The Pleasure of Sin and the Joy of Heaven

Our lives are shaped by what we choose to live for. Will we choose to live for worldly pleasures or for the glory of heaven that God has promised us? As we walk the path of faith, we will inevitably find ourselves at this crossroads.

Following Christ means taking a path of hardship and suffering, as Jesus said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mt 16:24). Moreover, everyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ will inevitably face persecution in this world, whether mild or severe (2 Tim 3:12). Through the Bible, let us consider which one we should choose to live for, the pleasure of sin or the joy of heaven, on our journey of faith.

Hardship Accompanies the Path of Faith

By worldly standards, a life devoted to the glory of the kingdom of God is not always happy, glamorous, and enjoyable. Along the way, we are bound to face hardships.

Let us examine the account of Daniel. There were some people who tried to prevent him from even praying to God. Yet Daniel did not stop praying. Even though he knew that the king had issued a decree that anyone who prayed to anyone other than the king would be thrown into the lions’ den, he continued to pray toward Jerusalem three times a day (Daniel 6). Daniel was the kind of person who pursued the joy of heaven. If he had clung to the pleasure of sin, the fear of being eaten by lions would have prevented him from praying.

Let us also think about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Although the king had commanded that anyone who refused to bow down to the idol should be thrown into the blazing furnace, they were even ready to suffer such a horrific death without hesitation (Daniel 3). They did so because they valued the glory and blessings they would enjoy in heaven far more than the pleasure of sin.

Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel chose to live a cross-bearing life in this world because they regarded the eternal joy and glory they would enjoy in the kingdom of God as far greater and more valuable than the pleasure of sin on this earth. Beyond that choice lay the glorious future God had promised them. Since they made the right choice, God blessed them with a far more beautiful and grace-filled life.

Jesus told the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man spent his entire life pursuing material wealth, worldly pleasures and glory, while Lazarus lived a poor, humble, and lowly life. After they died, however, the rich man went to hell, and Lazarus was carried to God’s side. Through this striking contrast, God is asking us even today: “Will you choose the pleasure of sin or the joy of heaven?” (Lk 16:19–31)

The Different Choices Jacob and Esau Made

The story of Esau and Jacob also shows the contrast between the pleasure of sin and the joy of heaven.

“The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, ‘Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!’ (That is why he was also called Edom.) Jacob replied, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ ‘Look, I am about to die,’ Esau said. ‘What good is the birthright to me?’ But Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.” Ge 25:27–33

Esau traded his birthright for a single bowl of lentil stew. He even swore an oath to Jacob and handed over his birthright to him, saying, “I’m dying of hunger. What good is the birthright to me?” The stew may have satisfied his hunger for a moment and given him temporary pleasure, but as a result, all the blessings of his birthright passed to Jacob.

Esau took his birthright for granted and did not value it enough to stake his entire future on it. Jacob, on the other hand, always sought God’s blessings and the joy of heaven, thinking to himself: “How can I receive greater blessings?” and “How can I receive even more of God’s grace?” One preferred the pleasure of sin, while the other treasured the joy of heaven. We must not become intoxicated by the pleasure of sin in this world like Esau. Rather, we should delight in pursuing the joy of heaven like Jacob.

The Fate of Those Deceived by the Pleasure of Sin

Let us also consider the case of Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve.

“Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.” Mt 26:14–16

As we all know, Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. He may have tasted the sweet but fleeting pleasures of sin that money seemed to offer, but in reality, he was unable to fully enjoy even those pleasures.

“When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’ ‘What is that to us?’ they replied. ‘That’s your responsibility.’ So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.” Mt 27:3–5

Enticed by the fleeting pleasures of sin, Judas forfeited the joys that he could have enjoyed in heaven. When he betrayed Christ, who had come to save mankind, for thirty pieces of silver, his spiritual state was already hellish and desolate. The Bible records that he later returned the money to the chief priests and met a tragic end (Ac 1:15–19).

Genesis 19 also records the destruction of those who pursued the pleasure of sin.

“The two men said to Lot, ‘Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it.’ So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, ‘Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!’ But his sons-in-law thought he was joking. With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.’ When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, ‘Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!’” Ge 19:12–17

When Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, all the people in the cities, except Lot’s family, were indulging in the pleasures of the flesh. In their pursuit of sinful pleasures, they did not hesitate to commit even acts God had forbidden. Then burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all (Ge 19:1–26).

Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us (Ro 15:4). Esau, Judas Iscariot, and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are all examples of those who indulged in the fleeting pleasures of sin and easily gave up the joy of heaven. They all deeply regretted what they had done, but it was already too late. Reflecting on what happened to them, let us, as God’s children, live with our eyes fixed on the kingdom of heaven rather than be captivated by the pleasure of sin in this world.

Choosing to Live for the Joy of Heaven

We diligently keep the Sabbath and the Passover, following God’s decrees and laws, because we look forward to the glory of the eternal kingdom of heaven. However, many people refuse to accept God’s word, no matter how clearly it is written in the Bible, because they prefer the pleasure of sin over the joy of heaven. Since they cling to the glory of this world and seek the approval of others, they choose to live as Esau and Judas Iscariot did.

We must not lose the joy of heaven by being blinded by the pleasure of sin. If we set our hearts on the blessings and glory of God’s kingdom rather than on the fleeting pleasures of sin, we will be able to enjoy the eternal joy of heaven after enduring and overcoming all hardships and trials. Moses is a great example of this.

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” Heb 11:24–26

As the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses was in a position to succeed to the throne of Egypt. However, he considered it of greater value to suffer with God’s people than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. The Bible says that he regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt. This means that he placed greater value on the kingdom of heaven. As we consider what we should live for, let us also choose the right path in life and faithfully walk in it.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. . . . The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Ro 8:12–18

“Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” This is the faith of those who give up the pleasure of sin for the sake of the joy of heaven. We cannot have both heaven and earth. To gain the things of heaven, we must give up some of the things of this world; and the more we seek to gain on this earth, the more we risk losing the things of heaven.

No one wants to suffer. However, those who choose the glory of heaven must endure hardship and pain in this world. God instructs us never to commit the foolish act of giving up eternal things for temporary ones. The Bible teaches us to live as God’s children by following the example of Christ, rather than living according to the flesh in pursuit of the fleeting pleasures of sin.

“. . . you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Eph 4:17–24

God has changed us so that we can stop pursuing the empty pleasure of sin and live for the joy of heaven. Therefore, as people of the kingdom of God, we should cultivate the right character and attitude of faith befitting God’s people. Even if we lose the things of this earth, we must never give up the blessings of heaven. Like Jacob, let us persevere to the end so that we may receive all those blessings.

Following Christ’s Example

Let us examine our faith once again to see whether we value the pleasure of sin on this earth or the eternal kingdom of heaven, and run diligently for the glory of the kingdom of God. Jesus, too, endured the cross for the joy set before Him, that is, the joy of heaven.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:1–2

Jesus endured every kind of mockery and suffering on the cross, with the sole purpose of saving His children. He did so because it was only through His sacrifice that the way could be opened for them to return to heaven. To forgive the sins of mankind through His atonement and to ensure the eternal glory and joy in the kingdom of heaven, He willingly subjected Himself to suffering and persecution, scorning the shame.

This is the path Father walked, the path Mother is walking, and the path we, too, must follow. Since our destination is the kingdom of heaven, we should not be distracted by the world but fix our eyes on heaven and live righteously as people of the kingdom of heaven. Only then can we become like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the apostles Paul and Peter. Whatever circumstances they were facing, they followed God’s word; they valued the glory of heaven more than the glory of this world and treasured the joy of heaven above all else.

In this age, God has entrusted us with a great goal and mission: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Mt 28:18–20). This is not the path to the glory of this world, but the path to the glory of the kingdom of God. At the end of this path await the many rewards and blessings God has prepared for us, as the Bible says that those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever (Da 12:1–3). So, God’s people choose this path, setting aside the pleasures of this world. To those who seek the pleasures of this sinful world first, this path may seem difficult and even feel like a punishment. To those who treasure the glory of heaven, however, this path is not burdensome; rather, they regard every hardship they encounter as a natural part of the journey.

Whenever and wherever we may be, let us live for the eternal joy of heaven rather than pursue the fleeting pleasures of sin on this earth. Following the path of life that Christ walked, let us preach the gospel to Samaria and even to the ends of the earth. I earnestly ask all of you, our Zion family members, to stand spotless before God, having complete and pure faith without even a single trace of the pleasure of sin, when God weighs our faith.