JoyceAlaska Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? No--but, He is against hedonistic pleasure--pleasing only self--living for pleasure rather than for God. What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? The emphasis is on self--and we are not our own, but bought with a price! Our focus needs to be on God, not on our pleasing ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? No, God is not agains me having pleasure, the thing is if my pleasure is hurting someone then it is wrong. I am God's daughter and He enjoys watching me have pleasure but not at the expence of someone else, nor if it is in sin. That is completely out of the question. What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? As long as our eyes are on our Father first then there is nothing wrong with it. When it becomes wrong is when our eyes are on self first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Nabors Posted March 1, 2005 Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? God is not against pleasure. In fact God commands us to be happy, joyful and delighted but with Him as the place where we find our happiness, satisfaction and joy. Psalm 37:4 tells us "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your hearts." When we recognize that God is the only being of intrinsic value and worth and focus on Him for our pleasure and happiness, God is exalted and glorified and we are satisfied. The problem when we live to increase our own pleasure comes when we are focused on ourselves as the ultimate in value and worth instead of God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda bass Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 Is God against pleasure? No He isn't. Just because we are Christians doesn't mean that we can't enjoy life. What's wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? Because then we are seeking our own selfish wants and desires which may be contrary to would God wants for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggie Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? No, God is not against pleasure, and I believe that is well pointed out in Matthew 6:30-32 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Seeking pleasure is only wrong when, as our lesson this week teaches, we ask with the wrong motives. We must seek God FIRST and not let things of this world come before that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann K Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 No, God is not aginst pleasure. Not if it is one where we are striving to fulfill God's Will for us, Where we are living to love others and help them. In living to increase one's pleasure we are seeking only our own 'self happiness' not concerned with our fellow man and the grace of God. I am becoming more self centered and not doing the will of God when I try to increase my pleasure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utopia_in_extremis Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 God is not against pleasures. But when we satisfy our own selfish needs, that's when God does not approve. God wants us to serve others, not ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgejv Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 God wants us to have pleasure of the right kind.Not the kind that we can hurt ourselves with. Whats wrong is written all over the Word of God, and in our hearts - if we listen to it. Follow his Word and you will get 'heavenly joy' - pleasure that does not enslave us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim E. Posted May 10, 2005 Report Share Posted May 10, 2005 God is not against pleasure. He is however trying to tell us that what we desire in moderation should be sought from God. In reverance to God our desire should be controlled and subjected to the will of God. Our problem is we allow our lusts to prevail unchecked. If we obstained from doing harm to ourselves and to others we would be enriched by God. We want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glory Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 GOD IS NOT AGAINST PLEASURE .HOWEVER IN GOD'S KINGDOM PLEASURE IS DEFINED DIFFERENTLY THAN IN THE WORLD'S SYSTEM.GOD HAS ALREADY MADE PROVISION FOR US, HIS CHILDREN WHO ARE SEEKING HIM FIRST..MT 6:33.THEREFORE WE DO NOT HAVE TO WAR AND FIGHT OR **** AFTER THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD.GOD HAS MADE COMPLETE PROVISIONS FOR US AND THEREFORE WE CAN REST IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED IF WE'RE PUTTING CHRIST FIRST IN OUR LIVES.TO DO THIS HOWEVER, WE CANT BE SELFISH BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE UP THE CARNAL LIFESTYLE AND CRUCIFY THE FLESH DAILY.WE CAN LIVE TO INCREASE OUR OWN PLEASURES BUT I THINK IT'S THE MOST MISERABLE LIFE SERVING MYSELF ALL THE TIME....GOD BLESS....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastrea Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 No I do not think that I serve a kill-joy God, but so much pleasure is self centred in the world. I have only recently been converted I feel although I went to Church for years. I was Christianized rather than Saved. I used to seek pleasure to make me happy, but then I read the words of Augustine, that "our souls are restless until they find their rest in God". How true. And how I now understand that statement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolynne Speck Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 No God is not against us having pleasure. There is nothing wrong in living to increase one's pleasure, as long as it is not self centered, and we do not leave Jesus out of it, and we share our pleasure with other's. Showing the love of the Lord. Amen, Thank you Jesus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbie4 Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 As long as our "pleasures" involve God in the process. We need to be careful and know that God is not only in our "busyness" but in our recreation as well. We take God along If we ask according to God's will He is faithful and just and will accomplish just that in our lives. He wants us to en "joy" life to the fullest but in His ways. It becomes wrong when we