Qohelet's Quest - Part Two - Hedonism

If the world is a place ruled by a just and loving God, why is the world full of meaninglessness and absurdity? Because of sin. God created the world with order and communion with Him. That communion was broken and man did not have the ability to maintain order. And to deal with the chaos people often turn to hedonism. They attempt to cover their pain with more sin. Sin is the reason they are so miserable, and perhaps sinking deeper into sin they can push out the pain.

Merriment is part of the human makeup. Christians and non-Christians alike all party to some degree. Christians ought celebrate for much different reasons than the hedonists though. Non-Christians utilize sin in their merriment. Christians should make the Lord the source of the joy of their salvation. The promise of salvation was actually portrayed as feasting and celebration in the Old Testament (Isaiah 25:6, Jeremiah 31:12, Zechariah 10:6).

Christians have a hope that can lift them above the misery and difficulties of life. They need not resort to hedonism to cover their pain nor sin. We do groan under life’s difficulties and sin (Romans 8:23) but have an assurance that life will be made better (2 Corinthians 6:10). Further, grace is sweeter when viewed through life’s difficulties. When we contemplate what we are saved from, we take more joy in our redemption.