Title: On the road to happiness
on the road to happiness
2006-01-29
I. Entering
In the last lesson, we have learned that poverty is the essence of human misery and that God has solved this need by giving us eternal life through Jesus Christ. Today, in this time, we are going to look at why a believer who has been given eternal life through being born again has no choice but to become the only sage on this earth, and how to live before God to become a true sage who actually enjoys that happiness.
II. people who believe they are happy
There are those who feel eternal life, the subjective happiness of professing that they lack nothing in spite of not having God. The two types of people below are a prime example.
A. No Longer Desire: There are those who do not possess God, but there are those who have the peace of mind who do not have excessive desire and are content in every way. If the infinity of human desires makes people feel constant want and makes them unhappy, then those who do not control or possess these great desires may be said to be happy. However, they cannot say that they are truly happy because they still have the anxiety that they may lose the things they currently have. (Example - most of those who are strict and disciplined about themselves are often stingy, demanding the same of others, reflecting their fear of losing the things they currently enjoy)
B. No feeling of lack: From an objective point of view, there are people who can improve and live, but they do not feel the lack of themselves. This is the same as when the prodigal son has his father's house to return to, but he still eats the fruit of a squash in a foreign land and is satisfied and happy. Just because you don't feel a deficiency doesn't mean you don't have a deficiency. Standards for happiness may vary from person to person, but happiness cannot be completely subjective. (Example - 「Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs」: Biological needs, safety needs, social needs, self-esteem needs, self-actualization needs, and lower needs may not be felt because the lower needs are not satisfied)
III. soul perfection
If human subjective judgment cannot be the condition for determining happiness, what does this happiness have to do with it? In order to become truly human, one must supply resources into the human essence of the soul through the channel of eternal life. Thus, happiness has to do with the human soul and, in particular, depends on the perfection of the soul.
A. Soul Perfection: Although not a perfect being like God, the original state of the human soul at creation was like Him, so it was made perfect enough to be a human soul, and did not need to be filled by anything. So, on the top, I could love and obey God, on the bottom I could understand God's will and plan and rule all things according to it, and on the side I could love and act for them. This is because he has a perfect soul to function as human beings according to his plan for the proper roles God has entrusted to man. But sin has destroyed this integrity of the soul. That is, it damaged the power and inclination of the soul so that it could not achieve its original purpose. As a result, man came to exist for his own sake and did not know what he truly needed. Therefore, the most important thing for human beings is that the broken soul must be repaired, and this is rebirth.
B. The two desires of the soul: He revealed His creative intention by giving two desires (Son of Man) into the soul. This applies equally to believers and unbelievers, and only by living according to these two desires can the soul rejoice and man can truly be happy.
1. Purpose: It is the factor that drives human beings toward a certain purpose. It can see His intentions for people to live toward His creative purpose, and true happiness can only be attained when the soul is directed toward it. (Example - Even those who deny that there is a God feel peace when they do good, but lose all peace when they do evil. can see)
2. Perfection: When the soul was first created, when it was in perfection, it had an excellent designation, but after it sinned it lost that perfection, and so much suffering ensued. People have tried various solutions over a long period of time, but they are not fundamental. These figures show that the human soul has a tendency to seek perfection. The perfection of the soul is possible only through regeneration and is given only to the believer. Regeneration means the restoration of this original perfection of the soul, but it is not yet fully restored. So we call sanctification the gradual restoration of the integrity of the soul. Therefore, even if the visible resources are abundant, if there is a problem in the pursuit of the perfection of the soul, it will never be happy.
IV. Believer: One who entered the path of the wise
Therefore, the believer is the only sage in the world who already knows what can bring true happiness. But why don't all believers always feel this happiness?
A. When we are wise and when we are foolish: The provision of eternal life through regeneration never ceases, regardless of our condition. But the heavenly resources, the provision of His grace, are closely related to the state of obedience that accompanies our faith and love for Him. In other words, abundant life and grace are provided only when we have faith and obey God's will. Then, why would a believer who knows such a truth choose to live a life of disobedience? This is because of their foolish judgment that disobedience would be happier than obedience. Unhappiness for the believer lies not in the situation itself, but in the folly of not avoiding it. Therefore, strictly speaking, the true identity of the believer's misery is not poverty, but lack of wisdom (folly).
B. Meaning that God lives: Believing that God lives is not only acknowledging that he is supreme, but also acknowledging that his intentions for us exist. Therefore, it is quite natural that we should think in this plan of God when discussing happiness, and we come to the conclusion that living according to God's wisdom is absolutely necessary in a life for happiness.
C. Living according to God's wisdom: Why do you make me live here? And, how do you want to live? You must become a believer who harmonizes your life with the following two wisdoms God has given you. 1. Rules of belief: When you try to solve problems only with reason, it is very easy to make wrong judgments because of its limitations. 2. Lessons in life: Humans can truly enjoy peace when they live by the duty and position God has assigned them to.
V. CONCLUSION AND APPLICATION
Father Anselm said: “Acknowledging that God is supreme, and that there is no one greater than him, requires obedience to a man who has made such a recognition.” Believers can be wise because they believe that God lives. But there can be no happiness for foolish believers who live according to their own desires. Because God did not create man with that intention. We need to understand that the happiness that can be obtained by leaving the position God has assigned to us is not the happiness we can enjoy. This is wisdom. I hope that you will become true wise saints who live by the rules of faith and the lessons of life that God has taught you. 2006-01-29