Drug Users and Christian Hedonists — Aren’t Both Just Chasing the Next High?

Ask Pastor John

Desiring God

John Piper, Unknown, 163859, Pastor, Ask, Theology, Desiring God, Religion & Spirituality/christianity, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality, Questions

4.8 • 3.8K Ratings

🗓️ 1 June 2018

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Both drug users and Christians feel ups and downs. But the parallels end there. Pastor John gives five reasons why the experiences are different.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Well, isn't a drug user and a God-word joy-seeker, just two different kinds of junkies, bowl
0:10.0	seeking after a new high, a new spike in an experience for which they cannot sustain
0:15.0	beyond a fleeting moment?
0:16.9	Well, now there's an interesting question and it comes to us from a listener named
0:21.1	Brian.
0:22.1	Hello, Pastor John, I live in Greenville not far from where you grew up.
0:25.0	My question is one of wrestling with for a long time.
0:27.9	How is there not any difference between number one?
0:30.8	Returning to substances like drugs, alcohol, and sex once the fulfillment of those things
0:34.7	has withered away.
0:36.3	And number two, returning to Jesus once his joy has withered away in us.
0:40.6	It appears as if both things, substances on one hand and communion with Christ on the
0:44.7	other, offer effects that then wear off over time, neither permanently fulfill, both call
0:50.3	us back for another dose or hit.
0:53.7	How would you respond to this apparent parallel?
0:56.2	Is it right or wrong?
0:58.7	It's wrong.
0:59.7	It's wrong.
1:00.7	It's wrong in all the ways that ultimately matter.
1:04.9	Now of course, Brian, there is a surface parallel that you're pointing out.
1:11.7	It's true that the intensity of our pleasure in physical experiences and the intensity
1:20.3	of our pleasure in spiritual experience of fellowship with Jesus, both rise and fall.
	...

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