A Reformed Look at Christian Hedonism-7

Conclusion.


Finding pleasure in God is only one aspect of the Christian experience. The Christian must never compartmentalize joy, pleasure, or happiness, but find these attributes peppered throughout the total of our earthly sojourn. The only philosophy of life the believer should embrace is summed up in the word Christian (“follower of Christ”) and everything that it entails. Be imitators of Him. Find perfect contentment in His administrations of peace, prosperity, trials, persecutions, abundance, and wants. Learn in all things how to be content with life’s trails and look with happiness inwardly at Christ and upwardly to heaven. Or as Lachlan Mackenzie puts it,


Happy is he who has Gospel Submission in his will, due order in his afflictions, sound peace in his conscience, real Divinity in his breast, the Redeemer’s yoke on his neck, a vain world under his feet, and a crown of glory over his head. Happy is the life of that man who believes firmly, prays fervently, walks patiently, works abundantly, lives holy, dies daily, watches his heart, guides his senses, redeems his time, loves Christ, and longs for glory. He is necessitated to take the world on his way to heaven, but he walks through it as fast as he can, and all his business by the way is to make himself and others happy. Take him all in all, in two words, he is a Man and a Christian.

___________________________________________________________________

Works Cited List.

  1. Adams, Thomas. Semper Idem; or, the Immutable Mercy of Jesus Christ. Works of Thomas Adams. (Eureka: Tanski Publications, 1997).

  1. Beeke Joel R. Does Assurance Belong to the Essence of Faith? Calvin and the Calvinists, (The Masters Seminary Journal, Spring 1994).

  1. Boston, Thomas. Westminster Shorter Catechism Project (www.shortercatechism.com).

  1. Bridges, Jerry. The Practice of Godliness. (Colorado Springs: Navpress, 1983).

  1. Branden, Nathaniel. The Psychology of Pleasure. Reprinted in, The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism by Ayn Rand (New York: New American Library, 1964).

  1. Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim’s Progress (Heritage Press New York 1942).

  1. Burroughs, Jeremiah. The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. (Banner of Truth Trust, 1987).

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  1. Epicurus. The Pursuit of Pleasure in, Twenty Question: An Introduction to Philosophy. Exec. Ed. David Tatom. (Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt College Publishers, 2000).

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  1. Fisher, James. Westminster Shorter Catechism Project (www.shortercatechism.com).

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  1. Liddell & Scott. Greek- English Lexicon (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990).

  1. Mackenzie, Lachlan, Rev. The Happy Man in Lectures, Sermons, and Writings of a Famous Highland Minister ( Inverness: Published by James Campbell, 1928).

  1. Marshall, Walter. The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification( Audubon: Old Paths Publication 1998).

  1. Masters, Peter. Christian Hedonism: Is it Right? (Sword & Trowel 2002, No.3).

  1. Owen, John. Commentary on the Book of Hebrews. Volume 6. (Marshalton: Puritan Classic Series. 1966).

  1. Pink, A.W. A Four Fold Salvation (Choteau: Gospel Mission Press, 1981).

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    • Discovering God. (Sisters: Multnomah Books, 1996).

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  1. Ryle, J.C. Holiness. (Grand Rapids Michigan: Baker Book House, 1989).

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- Selected Spurgeon Sermons (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978).

  1. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. http://www.dictionary.reference.com.

  1. Vincent, Thomas. The Shorter Catechism Explained From Scripture (Edinburgh :Banner of Truth Trust 1980).

  1. Westminster Confession of Faith (Glasgow: Free Presbyterian Publications, 1964).

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Brakel, Wilheimus a. The Christian’s Reasonable Service. Translated by Bartel Eishout. 4 volumes (esp. vol 3-4). Ligonier, PA: Soli Deo Gloria, 1994-1995.

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