Desiring God, Revised Edition

1. Christian Hedonism: Pursuing joy in God as the foundation of faith

The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.

Redefining Christianity. Christian Hedonism challenges the traditional view that seeking pleasure is selfish or un-Christian. Instead, it posits that pursuing joy in God is not only permissible but commanded. This approach aligns human desires with divine purposes, making the pursuit of pleasure in God the core of Christian faith and practice.

Biblical support. The Psalms repeatedly exhort believers to "delight yourself in the Lord" and "taste and see that the Lord is good." Jesus himself promised abundant life and fullness of joy to his followers. By seeking satisfaction in God, believers actually honor Him as the supreme source of all good things.

Practical implications. This perspective transforms every aspect of Christian life:

• Worship becomes a joyful feast rather than a dutiful obligation
• Obedience flows from delight rather than mere duty
• Evangelism becomes an invitation to ultimate happiness
• Suffering is reframed as a path to deeper joy in God

2. God's glory and our joy are intertwined, not competing interests

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

Resolving the tension. Many Christians feel a conflict between glorifying God and pursuing their own happiness. Christian Hedonism resolves this by showing that these are not competing interests, but perfectly aligned. When we find our deepest joy in God, we simultaneously bring Him the most glory.

God's self-sufficiency. The key to understanding this is recognizing God's complete self-sufficiency. He does not need anything from us, so our attempts to "serve" Him as if He were needy actually diminish His glory. Instead, we glorify God most when we come to Him as receptive and needy creatures, delighting in His fullness.

Implications:

• Our pursuit of joy in God is a form of worship
• Self-denial for Christ's sake is actually enlightened self-interest
• God is not glorified by reluctant service, but by joyful satisfaction in Him
• The command to glorify God and the command to rejoice are essentially the same

3. Conversion creates a Christian Hedonist, radically changing desires

Conversion is nothing less than the creation of a Christian Hedonist.

New birth, new desires. True conversion is not merely a change of beliefs or behaviors, but a radical transformation of desires. The Holy Spirit gives the new believer a taste for God's glory, making Him appear as the supreme treasure and source of satisfaction.

From duty to delight. This change of heart moves the believer from grudging obedience to joyful pursuit of God. Faith is no longer seen as believing in spite of lack of evidence, but as being so satisfied with God's promises that one is willing to leave everything for Him.

Key aspects of this transformation:

• A new ability to see and savor God's beauty
• Reordering of life's priorities around the pursuit of joy in God
• Willingness to suffer loss for the sake of greater gain in Christ
• A growing distaste for worldly pleasures that compete with joy in God

4. True worship combines deep emotion with sound doctrine

We praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment.

Holistic worship. Authentic worship engages both the heart and the mind. It is not merely an intellectual exercise, nor is it purely emotional. True worship arises from a deep understanding of who God is and what He has done, coupled with a heartfelt response of joy, gratitude, and awe.

Emotion and truth. The Bible commands us to worship "in spirit and in truth." This means our affections must be stirred by accurate knowledge of God. Doctrinal truth without emotion is dry orthodoxy; emotion without doctrinal grounding is shallow sentimentality. True worship marries deep feeling with deep thinking about God.

Elements of true worship:

• Grounded in biblical truth about God's nature and acts
• Engages the whole person: mind, heart, and will
• Expresses itself in both contemplation and celebration
• Seeks to increase joy in God through deeper understanding and experience of Him

5. Prayer is the ultimate expression of Christian Hedonism

Prayer pursues joy in fellowship with Jesus and in the power to share His life with others.

Redefining prayer. Christian Hedonism transforms our understanding of prayer from a duty-driven activity to a joy-seeking encounter with God. Prayer becomes the means by which we actively pursue our deepest satisfaction in communion with God and participation in His purposes.

God's glory in answered prayer. When we pray, we acknowledge our dependence on God and His all-sufficiency. God is glorified not when we try to be His benefactors, but when we come to Him as needy recipients of His grace. Answered prayer magnifies God's power and goodness.