live out our pleasures in order to satisfy our own desires which become evil if we don't involve God. We become greedy, lustful and rebellious. We need to invite God into our work and play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saved55s Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 Is God against pleasure? God is definitely not against pleasure. He is against the pleasure of the world, which includes wild parties, drunkenness, gambling, etc, etc, etc {the list is endless}, but he desires us to have pleasure in our lives. Pleasure that does not cause strife to either ourselves or others as often happens in the world eg: at wild parties. He wants us to be filled with the joy of the Lord. What Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnd Posted July 25, 2006 Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? God is not against pleasure. What he is against are our own selfish desires which we should ask God to get rid of and trust Him to give us what we really need. John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustJeff Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 God is not against pleasure, as long as what we are doing is pleasing to Him and, seeking pleasure in Him. On the other hand, if we work to fulfill the lusts of our flesh we are leading ourselves away from Him, into the arms of the Adversary. This is not the kind of pleasure that God wants us to have. As you say, it is Hedonism, living for our own pleasures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 No God is not against pleasures, only when we become self absorbed does it not please God. God is willing to give to us freely, but if we approach in prayer for self-gain we can not expect an answered prayer. Also, we should have a repenting heart when we get this attitude and humbly come before God and say" not my will, but Yours be done". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plethra Posted January 17, 2007 Report Share Posted January 17, 2007 I do not think that God is against pleasure, providing that the pleasure is not sin based. The problem comes when pleasure is the most imprtant thing in our lives. God wants us to have an "abundant" life. But if our abundance is not shared with others then we have a problem. Its alot like tithing and giving. We get to give, monetarily, in our love and compassion, in reaching out to help others. God wants us to be blessed but He also wants us to BE a blessing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewell Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 God is not against pleasure. But we must first live to love others, putting ourselves second. Living to increase one's own pleasure is putting one's self first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanharmelink Posted April 22, 2007 Report Share Posted April 22, 2007 Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure?No Gaod is not against pleasure as long as it is God pleasing.W ahen the world squeezes us into its mold do we seel pleasures that bring evil into our lives. When our motives are are pure and not self seeking they will bring pleasure But when we choose to lve in the world aor perspective grows dim and we lose sight w jat is within God's perimeters. we oftem argue with God and ourselves { struggle within ourselves} to justify the pleasure. Thee world abeccckons us around every corner. So bewaare Satan is so clevver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJB123 Posted May 27, 2007 Report Share Posted May 27, 2007 1) God is not againist pleasure as long as it is within His will for our lives. God wants us to have joy and to have the desires of heart. We have to be careful that we do not let our pleasures and desires come before God. 2) When you are thinking of yourself and your pleasures and what you have, a person will tend to lose focus of God therefore causing them to fall away from God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissioned Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? God is against pleasure when sought for for selfish and evil purposes. What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? When pleasure is for evil and selfish motives, living to increase one's pleasure is indeed wrong. Pleasure that comes from pure and unselfish intent, to bring the love of God into the life of another also brings pleasure to God. He delights in our obedience to His Word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted September 19, 2007 Report Share Posted September 19, 2007 Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? I don't believe God is against pleasure in and of itself. So many things God has given us are pleasurable. However, it is when pleasure displaces God in our lives and becomes our single focus that it becomes displeasing to God. When the pursuit of pleasure leads to a self-centered radical individualism that displaces what God expects out of us as His people that pleasure becomes sin and a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Lizzie Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? God is certainly not against pleasure as it says: Psalm 16:11 (New International Version) 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. What is wrong in living to increase one's pleasure is that it makes us selfish and uncaring. We need to be in close relationship with Jesus and ensure we seek Him first. He has plenty of joy and pleasure for us as we do this and it is much more satisfying that the things of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? I believe that God wants us to be happy. I believe that as long as we have our priorities right, God will not be angry with us. "Seek ye firts the kingdom of God...." That should be our priority. God will bring pleasure into our lives. Living to increase one's pleasure is not the ideal way for a Christian to think and act. This is a selfish ambition because all we want to do is attend to our needs first. We should have a balanced mind in that we have pleasure, but also give pleasure to others as well. There are many who have needs, let alone pleasures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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