What the Bible says about Pleasure
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Proverbs 21:17 Some of the results of a self-indulgent life are poverty, spiritual emptiness, and death. In I Timothy 5:6 "live in pleasure" is translated from the Greek word spatalao, describing a lifestyle of abandonment to one's desires for comfort and pleasure. It appears again only in James 5:5, as "luxury" or "wanton" (KJV). Martin G. Collins Overcoming (Part 8): Self-Indulgence Related Topics: Desire | Desire, Inordinate | Epicureanism | Hedonism | Hedonistic Lifestyles | Lust | Lust of the Eyes | Lust of the Flesh | Luxury | Pleasure | Pleasure, Carnal | Pleasure, Sensual | Pleasure, Worldly | Poverty | Self Indulgence

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 Solomon admits that his quest rewarded him with a certain amount of joy, but he still found it unsatisfactory. We might think that with all his wealth, good health, and a discerning mind, he would have had joy in abundance. What he accomplished, however, did not leave him with an enduring sense of well-being because his search continued after this experiment ended. He seems so frustrated that he says we should seize the joy as it comes along and be content with it (verse 24). His ultimate conclusion, found in verse 26, is that God determines whether we experience joy. John W. Ritenbaugh The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy Related Topics: Abundance | Accomplishment, Sense of | Contentment | Fruits of God's Holy Spirit | Fruits of God's Holy Spirit: Joy | Fruits of the Spirit | Frustration, Sense of | Joy | Joy, Carnal | Joy, God gives | Pleasure | Pleasure, Carnal | Pleasure, Sensual | Pleasure, Worldly | Solomon | Solomon's Discontent and Frustration | Well-being , Sense of | Worldly Pleasure

Ecclesiastes 2:1-3 Self-indulgence leads to excessive striving for yet more worldly pleasure. For those whose chief aim in life is sensual pleasure, there is never enough to satisfy. Self-indulgence can lead to full-blown addiction. Without God's truth of the coming resurrections of mankind, men see no reason to refrain from a life of pleasure and dissipation, ending in death. Martin G. Collins Overcoming (Part 8): Self-Indulgence Related Topics: Addictions | Dissipation | Joy | Joy, Carnal | Pleasure | Pleasure, Carnal | Pleasure, Sensual | Pleasure, Worldly | Self Indulgence | Worldly Pleasure

Ezekiel 20:1-7 Ezekiel 20:1 reveals that while the Jews were in their captivity, the elders came to seek answers from God. What were their questions? They can be ascertained only by God's reply. Overall, the questions seem to have been something similar to, "Why are we having all this trouble?" "What is the problem?" "When can we expect to return to Jerusalem?" God's answer begins to take shape in verse 7, "Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes." The last phrase literally means "the delight of the eyes." "His eyes" must refer to the typical Israelite's eyes. Recall that the Israelites did what seemed right or pleasurable to them but not necessarily what was delightful to God. Since God commanded them to throw away what was a delight to them, we must understand, then, that "the delight of their eyes" was to God idolatry and rebellion. That brief phrase contains two contrasting perspectives. It identifies what God had against them: their idolatry. The delight of their eyes was the idol that they looked at and gave their devotion to. John W. Ritenbaugh The Fourth Commandment Related Topics: Abominations | Idol | Idolatry | Idolatry and Captivity | Israel's Rebelliousness | Pleasure | Pleasure, Carnal

Luke 15:11-16 The younger son shows a lack of respect for authority and deference to his elders. His central problem is pride, just as it was the root of Satan's failure (Isaiah 14:13). He finds out that shame and destruction follow pride (Proverbs 11:2; 16:18). In his disrespect for authority, he thinks primarily of himself, totally disregarding how it affects others. His request for his inheritance is not to benefit others but to pursue pleasure—especially entertainment (Proverbs 21:17). As a result, his unwise actions bring him to the point of despair and a re-evaluation of his life. By demanding his share of his inheritance before his parents' deaths, he shows that he looks upon God's gifts as debts rightfully owed to him. Impatiently, he demands his share immediately. People today constantly, selfishly, and arrogantly press their rights rather than fulfill responsibilities. Many will not wait until marriage for sex but seek it now. They do not want to work for wealth but gamble to get it immediately. Sadly, they will also wait a long time before taking care of their spiritual needs—and then only when brought to despair (II Corinthians 6:2; Ecclesiastes 7:8). Martin G. Collins Parables of Luke 15 (Part Three) Related Topics: Destruction | Disrespect | Elders, Respect for | Pleasure | Pride | Responsibility | Responsibility, Sense of | Rights, Demanding | Self Centeredness | Selfishness | Shame

