruit on the tree 413s

was pleasurable to look at, of course pleasurable then to eat, to sink one's teeth into the good fruit. 421s

The rationalization for Eve was that the fruit was pleasurable. Therefore it must be what? Good. 432s

It must be good. So as she rationalizes and the verse gives a whole rationalizing scheme there 446s

that is going on, she looks at the fruit, it's pleasurable, she knows it would be pleasurable to eat it, 453s

pleasure equals good, that's hedonism isn't it? In terms of the biblical roots, 460s

they didn't go all the way back to the garden. In terms of looking at formal philosophy in the world, 469s

you can really trace hedonism back to the fourth century where we see hedonism as a philosophy 476s

really become embedded and it becomes so embedded that it really is elevated to religion status 484s

and the goal of hedonism elevated to a religion status in the ancient world was transcending the normal limits 496s

of consciousness, transcending the normal limits of consciousness. Dionysius was a god who people 507s

believed could provide the means to do that. So there was a belief for example that in the state of 516s

drunkenness people could have contact with the supernatural and it was understood as not getting low, 527s

but can you guess? But getting what? Getting high, fascinating isn't it? How a phrase like that 536s

is rooted into centuries before. Add to that an array of sexual involvements including temple 545s

prostitution in which it was believed that the temple prostitutes could break down your inhibitions 556s

and you could have contact with the gods. So that's the philosophy of hedonism shows up in the 563s

fourth century. We then see it develop into a religion as it further takes roots. 573s

Then you had a group called the Epicureans and the Epicureans they represented the second stage 583s

of hedonism and they adopted, if you can put these terms on it, a more refined variety of 591s

hedonism. Because what the Epicureans understood is they understood the hedonistic paradox. 602s

Now what's that? The hedonistic paradox goes like this. If you fail to experience pleasure, 613s

that leads to frustration and frustration is painful. The more you seek pleasure and fail to 623s

achieve it, the more frustration then comes into your life and you feel more pain. However, 637s

here comes the paradox. If you achieve all pleasure that you're hoping for, you become 647s

bored with it and boredom is associated with pain. So the Epicureans here, as they tried to 658s

have a more refined variety, they understood that hedonism is just a loser. You lose both 670s

ways. If you achieve what you want, you lose and if you don't achieve what you're searching for, 677s

you lose. And so the result then of hedonism, either way, is ultimately the opposite of what 688s

hedonism values. The end result is, is pain. It's pain. In striving for pleasure, 698s

humans can wind up with pain. Take a look please. Back at Genesis chapter 3, verse 7, 710s

then the eyes of both were opened and they knew that they were naked. They sowed fig leaves 724s

together and made loin claws for themselves. Then down into verse 16, God comes and says, 731s

to the woman, he said, I will greatly increase your pains in child bearing. In pain, you shall bring 741s

forth children. Yet your desire shall be before your husband and he shall rule over you. 748s

Desire there is a word that means that by sin, the woman is going to want to dominate by the sinful 759s

nature, going to want to dominate their husband. That's what that word means. But then notice what 769s

what does the man do and he shall rule over you. There you go. There's the power struggle. 777s

A power struggle born out of sin that can manifest itself in relationships, in marriage, 784s

as both the husband and the wife try and dominate one another, try and dominate one another. 792s

What said all the resulta is all the result of the pain of sin going all the way back 802s

to the hedonistic understanding of Adam and Eve. That pleasure is good. Eid of the fruit makes sense 811s

to us. All that does is it gives rise to pain. Hedenism capitalizes on a universal given 821s

in human nature. That is we like pleasure and we don't like pain. Hedenism capitalizes on it. 835s

In hedonism pleasure becomes the ultimate criteria of value and truth and goodness are determined 849s

by if it causes pleasure. Is hedonism the way of life for the Christian? 866s

Obviously the answer to that is no. Jesus was no hedonist. In fact, what you continually hear 881s

is that there will be suffering in association with following Christ. You hear Jesus talk of 891s

suffering in his own life. Let's go to Luke the ninth chapter, please. Luke chapter 9 will pick up 900s

the book. Jesus says the son of man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, 920s

chief priests and scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. The hedonist would say, 934s

God will avoid that. And avoid that, right? Because suffering is pain. Pain is evil. 944s

Therefore what's the pleasure option here? Jesus says he's going to suffer. He's going to suffer. 953s

Jesus was no hedonist. Let's go to Luke chapter 22 verse 15. Luke chapter 22 verse 15. 961s

Jesus said to them, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 980s

Suffer. Let's go to Luke chapter 24 verse 45. 992s

Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and he said to them, thus it is written 1005s

that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance 1011s

and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem. 1019s

Jesus was no hedonist. There was continually the theme of suffering and the Christian is not 1027s

immune to suffering. The Christian is not immune. Let's go to Philippians chapter 1. Matthew 1033s

Philippians 1 verse 29. And I've got a sermon note that's hiding that verse. So I'm going to refer 1049s

here to my backup here. Philippians chapter 1 verse 29. 1062s

For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ 1079s

but of suffering for him as well. Notice what is associated here with following Christ is that 1086s

there is suffering involved in that going up against the world's systems here. The world won't 1096s

respond kindly to that. Let's go to first Peter chapter 2, first Peter chapter 2 verse 20. 1106s

