AN UN-BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY

An Un-Biblical Christianity

Did Jesus Die to Make You Happy?

When the Disciples were born again at Pentecost their lives changed. These cowards, who could do no better than deny Jesus, even cursing His name when confronted by only  a woman, became men who were not only willing to but did lay down their lives to preach the gospel of Jesus. Their example still inspires, directs and instructs us to this day.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association recently put on a television program called "America's Dream: Chasing Happiness." In this show there was person after person telling us of how they found the happiness they couldn't find otherwise by "asking Jesus into their hearts". The narrator, Billy Graham, and his son Franklin as well, much to my sadness, all had the same message for the viewers throughout:

Come to Jesus to be happy.

Is that what Jesus said to the Disciples? Is this the message Jesus preached to the masses? Is this the reason Jesus died, so you can be happy??

Can you look at the lives of the Gospel writers and believe their lives would have been defined as "happy?" - Joyful, yes, but "happy?" A Martyr's death cannot ever be defined as happiness. Words like dire suffering, extreme trial, great tribulation and languishing sorrow are closer terms for the martyr. And I think men like Jan Huss would agree. What Billy and Franklin Graham are doing is confusing happiness for Joy and the confusion they are spreading is of the most deadly sort.

Joy is an overwhelming peace, an unshakable gladness. A good example of Joy is when you are rescued from what you justly deserve; the penitent sinner that finds salvation in Jesus knows such Joy everlasting.

But Happiness is not Joy. To be happy is to be self-serving; it's a self involved desire for the gain you want. Literally "happiness" means to be "hapt upon." Happiness is never, ever, to be confused with Joy. Happiness is not the right motive to come to Jesus and it is never the way to reach the lost with the Gospel. Jesus never used the lure of happiness, the Disciples never did either, and neither should we.

Peace, however, is absolutely a good motive to come to Jesus. But the peace the Bible speaks of is not the peace the self-righteous knows. The "peace" the lost know is a colorless, faded photo compared to the joyous tapestry of a soul at peace with Yahweh. The brokenness of a suffering soul, of being shattered over your sin against God, is what needs the peace that only Jesus can give; The Peace Jesus gives is a peace that passes ALL understanding.

God's Peace doesn't just restore but it makes new.

But most people are not broken people. The majority of people you know and meet every day are just like the rest of us self-righteous, self-serving lost men and women; like you are unless you are Christ's already. Most of us go about our lives not thinking about much more than what we can get and who we can get to serve that need. So when you speak of "happiness" to the Lost they have very different ideas on what you mean. They think you've just told them God wants to serve them; and they think He's doing the right thing to do so! They are "good" in their own eyes; they are self-righteous. It's no wonder there are so many who think they gave up on Christianity. We've told them lies and they, rightly, have rejected it. But they never received salvation because they had never seen themselves as needing saving. They had been lied to.

Recently I was preaching to a group of teens and when I stated we do not deserve the love of Jesus a young girl was so taken aback she swore at me, several times! She let me know in no uncertain terms that she though she deserved God's love! And when I again remarked that none of us could possibly deserve God's Mercy when we so justly deserved Hell she then asked why I don't just preach in a Church instead of on the bleep-bleep-bleeping streets where she has to listen to me?

I reminded her that what I was doing was exactly what Jesus did. She got so angry at hearing her sins clearly explained she ran away still swearing. She wasn't more than 14 years old.

We must deliver the truth that unless the lost repent and trust Jesus alone to save them they will perish in a flame that will never end. We cannot give them some be-happy platitudes because God isn't interested in your happiness; Yahweh cares about your soul. And how much more loving can God be than to provide a way out for the sinner, the Law breaker, in letting His own son die for them, for their freedom they never could earn?

The Gospel is clear. But when we muddy it up with a self centered message, no matter how well intentioned we are, we produce false conversions and embittered, hardened sinners. And we will answer to God for it.

Patrick J Burwell / OnlyJesusSaves.com

By Patrick Burwell Click here for bio and archived articles