JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q1. Hedonism - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure?

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[color=blue]1a.) No.[/color]
1b.) (4:1-3) What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure?
[color=blue]1b.) It is "me-focused" and not "God focused." The sin nature in us is never satisfied as you can see in the world today. Through seeking to live a life filled with the Holy Spriit for the glory of God, that empty place in our heart that only God can fill; will satisfy. "[/color][color=purple]His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires[/color][color=blue]." (2 Peter 1:3-4)[/color]

[font="Geneva"]Pleasure is not forbidden by God. Christians are not expected to live a vow of poverty, nor embrace a dour existence on Earth. But when pleasure seeking becomes obsessive and self-oriented—our lives are focused upon ourselves, and we have deny God’s grace. How vain we can be. [color=green]All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. (Ecc 2:10)[/color]

But pleasure exists outside our bodily desires and our self-pride. As we grown in faith, we find abundant pleasure in serving a loving God and meeting the needs of our brothers. [color=green]A man's steps are established by the LORD, and He takes pleasure in his way. (Psa 37:23)[/color]
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Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure?
God is not against pleasure. But when seeking pleasure becomes our main goal in life then we are not living for God. Self pleasure can become very destructive.

What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure?
When we live only for self pleasure we become selfish. When our prayers are centered on our pleasure alone, our focus in no longer on Him but on things of this world.

Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure?

There are Godly pleasures and there are non-Godly pleasures. If we live only to gain pleasure for ourselves--particularly pleasure in things God has said are sinful--we are only considering ourselves! That should be last on our list of concerns. God wants us to consider others first, not take what we can grab before our neighbor can get it! That is selfishness, which is sin.
When we live for the Lord, we find our greatest pleasures are in serving Him by serving others! Sometimes we only look at what we will "give up" if we do something for others. But, when we do it anyway, we find only joy and deep satisfaction!
So, if we live only for our pleasure, we miss His fellowship and the wonderful experience of being used by Him! No mere "pleasure" is worth that!

Is God against pleasure? NO! he's not against all pleasures. I guess it depends what you consider to be a pleasure. If it belittles, hurts or takes away from someone else then yes GOD is against it.

What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure?
You'll get your pleasure if you deserve it. You don't have to go working towards it. GOD always gives you what is right including pleasure. If all you do is for pleasure than you are looking for a reward. If you get your reward now than you've already got it.

Absolutely not, as long as it's in line with His will. If our pleasure is preaching the gospel or using our gifts to glorify His name - pleasure it is!!! However, if our pleasure is non-edifying to others or ourselves and doesn't glorify God, it's wrong because it is a hindrance to those who might otherwise have come to the Lord, or it may offend a new believer (better a millstone be hung around one's neck than to offend these little ones..) and cause them to sin.

Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart."
This verse says it all. If we are walking in fellowship and obedience with the LORD He will give us the desires of our heart because they will be in line with His will.

Is God against pleasure?
God is against all delights of the flesh, that draw us away from the things
He has prepared for us. However, kept in a proper balance, with the king-
dom of God first in our lives , is acceptable to Him.

Living to increase one's pleasure is a personal quarantee of missing out
on what God has prepared for us. In the flesh dwelleth no good thing; they
that are of the flesh are earthly minded, and they that are of the Spirit are
heavenly minded. After Solomon got ALL of the pleasure that a man could
wish for, his final conclusion was, "All is vanity and vexation of spirit".
Sinful desires and affections stop prayer.

1. No
2. For you are only thinking of yourself your own pleasure you are not thinking of others.

Q1. (4:1-3)
Is God against pleasure?
[color=blue]No, God wants us to have joy but the joy that comes with unselfish love.[/color]

What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure?
[color=blue]It only gives momentarily satisfaction.
To give to others builds godly character and heavenly treasures.[/color]

Is God against pleasure?
No, God loves for us to please ourselves and to satisfied at all times. He wants us to be happy as long as we know that this pleasure and happiness will not remove us from the ways of God.

What wrong is in living to increase one's pleasure?
Living to increase one's pleasure is not wrong in its own context, the reason why is the problem. I f we want to increase our pleasure because we want to show off and are self centered then it is wrong because we would be focusing on the things of the earth, BUT if our pleasure will be a blessing to God's children and we willuse it to testify of God's graetness then pleasure should increase.

