Biblical Concept: Comparative
Religions: Hedonism
Prologue
A grandson of mine had a college professor who was a
self-proclaimed hedonist. This professor
said that if he was God, he would reward “critical thinking” to include the
maximizing of pleasure in one’s lifetime.
Introduction
The subject of hedonism got me thinking about it from
a Biblical perspective. The Bible
declares that hedonism has been tried before!
How about that hedonist, no new “critical thinking”—nothing new under
the sun. As a matter of fact, the Bible
describes one of the world’s greatest hedonists: King Solomon. Before we get to him let us start with a
little New Testament.
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Romans 1:18-32 18 For the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is
known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the
world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been
clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are
without excuse. 21 For even
though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they
became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they
became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God
for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed
animals and crawling creatures. 24
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that
their bodies might be dishonored among them.
25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and
worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed
forever. Amen. 26 For this
reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the
natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way
also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their
desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving
in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see
fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do
those things which are not proper, 29
being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy,
murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God,
insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding,
untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32
and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such
things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty
approval to those who practice them.
Observations:
I wonder how many hedonists have ever read this
passage? Here is an interesting conclusion
from it for a modern-day hedonist: Go ahead!
Perhaps you are ignorant of the scientific advances in intelligent
design that demonstrate a Beginner of the universe. As a hedonist, you have rejected this Beginner. Because you have rejected, the Beginner
will allow you to make your own beginning and see how it goes? How many successful, trust worthy, family-oriented,
civilization building, society serving, philanthropic, hedonists do you admire?
You possibly think my Christian grandson judged you? He came to have pity on you…
Now to one of the greatest hedonists of all time:
King Solomon.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-26 1 I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with
pleasure. So enjoy yourself." And behold, it too
was futility. 2 I said of
laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it
accomplish?" 3 I
explored with my mind how to
stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what
good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their
lives. 4 I enlarged my works:
I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made
gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6
I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing
trees. 7 I bought male and
female slaves, and I had homeborn slaves. Also, I possessed flocks and herds
larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.
8 Also, I collected for myself silver and gold, and the
treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers
and the pleasures of men-- many concubines.
9 Then I became great and increased more than all who
preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 And all that my eyes desired I
did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my
heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my
labor. 11 Thus I considered
all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted,
and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under
the sun. 12 So I turned to
consider wisdom, madness and folly, for what will the man do who will
come after the king except what has
already been done? 13 And I
saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. 14 The wise man's eyes are in his
head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them
both. 15 Then I said to
myself, "As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have
I been extremely wise?" So I said to myself,
"This too is vanity." 16
For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in
the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool
alike die! 17 So I hated
life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me;
because everything is futility and striving after wind. 18 Thus I hated all the fruit of
my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man
who will come after me. 19
And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control
over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under
the sun. This too is vanity. 20
Therefore I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had
labored under the sun. 21
When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he
gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a
great evil. 22 For what does
a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the
sun? 23 Because all his days
his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This
too is vanity. 24 There is
nothing better for a man than to eat
and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen, that
it is from the hand of God. 25
For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? 26 For to a person who is good in
His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has
given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is
good in God's sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.
Observations:
Oh hedonist, on a teacher’s salary and position, the
king of a kingdom is a better hedonist than you! What did it get him—vanity…
Nine times in Ecclesiastes, Solomon concludes: ‘Get
oriented God and enjoy life.’ Again,
from above:
24 There is nothing better for
a man than to eat and drink and tell
himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen, that it is from the hand
of God. 25 For who can eat
and who can have enjoyment without Him? 26
For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and
joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so
that he may give to one who is good in God's sight. This too is vanity and
striving after wind.
And another:
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 18
Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy
oneself in all one's labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this
is his reward. 19
Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has
also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in
his labor; this is the gift of God. 20
For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him
occupied with the gladness of his heart.
Observation:
To hedonists everywhere—join us in the riches that a
relationship with the God of the Bible can bring. God’s grace abundance in
Jesus wants to give you eternal life and all
that a heavenly life will be.
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He
became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (Jesus = grace riches from heaven. Remarkable.)
Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to
the riches of His grace, (The grace of Jesus = salvation riches.)
Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead
in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have
been saved), [The grace of Jesus made us eternally alive.]
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have
been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of
God; (Grace + non-meritorious faith in Jesus = the gift of eternal salvation. Anyone can receive it.)
“Think critically” and obtain eternal
life riches by belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hedonism in this life is a waste compared to: ‘just as it is written,
"Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man,
all that God has prepared for those who love Him."’