Key aspects of hedonistic prayer:

• Seeking joy in God's presence as the primary aim
• Asking boldly based on God's promises
• Praying for God's will as the surest path to our highest good
• Using prayer to align our desires with God's purposes

6. Money serves as currency for Christian Hedonism when used for God's glory

Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

Eternal investment. Christian Hedonism reframes our view of money and possessions. Instead of seeing them as ends in themselves, they become means to pursue greater joy in God. By using our resources for God's kingdom, we "lay up treasures in heaven," investing in eternal rewards that far outweigh temporary pleasures.

Breaking the power of materialism. This perspective liberates us from the tyranny of materialism. We can hold our possessions loosely, knowing that giving them away for Christ's sake actually increases our joy and eternal reward. Generosity becomes a path to greater happiness, not a reluctant duty.

Practical implications:

• Simplicity of lifestyle to free up resources for kingdom purposes
• Joyful giving as a means of increasing our satisfaction in God
• Viewing wealth as a stewardship opportunity rather than a personal right
• Prioritizing eternal investments over temporary comforts

7. Missions and suffering are the ultimate expressions of Christian joy

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Joy-driven sacrifice. Christian Hedonism provides the deepest motivation for missions and enduring suffering for Christ. When we truly believe that joy in God surpasses all earthly pleasures, we're willing to sacrifice everything to spread that joy to others and to deepen it in ourselves through trials.

Suffering as a path to joy. Rather than seeing suffering as something to be avoided, Christian Hedonism recognizes it as a means to greater joy in God. Suffering strips away competing pleasures, deepens our dependence on God, and increases our capacity for future joy.

Key points:

• Missions flows from the desire to see others experience joy in God
• Suffering for Christ is choosing a superior joy over lesser comforts
• The joy set before us (like Christ) enables endurance in trials
• Our willingness to suffer magnifies the worth of Christ to others

8. Scripture kindles and sustains the joy of the Christian Hedonist

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.

Fuel for joy. The Bible is not primarily a rulebook, but a means of kindling and sustaining our joy in God. Scripture reveals God's character, promises, and purposes, providing the fuel for our delight in Him. Regular engagement with the Bible is essential for maintaining and increasing our satisfaction in God.

Transformation through truth. As we meditate on Scripture, the Holy Spirit uses it to transform our minds and hearts. We begin to see reality from God's perspective, which reorients our desires and increases our capacity for joy in Him.

Benefits of Scripture for the Christian Hedonist:

• Reveals the beauty and worth of God
• Strengthens faith in God's promises
• Provides guidance for pursuing lasting joy
• Corrects misguided pursuits of happiness
• Reminds us of the superiority of joy in God over worldly pleasures

9. Marriage reflects Christ's relationship with the church through mutual joy

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Divine design. Christian Hedonism transforms our view of marriage. Rather than seeing it primarily as a means of personal fulfillment or a duty to be endured, marriage becomes a living parable of Christ's relationship with the church. The mutual pursuit of joy in and through one another reflects the joy Christ has in His bride.

Selfless hedonism. This perspective calls both husbands and wives to seek their own joy through pursuing the joy of their spouse. It's a form of "selfless hedonism" that mirrors Christ's self-giving love for the church, which ultimately brought Him joy.

Key aspects of a Christian Hedonist marriage:

• Husbands love sacrificially, finding joy in their wife's flourishing
• Wives submit joyfully, recognizing it as a means to greater satisfaction
• Both partners seek to outdo one another in love and service
• The marriage relationship becomes a means of deepening joy in God

10. Affections are essential, not optional, in authentic Christian living

Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.

Heart transformation. Christian Hedonism insists that true Christianity involves a transformation of the heart's affections, not merely outward behavior or intellectual assent. Genuine faith produces new desires, emotions, and passions centered on God and His glory.

Commands to feel. The Bible doesn't just command actions, but emotions. We are told to rejoice, love, hope, fear God, and delight in His Word. These commands reveal that our affections are not morally neutral, but a crucial part of our obedience to God.

Implications for Christian living:

• Pursuit of right affections, not just right actions
• Recognition that joy, love, and other godly emotions can be cultivated
• Repentance for wrong affections, not just wrong behaviors
• Emphasis on heart change as the source of lasting obedience

Last updated: August 17, 2024