Pain-Pleasure and Our Response

In these four articles, I have suggested that the Western world is moving from a guilt-innocence to a pain-pleasure worldview. In this final article, I want to explore how the Bible engages the theme of pain and pleasure. Pain-pleasure or suffering-glory? The Bible’s answer to pain-pleasure is not Joel Osteen’s answer. Its answer is not that Jesus will bring you pleasure and take away your pain. The Bible’s answer is to reframe pain and pleasure in terms of suffering and glory. The pain-pleasure worldview tells people to avoid pain and pursue pleasure. Prosperity teaching says that Jesus will take away...