Christian Hedonism, the Glory of God, and the Holidays

I’ve never agreed with John Piper’s Christian hedonism theology. While I understand the need to react and respond to Kantian deontology, I reject the idea that you cannot love man or please God if you abandon the pursuit of your own joy. It’s a concept that is obviously prone to misunderstanding and abuse. Piper himself has caused some minor controversies in how he has applied it, particularly in making both broad and specific claims about what should or should not qualify as finding pleasure and satisfaction in life. Yet, it seems to be a very American theological idea, bordering on a health-and-wealth Prosperity Gospel. Indeed, it seems to want to split the difference, saying, “If you pursue satisfaction in God, you will receive spiritual prosperity.” I recently read David Platt’s book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. While I appreciated the motivation behind the book and the general thrust of his point, I thought it was not radical enough. While the book contains great emphasis on much selflessness and anti-consumerism, I nevertheless felt that he was simply trading the accumulation of material prosperity for that of spiritual prosperity. While such a trade may be a step up, it nevertheless is a self-centered conception, though I doubt Platt would see it that way.

Here are some problems with Christian hedonism:

1) It appears to cloak self-centeredness in God centeredness. At best, it’s the theological equivalent of wanting to have one’s cake and eat it too. 

2) Like prosperity theology, Christian hedonism often neglects the subject of unfair suffering and injustice. While books like Deuteronomy and Proverbs teach the general truth that pursuit of God results in blessings, the books of Job and Ecclesiastes teach the particular truth that tragedy and suffering can sometimes strike the righteous. Indeed, 1 Peter and other New Testament books plainly state that those pursuing satisfaction in God should expect suffering.

3) Even if we agree that pursuit of satisfaction in God will provide one’s deepest joy, either in this life or in the age to come, that doesn’t mean that that should be our primary motivation. Marital relations are the result of marriage, but that doesn’t mean that marital relations should be the primary motivation for marriage.

Both John Piper and David Platt are Calvinists and adhere to the Reformed tradition. I did not know this about Platt prior to reading his book, but his statements that humanity’s central purpose is to enjoy grace and glorify God made me suspect that he was. I confirmed this afterwards. Piper explicitly states that his idea of Christian hedonism is derived from the Reformed Presbyterian’s Westminster Catechism. The Catechism is in a question and answer format, and its most famous question is the first:

Q. What is the chief end of man?

A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

(Ps. 86:9; Isa. 60:21; Rom. 11:36; I Cor. 6:20; 10:31; Rev. 4:11)

Again, Piper says, Christian hedonism is derived from this question-answer (as well as from Jonathan Edwards). He states, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." He’s saying that “God's highest pursuit (‘His glory’) and man's deepest and most durable joy come together in one pursuit—namely, the pursuit of satisfaction in God.”

One of the things that many Christians believe – particularly Calvinists, especially Piper – is that the purpose of creation, the goal of history, and the ultimate and central reason for everything, including the creation of humans, is the glory of God.

The central problem with stating that the ultimate purpose of all things is the glory of God is that this idea is neither stated nor implied anywhere in Scripture. Indeed, when I have discussed the subject with Reformed thinkers, asking them for Scriptural evidence that the glory of God is the central purpose, they reply, “Well, the glory of God is mentioned quite a bit in the Bible.” And while this is undoubtedly true - and I would agree God’s glory is important - neither frequency nor importance necessitate the conclusion of ultimate centrality of purpose. Words like “Grace”, “Salvation”, “Joy”, and “Love” are important and are mentioned just as much if not more than “glory”, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that any one of these concepts is the chief end of everything. Even if you read the verses that the Westminster Catechism cites to justify their answer (see above), while they do mention glory, none of them state or even imply that God’s glory or even man glorifying God is the chief end of all things. 

The closest the Bible ever comes to implying that creation’s chief purpose is the glory of God is Isaiah 43:7:

“Everyone who is called by My name,

And whom I have created for My glory,

Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”

Calvinists, Christian hedonists, and Piper himself will point to this verse as evidence to support their contentions.

Isaiah 40-55 is one complete work. In order to understand 43:7, we have read it in light of its position in this overall work. The purpose of Israel, and the covenant God made with it, was to bring about the redemption of creation, which included the salvation of Gentiles. After the fall of humanity in Genesis 3-11, God calls Abraham and makes a covenant with him, saying that the gentiles will be blessed through him and his family (Genesis 12, 15, 17, 18, 22; Malachi 3:12). Isaiah 40-55 is a grand sweep of a work about God’s plan to bring about the redemption of creation. God will be faithful to the covenant (41:2; 54:9-10). Israel, the descendant of Abraham, was chosen to be God’s servant (41:8-9). God has chosen Israel (with the covenant) to be a light to the nations (42:1-9), to be his witnesses (43:8-13). The covenant people are for restoring the earth (49:8). The nations are called to repent and come to God (45:18-25). Salvation for all the nations (51:10). Indeed, God explicitly says to Israel, “I will also make You a light to the nations so that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (49:6).