Luke 15:13-17 The question at this point is still, "How are we trying to find satisfaction in life?" We could reword it, "How are we trying to find love, joy, and peace?" The Parable of the Prodigal Son touches on this issue. Like the young man, we yearn for a feeling of well-being, peace, security, fun, and happiness. Also like him, we pursue after them, attempting to produce them in virtually every way but the Father's way. We, like him, experience the same empty, hollow, something-is-missing feelings. Some may remember a popular song of a few decades ago sung by Peggy Lee titled "Is That All There Is?" The lyrics dealt with this very subject. The singer recounts having tried so many supposedly exciting and fulfilling things in life yet having found no lasting satisfaction in any of them. Following each experience, she concludes by asking the question, "Is that all there is?" The song clearly expresses that such a life is not truly fulfilling. What is missing from such a life is the true purpose of life combined with the effort of fulfilling it by living the required way. The three offerings in Leviticus 1-3—the burnt, meal, and peace offerings—broadly define God's way of life: doing all things within the context of His purpose in love. As we have seen, I John 5:3 defines love as keeping the commandments, and the essence of love is sacrificial giving. Though without the Spirit of God, some people (psychologists, for instance) have figured out much of this. The part they have not determined through observing humanity is the true purpose of life because God has not revealed it to them. They have, however, found that the essence of love is sacrifice and that doing the right things produces a sense of well-being. John W. Ritenbaugh The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Four): The Peace Offering Related Topics: Fulfillment | Happiness | Joy | Love | Parable of the Prodigal Son | Pleasure | Sacrifice | Sacrificial Giving | Satisfaction | Well-being , Sense of

James 4:1-3 This is vital because we find ourselves living in a culture that is coming apart at the seams because each individual wants to execute his desires. James tells us what happens when individuals begin to do this. His basic question to the Christian is, "Are we going to submit to God or to our desires for pleasure?" Pleasure here does not mean "fun," as when one goes to an amusement park. James is talking about the desire that normally arises within an individual, who must make the choice of whether or not he is going to follow through and gratify himself by fulfilling that desire. So pleasure here means "that which gratifies." He is saying to us that, if we seek our desires, then we had better understand that life will be filled with conflict. Why? Because everybody else is doing the same thing. Their desires are likely different from ours, and so our desires runs headlong into their desires, producing arguments, struggle, strife, and war over whose desire is going to be fulfilled. When people do what is right in their own eyes, rather than submit to the central authority, desires will crash into each other, creating conflict. It does not matter whether that central authority is the family, the culture, or God's Word! This is happening constantly, but God has a solution. It is not easy. The solution is that each son of God bears the responsibility to govern himself, by faith, within the framework of His laws, His principles, His traditions, and the examples that He gives in His Word. We have to submit to these things. John 8:32 declares that the truth sets us free, but it will never set anyone free unless it is submitted to. Truth is good only as it is used, so a person must submit to it. Inevitably, differences will arise on what things should be done or how they should be done. But God has a way of resolving these problems if we will submit and not succumb to impatience—if we do not force our will and thus force conflict. John W. Ritenbaugh Submitting (Part 2) Related Topics: Conflict | Conflict Resolution | Desire | Desire as a Bridgehead to Sin | Flesh, Gratification of | Pleasure | Resolving Conflicts | Submitting to God | Submitting to the Truth

Find more Bible verses about Pleasure:
Pleasure {Nave's}
 

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