American Hedonism and Jesus

So, what was Jesus’ attitude toward the so-called pleasures of life? What would His take be on American hedonism and excesses in and outside the church nowadays? This question requires another... what are the pleasures of life? 

Some understand pleasure to be sensual gratification, the indulgence of appetites, or those things that gratify the senses. Jesus used this meaning in Luke 8:14, where He explains the Parable of the Sower. He says, “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” Jesus has in mind, putting worldly pleasures in the place of God. This is a bad place to be, Christian or not. Jesus' parable clearly frowns upon this.

People absorbed with frivolous, light-minded, superficial activities, and wasting time and strength merely to please the senses, this is what Jesus condemns. The people “choked” are those focusing solely on entertainment, sports, games, parties, eating for the sake of eating, dress, and etc.—these people are drunk with the cares of this world, and, therefore, bring no spiritual or worthy fruit to perfection. They're hedonists.

Did Jesus condemn everything that was not solemn or serious? No. He went to a marriage-feast with His disciples (John 2:1, 12). He told His disciples what to do when they celebrated feasts (Luke 14:13). He accepted invitations to social functions (Luke 5:29; John 12:2; Matt. 9:11; Luke 13:26). Indeed, Jesus attended celebratory events and dinner engagements so regularly, that the Pharisees called Him “a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber” (Luke 5:30; 7:34). Although He ate and drank joyously, He went to events to fellowship and used them as an occasion to discuss spiritual matters (Luke 7:36-50; 11:37-40; 14:1-14). Jesus did not seek to indulge the appetites or senses, however; He even neglected food on occasion (John 4:31-34; Mark 3:20, 21). He practiced restraint. He fasted. He overcame temptation.

Jesus didn’t desire worldly pleasure as an end in itself. The early Church understood this about Jesus, which is why the Church condemned the world so vigorously (Tit. 3:3; 2 Pet. 2:13; 1 Tim. 5:6; Jas. 5:5). Waste, extravagance, vulgarity, selfishness, prodigality, and exclusiveness are hostile to the spirit of communion and blessing in Jesus’ life and teaching (Luke 12:19-21).

Jesus’ constantly emphasized those things that were enduring. He told people not to focus on this present world with its trite pleasures but on the afterlife with its everlasting joy (Matt. 6:19, 20; 13:22; Luke 16:13). This does not mean Jesus did not enjoy the beauty of the world. He pointed to the creation often in His teaching (Matt. 6:28, 29; Luke 15:11- 32). He was pleased to have His disciples admire the beauty of God’s (His) creation (Matt. 18:1-3; 6:16). Yet He urged them to keep these things in the proper spiritual perspective.

Jesus taught His disciples about lasting and everlasting pleasures. Therefore, Jesus says, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). Paul spoke often about the pleasures of God (Eph. 1:5, 9; Phil. 2:13; 2 Thess. 1:11), and about our ability as His children to please Him (1 Thess. 2:4, 5; 4:1; Gal. 1:15; 1 Cor. 12:18; Col. 1:19). In some of these passages, the word translated please/ἀρέσκοντες, means to “think well” or to “choose.” What I/we think about and choose to do is what pleases me. Jesus lifts life’s tastes and desires to a new and higher plane of pleasure, to fill people with true joy—not of fleeting sense, but of spirit; not of the beauty of this world only, but also of the incomprehensible luxuriousness of the world to come in our glorification in spirit bodies.

Is this how American Christians approach pleasures? I fear not. Do American Christians reflect this in their words and behaviors? If not something is awry. We'd be well advised to course correct and do some deep soul-searching self-analysis. If not our pleasure will be fleeting and temporary and our condemnation may be eternal.