Now let’s go specifically to chapter 43. Here God is saying that he is ending Israel’s exile. He’s bringing his people back, forming them anew, calling them out, creating a new Exodus (cf. 51:10-11): 

But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel,

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,

Nor will the flame burn you.

…

I will bring your offspring from the east,

And gather you from the west.

“I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’

And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’

Bring My sons from afar

And My daughters from the ends of the earth,

Everyone who is called by My name,

And whom I have created for My glory,

Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”

Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,

And the deaf, even though they have ears.

All the nations have gathered together

So that the peoples may be assembled.

…

“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“And My servant whom I have chosen,

So that you may know and believe Me

And understand that I am He.

…

So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“And I am God.

“Even from eternity I am He,

And there is none who can deliver out of My hand;

I act and who can reverse it?”

Who makes a way through the sea

And a path through the mighty waters,

…

I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,

Rivers in the desert.

…

Because I have given waters in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert,

To give drink to My chosen people.

[Interestingly, when God made his covenant with Abraham, he predicted the Exodus (Genesis 15:13-14).]

Both Isaiah 40-55 and chapter 43 in particular indicate that those who are “called by [God’s] name”, “whom [he] formed”, “who [he] made”, and “whom [he] created for [his] glory” in verse 43:7 specifically and first and foremost refers to Israel and its purpose for being created. Israel’s purpose to be a light and witness to the nations is connected with God’s glory. How and why is this so?

The reason is because one of Israel’s central purposes in being chosen to be a witness and light to the world was to show God’s glory so that the nations would come to God in repentance. The creation of Israel, in part, to glorify God was part of God’s plan for creation’s redemption. We see this in numerous places:

“The time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory. I will set a sign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations … to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations” (Isaiah 66:18-20)

“Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, his wonderful deeds among all the peoples” (Psalm 96:2-3)

Even when the Westminster Catechism references Isaiah 60:21, one should note the opening verse of that chapter:

“Arise, shine; for your light has come,

And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

For behold, darkness will cover the earth

And deep darkness the peoples;

But the LORD will rise upon you

And His glory will appear upon you.

Nations will come to your light,

And kings to the brightness of your rising.

Lift up your eyes round about and see;

They all gather together, they come to you” (Isaiah 60:1-3)

The central problem was that Israel failed in its purpose to be the light of the world, showing God’s glory, and, instead, it profaned and blasphemed God’s name by making him look bad and turning the nations away from God (Romans 2:24; Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 20:9-22; 36:20-26; 39:7; Leviticus 22:32; Deuteronomy 5:11). Jesus himself picks up on this when he is speaking to his fellow Jews.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13)

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a [g]basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Again, Jesus is picking up the idea of Israel being the light of the world, being a good witness to the world, and bringing glory to God.

While extremely important, the glory of God is not an end in of itself but a utilitarian means by which God redeems humanity (1 Chronicles 16:24; Psalm 96:3; Isaiah 66:2; Jeremiah 33:9; Daniel 7:14; Romans 15:9; Colossians 1:27; 1 Peter 2:12; Revelation 15:4). It is a means to an end rather than the end itself. Therefore, the Westminster Confession is incorrect when it states that humanity’s chief end is to glorify God. Therefore, God’s highest pursuit is not his glory. Therefore, God’s highest pursuit and humanity’s deepest, most durable joy do not come together in the pursuit of satisfaction in God if that highest pursuit is God’s glory. Therefore, Christian hedonism is in error at its core. 