God is not against our having pleasure-God -kind of pleasures.

Living to increase one's pleasures is dangerous because most times it will be guided by our flesh that is always in enimity with God.

In America we have the pronouns wrong. It is not about I or me. Our focus should be about him (Jesus) he (God). May be if we would take your eyes off your selves and look to Jesus we might see revival in America.
When we are seekig pleasure we are looking to ourselves not to God.
God wants us to have joy. Joy come when we are dead to ourselves and alive in Christ

Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure
NO, God is not against pleasure. He created pleasure for us if we are obedient to him. MyBeloved's quote of Ps 37:4 is so on target. None of us could say it better than scripture.
If we live to increase our pleasure then we are not living for God, but for ourselves. We are to deny self. Selfishness is sin.

If Life more abundantly is not pleasure, than I don't know what is! God is for love. The greatest pleasures are in intimately knowing our glorious Lord Jesus, giving, having this marvellous international family, living in God's presence, knowing our heavenly rewards are coming. The world of the Father is joy in the midst of trouble, joy which can never be taken from us, the joy of the Lord is our strength. But cheap pleasures of the world are death traps and Father would have us avoid these at all costs.

Livign to increase one's pleasure, when it is not measured by Godliness, is blind, ignorant, foolish, temporary, selfish. Selfish pleasure is destructive and desensitises us to those around us as well as to God. Desensitisation is akin to dehumanising (others). It effectively puts us out of (effective listening)communication with everyone. Awareness is everything in God's Kingdom. Life is alertness, knowledge, sensitivity, responsiveness, LOVE. Lack of awareness of God and His Creation is death to the spirit, death to the (wo)man, because God is about relationship and LOVE, which do not exist in the self-centred, hedonistic lifestyle, being all about self.

For those committed to the hedonistic lifestyle, Love is a totally misunderstood concept in terms of !Corinthians 13, about patience, long-suffering, kindness, etc, ie not about oneself at all.

Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure?


[color=blue]No, he is not against pleasure. In fact, He want His children to enjoy life. That's why He created this beautiful world for us to enjoy and have pleasure. There are so many wonderful things that God created for us to enjoy. We can have all the pleasure under God's conditions. When we don't follow God's conditions and seek pleasure to fulfill our own hearts desire, then that hurts God. As the Psalmist puts it, His ways are not ours and His thoughts not ours. If we enjoy anything along with God, then that is pleasure for both.[/color]

[color=red]Living to increase our own pleasures will undoubtedly lead to sinful practices and sinning. These are against God's principles and He strongly condemns them. We'd better be careful how we live as ultimately it will decide where we will spend eternity. [/color]

No God is not against pleasure, He needs us to have a balance so that we do not live in any one extreme.

Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure?
I doubt God is against pleasure per se. Indeed God created man according to His good pleasure, and all things in this world are created for man's pleasure. (see Genesis 1.26-28).
That is to say for our enjoyment.
But when Sin came, the world became corrupted and evil existed.
The original pleasure that God intended for man was lost.
**** took its place instead. More often, the pleasure we entertained today as mentioned in James 4.1-3 "come from your desires"(****).
Therefore, to increase one's pleasure(self) displeases God as it is out of our own ****. The flesh cannot please God (Romans 8.5-9).
Galations 5.16,17, also written by the Apostle Paul, clearly warns us of the conflicting dangers of "fulfilling the **** of the flesh(pleasures).
If we are led by the Spirit, let us then "walk in the Spirit"(Galations 5.16). Hence, the pleasure that pleases our God will be good and clean fun! (Phillipians 4.8,9).

No, God is not against pleasure. So long as He is in it with you and it is not self serving. When it is all about you and what you want, not considering others, then it is for personal pleasure and it is wrong. It must be centered around God's will for you and not your own.
Usually, if you are living to increase your own pleasure----- God is not in it to begin with. It is your own selfish desires. You are not living to love others or God. You are pursuing what is evil and being selfish to attain personal pleasure. That's exactly what they are---- personal--- without God's input. God answers pray!!!! Take everything to Him and watch and wait for your answer and you will be amazed when the answer comes..