Question 1

Is it true that the Christian life and experiencing pleasure don’t mix?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 16:11You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.Psalm 37:4Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.John 10:10“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”God created us to find pleasure in our relationship with him. The pleasures and blessings that come from knowing the Lord are one of the most wonderful parts of the Christian life.Song of Songs 7:1-13Oh, how beautiful you are! How pleasing, my love, how full of delights!God created husbands and wives to experience the intimate pleasures of marriage. Understanding and experiencing these pleasures as a married couple are also part of the Christian life.Ecclesiastes 2:1-11I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless.Not all pleasure is good and often we pursue the wrong pleasures, those that ultimately harm us or that bring no meaning or purpose to our lives. As a result of pursuing the wrong pleasures, life eventually begins to seem meaningless, as we discover we have been wasting our time chasing what cannot satisfy our deepest needs.Isaiah 5:11-12What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk. They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties—lyre and harp, tambourine and flute—but they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing.Seeking pleasure in ungodly things is self-destructive. The pleasures that come from a self-serving attitude are harmful to yourself and to those around you. Listen for those times when God alerts you to the fact that you have walked into a wilderness place in your life. It is very possible you have entered that place by pursuing worldly delights that cannot satisfy.Luke 8:14“The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.”If pleasure becomes our ultimate goal, spiritual growth can be choked out by the pursuit of pleasure or the riches that promise pleasure. Often our greatest growth comes when we must go without certain pleasures.Romans 8:5-8Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. . . . those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.Living for the pleasures of our old nature is not pleasing to God. If you find yourself getting angry when you are warned about the dangers of your pursuit of pleasure, you are likely resisting what God is telling you.Psalm 1:1-2Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.The greatest pleasures come from pleasing God and experiencing the peace and joy that are rewards of a life faithful to God. The voices in the world around us may be persuasive, but we need to give priority to the voice of God’s Spirit and the truth in his Word.

Question 2

What gives God pleasure?

Accepted Answer

Job 1:8Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”Matthew 3:17A voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”Matthew 25:21“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’”God takes pleasure when we are faithful to him because it demonstrates a true commitment to him.John 8:29“And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.”God is pleased when we obey him because it demonstrates our love for him.Hebrews 11:5It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.Hebrews 11:6It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.God takes pleasure when we trust him because it demonstrates our faith in him.Ephesians 1:5, 9God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. . . . God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan.It gives God great pleasure to give eternal life to those who come to him through faith in Jesus Christ.

Question 3

What kinds of pleasure am I free to enjoy?

Accepted Answer

Ecclesiastes 2:24So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.1 Timothy 4:4-5Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer.God intends for us to enjoy the life he gave us, and the good things he created for all people to enjoy.Nehemiah 8:10Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”It is good to enjoy occasions that celebrate God’s goodness and love.Psalm 127:4-5Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!God wants us to enjoy the blessings of children and of our families.John 4:34Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.”The best kind of pleasure is delighting in doing what God wants.Psalm 16:5, 11Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. . . . You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.God wants us to take pleasure in him because he knows all of the good blessings he has in store for us.

Question 4

What kinds of pleasures are wrong?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 5:11-12What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk. . . . they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing.It is wrong to pursue pleasure without also pursuing God’s role in it. Pleasure without God is empty, addicting you to need more and more in order to feel good. Taking pleasure in what the Lord is doing in your life is a great source of satisfaction.Galatians 5:19-21When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, . . . drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.James 1:13-15Remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.Pleasure that involves anything identified in Scripture as sin will lead to suffering and ultimately to destruction.