“When Jesus invited people to deny themselves and follow him, he believed and taught that this was the only way they could find themselves and in so doing, find “happiness”. In his words we encounter the classic concept of happiness, one embraced by Moses, Solomon, Aristotle, Plato and the church fathers medieval theologians, and many more. This classic concept has now given way to “pleasurable satisfaction.” According to the classic sense, happiness is a life well lived, a life of virtue and character, a life that manifests wisdom, kindness, and goodness. The life of classical happiness, the life about which to dream and for which to long, for which to hunger and seek, and which should be imitated and practiced is a life of virtue and character. The New Testament enriches this classic sense by calling it “eternal life,” understood as a certain quality of life and fleshed out as a life that approximates Jesus’ life and character. To be sure, such a life includes a deep sense of well-being, but this pregnant sense of well-being is not the same thing as pleasurable satisfaction. Pleasurable satisfaction depends on external circumstances going well - for example, physical appearance, success at work, and popularity. Because of this, pleasurable satisfaction is unstable and varies with life’s circumstances. Classic virtue flows from inside a person as he or she matures and develops a character formed by discipleship unto Jesus. As one progresses in the way of Jesus, classic happiness becomes less and less dependent on external circumstances.”--J. P. Moreland Never going to give up pursuing "old time happiness" until joy abounds.
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 18:15:01 +0000
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