Page 113 - Apologetics Student Textbook (3 Credits)

Another way of looking at this philosophy is the idea that all action should be directed toward achieving
the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. Hedonists take two approaches
when applying their philosophy:

The quantitative approach: The value of a pleasure is to be its intensity multiplied by its duration - so it
was not just the number of pleasures, but their intensity and how long they lasted that must be taken
into account.

The qualitative approach: Higher quality pleasure is better than lower quality pleasure. So seek the
greater, higher quality pleasure, even if you have fewer of them.

Example: “I have a very important decision to make. What I am going to do is make two lists. One
column will be labeled, “Positives” and one will be labeled, “Negatives”. It will be like a balance scale. If
the positives will be best for me and my family, then we will go in that direction. But if the negatives
outweigh the positives, then we will NOT go in that direction.”

Christian example: “We’re in the middle of a building project at our church. We decided to go with the
blue padded pews over the wooden ones because, even though they were double the cost, they will be a
lot more comfortable to sit on. Over the long run, comfortable pews will attract more people to our
church. I think we made the right decision.”

The Bible states that a true follower of Christ will be willing to take up the cross of Christ daily and follow
Him (Matthew 16: 24-26). Romans 12:1-2 tells believers to offer themselves up as living sacrifices to
God to do whatever He wills. It is not what makes us happy that God wants. He desires that our will is
submissive to His, regardless of the circumstances.

What are the consequences of living life rationally?

The answer to this question is simple: You may miss out on God’s best and His perfect will for your life.
You will lose the rewards God has planned to give you for faithfulness. Don’t trust in your own mind or
logic, because sometimes God will ask you to do what is irrational.

Our identity with Christ means God may ask us to do something that seems crazy. Perhaps a person has
a job where he is living quite comfortably. He has a nice house, a wonderful wife, and 2 and ½ children.
His family attends a great church. He seems to have a bountiful life that God has promised. But then,
God calls him to go to the mission field in Africa. He would have to sell all his stuff, uproot his family,
and go to a people he does not know and live in very difficult conditions – all to obey God. People
would look at him and say, “He must have put his brains in his back pocket to make that move!”

Thousands of missionaries over the 2000 years since Christ left have obeyed the Great Commission and
have done that very thing. Many have died on the mission field to bring the good news of the Gospel to
them. These missionaries didn’t seem to make rational decisions.

William Carey was a missionary to the India. Shortly after arriving in India, his son died and his wife
became so distraught, that she had to be tied up in their home. He spent 7 years sharing the Gospel
before his first convert was baptized. He spent 41 years in India without a furlough.

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