There are two important points that derive from this:

First, while certainly there is both reward and unimaginable joy in seeking fulfillment in God and pursuing his Kingdom, I strongly question whether this should be our primary motivation. Should we pursue the Faith because we get something out of it personally, or because the Creator of the universe commands us to do so? One of the repeated analogies in Scripture concerns the illogic of the clay telling the pot what to do (Isaiah 29:16; 45:9; 64:8; Romans 9:21; Jeremiah 18:3-4). Who are we to pursue the Faith for personal gain? Is this proper? Again, certainly, there is reward and blessings for following God the derives from his love, but much fulfillment can often not ultimately manifest itself until the next life. The interim can be a travail of suffering, pain, heartbreak, disappointment, loss, and sorrow. I’ve noted in the past the spiritual immaturity of the Prayer of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:9-10):

“This two-verse story opens with the knowledge that Jabez’s birth was troubled, and his mother named Jabez (sorrowful) because of the pain (jozeb) of the childbirth (reversing the last two consonants). The ancient Israelites believed in the power of words to shape reality under certain circumstances (i.e., blessings and curses), particularly when it came to the naming of children. … A bad name could leave a curse on one’s life. This appears to have been the case with Jabez. In his prayer, Jabez asked God to bless him so that evil would not bring him pain. He was seeking a reverse of the curse. Now admittedly Jabez’s prayer was an immature one. He wanted to escape the pain of his life through material possessions. … Of course, many people today seek to escape the pain of their lives and the results of their characters and actions through the accumulation of material possessions. Jabez may have been more honorable than his brothers, but he was still very spiritually immature. Indeed, it is inadvisable for any Christian to pray such a prayer in this manner. Nevertheless, God did grant the request. I am reminded of Romans 8:26 when Paul says that ‘In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but he Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.’ In this incident, God answered the weakness of Jabez’s prayer for relief and reversed the curse with a blessing.”

Carefully consider the life of Abraham. God promised him a family and descendants if he did what he was told (Genesis 12, 15, and 17). His task was to inaugurate God’s plan to redeem creation. In participating in God’s plan, Abraham was promised a reward – a family. Throughout the rest of his life, Abraham often struggled in his faith. He occasionally attempted to help God along in getting his reward (Genesis 16). Yet, Abraham’s life of faith comes to a climax when God commands Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac (Genesis 22). Will Abraham obey God even to the point of losing his reward? Yes, Abraham was willing to obey God even if it meant sacrificing everything God had promised him. THAT is mature faith. Like Abraham in full faith, our motivation must ultimately be service to the creator and not reward, either material or spiritual.

Second, if we really want to glorify God and seek to effectively magnify his name, then we do so properly when we further his redemptive, Kingdom purposes of making disciples and proclaiming the Gospel. Indeed, we need to do Kingdom work for the glory of God, being his servant witnesses and lights in the world, so his glory is shown, and, therefore, people will be drawn to him and into his Kingdom. Let our character, actions, and attitudes be one that reflects the greatness of the God we claim to follow. I have previously noted the following:

“You’ve all heard about one of the Ten Commandments that states, ‘Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.’ Most people have inherited the traditional assumption that this commandment means to not speak God’s name in specific ways such as ‘Oh, God!’ and ‘[gosh darn it]’. The problem with this particular, traditional interpretation is that it doesn’t line up with what the Scripture actually says. If the verse meant that we should not speak God’s name in “inappropriate” ways it would say ‘speak’ (דָּבַר) and not ‘take’ (נָשָׂא). The Hebrew word for ‘take’ here is nasa' and in the Qal Imperfect means ‘to carry’, ‘to bear’, and ‘to lift up’. In actuality, the meaning of this commandment is that no one who is a believer, a follower of God, should take the name of God, should say they are a follower of God, and then behave in a manner which suggests they are not. For us it means, ‘Don’t say you are a Christian and then behave in an un-Christian-like manner.’ Don’t lift up the name of God if you are going to live your life like someone who doesn’t know who God is. Don’t bear the name of God in public if you’re going to act like a pagan in public. As my Old Testament seminary professor said, summing up the meaning of this verse, ‘Don’t make God look bad.’ To do so is to be a believer in vain (שָׁוְא, shav'), which means in ‘emptiness’ or ‘futility’. To say you are a believer and to act as an unbeliever is to be a believer in absolute futility. You might as well then be an unbeliever.”

This is what it means to be “called by [his] name” (Isaiah 43:7). It means to the proceed in life with behavior that makes the God whom you serve look good so that fallen humanity will want to choose to follow him in repentance and service. It means to pursue the mission that God has put before you in faithfulness and loyalty. Those who do so are the lights of the world, shining in the darkness, exposing the true God. They are the salt of the earth that enhance the flavor of life, drawing the lost to a fellowship meal with their creator. 

Therefore, when you are having meals with your friends and family this holiday season, be sure that, in all your conversations, attitudes, and behaviors, you are making God look good as a representative and witness of him. Your words, opinions, and conduct have impact on redemption. When you are searching the stores and online for deals and even giving gifts to friends and donations to the need, work to do so out of furthering God’s Kingdom on earth and not out of a self-centered motivation to reap either material or spiritual rewards. And in all things, be thankful.