TUESDAY
Our first layer of meaning that we tend to operate in today is happiness. Many in our culture would say happiness is the ultimate purpose in life. “Do what makes you happy.” Even if we aren’t saying it or articulating this to ourselves many of us are actually living as if happiness is our ultimate purpose in life. In that sense it is probably the most common functional purpose.
The biblical words for happiness paint a broader picture of happiness than we tend to think of today. The Hebrew word ‘ǎšrě is most often translated as blessed and secondly as happy. The idea is that those who are happy in this life are those who are blessed by God. This is a common Old Testament formula, especially in the wisdom literature.
Psalm 1:1–2 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 84:4 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah
Psalm 84:5 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
The New Testament authors use a similar formula, most notably Jesus’ Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount. The Greek term that Jesus uses here confirms the idea of happiness as a result of blessedness from God. The Greek term is makarios which means pertaining to being especially favored—of humans privileged recipients of divine favor.
Matthew 5:3–5 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Alternatively in the New Testament, we don’t find a term that is easily translated into happiness. Instead we find the word joy, chara in the Greek. This word we find everywhere!
Jesus taught us to abide in him as the vine so that his joy might be in us and our joy would be full.
John 15:11 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
Joy is produced in the believer by the Spirit of God.
Galatians 5:22 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Fullness of joy is in the presence of God
Psalm 16:11 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
The irony of the biblical picture of happiness is that it is found solely in God. God gives us joy and blesses his people but this blessing and joy is not what the world would call blessing and joy. The world looks at the external circumstances of one’s life to produce happiness—wealth, health, success, pleasure, etc. Or they would say it’s in self-actualization—looking within yourself to find your values, skills, etc. and living out of those that will make you happy. Conversely, the biblical picture suggests one can experience the blessing of God, which produces happiness and joy, in spite of external circumstances. Again, in the Beatitudes Jesus goes so far as to say that things like meekness, poverty of spirit, and mourning are indicators of the blessed (happy?) life. This cuts against everything our secular culture tells us about happiness.
So in Christ, in the presence of God through the working of the Holy Spirit, we can achieve happiness and joy. Not as the world defines it. Not in the sources where the world looks for it. Not even in the way that the world experiences it. It is much deeper and in that sense, much more real happiness and joy that the Christian can experience. This blessed life and joy can even remain with us in the midst of suffering. This is better than what the world has to offer. This makes the gospel truly irresistible.
So, Christian, live for the blessed, happy life in Christ as he defines it! As John Piper says, go ahead and be a Christian Hedonist finding your fullness of joy, happiness and satisfaction in God.
Additional Content
Reflection
Do you view joy as a part of the Christian life? Christians can often be known for being boring, morality police who don’t have any fun. That hasn’t been my experience of the Christian life. I hope it hasn’t been yours either. True joy can be experienced in our day-to-day life in Christ.