Grace and Pleasure

A. Seeking Pleasure (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11) B. Fearing Pleasure (I Timothy 4:1-6) C. Enjoying Pleasure (Psalm 16:11) Design of Pleasure Acceptance of Pleasure Purpose of Pleasure

Introduction
Pleasure is part of God's grace, an outflow of His goodness. God put pleasure into the world so that we could share His joy in our relationship with Him. He has largely used our physical senses to bring that pleasure. Far from condemning pleasure, God designed it to enrich our lives and increase our sense of celebration. Learn God's perspective of pleasure so that one can avoid the extremes of rejecting, despising or being ruled by pleasure.

A. Seeking Pleasure (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11)

When a person seeks fulfillment in life through pleasure, he is frustrated because these things were never designed to bring that sense of meaning in life. Pleasures were designed as a side dish, so to speak, to bring extra glory to good things. They were built to increase our joy and thankfulness to God.

When pleasure becomes a motivation of a person's life then at some point people are willing to break marriages, neglect studies, take risks, etc. in order to secure their pleasures. The costs pile up quickly. They pretend to control their lives, but they are controlled by their passions. We have tried to capture what happens in the Pleasure Seeker's Cycle below.

I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself." And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?" I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives. I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. Also, I collected for myself silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men--many concubines. Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. And all that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11).

A much longer discussion on this passage is found in The Bible Teacher's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2:1-11. The above chart is discussed more on page 3.

B. Fearing Pleasure (I Timothy 4:1-6)

Avoidance of pleasure has become a significant motivation of many lives. They avoid pleasure for different reasons. In 1 Timothy 4 the apostle confronts a group of people that attempted through the absence of pleasure, known as ascetism, to bring them closer to God. Paul explained how this kind of teaching greatly limits the growth of relationships with others including God Himself. Although such self-control might sound impressive, it enslaves people by false teaching. In the following you will see the scriptural perspective on these things.

For Those who Fear Pleasure
1 Timothy 4:1-6

"But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods." (1 Timothy 4:1-3a).		In the later times Falling away from faith Listening to deceitful spirits Believing false doctrine Abstaining from marriage Abstain from foods (meats)
3... Foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; 5 for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:3-5).		God created these pleasures We are to be grateful for them All is to be accepted Pleasures are sanctified by God's word and prayer
"In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following." (1 Timothy 4:6)

C. Enjoying Pleasure (Psalm 16:11)

1 Pleasure is the fruit of our right relationship with God and man. Pleasures must not drive our lives enhance right living.

2 Pleasure intensifies the meaning in life, but the pleasure of senses is not that meaning. Pleasure without God and righteous living is empty.

3 God put pleasure into the world so that we could share His joy in our relationship with Him. Far from condemning pleasure, He enriches our lives through it.

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Biblical Foundations for Freedom