Good way to find first Peter's go to Revelation. Then work backwards. You're going to run into 1117s

the Johns here and then you're going to run into Peter very quickly, first Peter chapter 4 verse 16. 1124s

If any of you suffers as a Christian do not consider it a disgrace but glorify God because you bear this name. 1141s

That's for I'm sorry that's first Peter 4 16. Let's go to first Peter 2 verse chapter 1 1154s

first Peter 2 verse 20, please. First Peter 2 verse 20. Second part of verse 20 in the in the B portion. 1162s

But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it you have God's approval. The heathenous defines 1174s

good in terms of if it's pleasurable and evil if it's painful. That's how those categories are 1183s

defined. Christians define goodness in terms of faithfulness to the Lord and His word regardless 1192s

of the consequences. The Christian response to hedonism is fundamentally different than the priorities 1201s

of hedonism. I think of a guy by the name of Jonathan Edwards. He was a colonial American 1211s

congregational preacher, theologian and missionary and when he was 18 and 19 he wrote 70 resolutions. 1222s

It was really a personal mission statement for his life. He's writing this when he's 18 and 19. 1232s

And the first resolution that he wrote and what he considered to be the most important 1240s

was that his emphasis of his life was to bring glory to God. That was his first resolution 1248s

that he wrote and that he would quote, do whatsoever he thought would bring most glory to God. 1257s

His Edwards believed that what would bring glory to God was connected. He said quote to his own good 1269s

profit and pleasure. That Edwards looked at life and said the number one thing that I want my 1279s

life to be about is to bring glory to God even if that causes pain, even if that causes suffering. 1288s

I want to glorify God in my life and so even then if I experience suffering and pain, 1297s

that doesn't make me retreat then. It makes me embrace all the more that which is faithful to 1305s

bringing glory to God and he said that brings pleasure. That brings pleasure. I mean that is 1316s

so beautiful of a statement isn't it? That one understands all of their life as to bring glory to God 1326s

and whatever you experience because of that is irrelevant because the pleasure is derived 1334s

from bringing glory to God. What a beautiful, beautiful statement. Let's go to Galatians. 1346s

The first chapter please. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans, 1355s

1st and 2nd Corinthians, then Galatians. Galatians chapter 1, verse 3. 1361s

Paul writes this, chapter 1, verse 3, 1373s

grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 1377s

who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age according to the will 1384s

of our God and Father to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Paul understood it, right? 1393s

Paul understood it. Life has to be lived to the glory of God, full stop. Full stop. 1408s

Whatever you experience, pain comes along and suffering comes along for being a Christian. 1414s

One's pleasure comes not from being unfaithful to God as one seeks to minimize the possibility of 1421s

suffering, but one's pleasure comes in embracing the understanding that all of life is to be 1431s

lived to the glory of God and that is the source of pleasure. That's the source of pleasure. 1437s

Tyranny is the logical end of hedonism. 1449s

Heathenism ultimately winds up in tyranny. 1457s

If the results when the maximizing of one's own pleasure comes by maximizing the pain of somebody else. 1466s

Tyranny is the logical end of hedonism where only the group with the most power can maximize its pleasure. 1482s

And if the hedonist is constantly looking for pleasure, it will ultimately wind to tyranny, 1494s

where the most pleasure then that one can or a group can amass is directly related to not allowing any other group to experience pleasure. 1508s

But to take it all for oneself, the ultimate end of hedonism winds up in tyranny. 1526s

Because the only way you can maximize your own pleasure is to maximize the pain of others. 1537s

Is that dangerous hedonism? How dangerous. 1550s

Augustine, early church father, was a hedonist before he was converted. 1557s

And Augustine has a famous prayer that he penned, that expresses the dilemma of humankind. 1564s

He wrote, 1576s

Oh God, vow has created us for thyselves and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee. 1577s

Oh God, the house created us for thyself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee. 1590s

Augustine saw the link between human restlessness and living against the purpose of creation. 1601s

When we don't understand our purpose, when we don't understand why God has given us breath, which is to bring him glory, we will be restless. 1611s

We will be restless and we will be looking at all kinds of things to try and deal with that 1620s

restlessness instead of saying, my whole call is to bring glory to God. That's what our lives are about. 1628s

In that is our pleasure and all the other stuff. 1638s

The pain that comes along in life, all of it amidst it, one brings glory to God. 1646s

There's the purpose and it's only in the purpose to bring glory to God that we ever begin to address then. 1656s

The restlessness, born of our sin. 1665s

Our Presbyterian friends in their Westminster catechism, it asks the question, what is the chief end? 1669s

What's the chief end? And the answer is humans, chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. 1679s

Yep, absolutely. Good for you Presbyterians, absolutely. 1689s

Absolutely. Sounds like a very Lutheran thing to say. 1695s

As we live each and every day, we can see the world's emphasis of hedonism, 1701s

tempt us in our lives. And we know of the forgiveness that is ours through the cross of Jesus Christ. 1710s

And that forgiveness that keeps coming to us is God keeps raising us up each and every day 1718s

a new in His forgiveness and powering us by His grace to live to His glory. We will continue next week. 1725s