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The Unalienable Rights of Independence: Pursuit of of Happiness
July 20, 2019

We recently considered how life and liberty are unalienable rights of independence. What does the Bible say about happiness? Similar to the pursuit of happiness, Proverbs shows that the hope of the righteous, what the righteous pursue, is gladness. Conversely, the wicked expect death. Happiness comes through a life of righteousness, not evil. The Bible reinforces this principle many times; this week we will look at a few verses.

Proverbs 10:28
The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

Jesus gave a parable about servents entering into the joy, or happiness of their lord. Each was given differing amounts of money, and according to each servant's diligence, they were rewarded and all were told to enter the joy of their lord. All were told this except for the servant who was given very little and was afraid to lose what had been given. Instead of being rewarded, this servant was punished. Having the Holy Spirit is like that. We tend to be the most joyful when we are doing what God and Jesus want us to do. We are most frustrated and most unhappy when we don't do what Jesus and God would have us do. The gifts of the Holy Spirit manifest in different ways, and whatever gifts of the Holy Spirit we are given, we are reminded of the need for that gift to grow and develop within us.

Matthew 25:14-30
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Having been given life, and having been given liberty, it makes sense we would be given happiness. Happiness, or joy, is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Things do not make us happy. Being better than other people or right when they are wrong do not make us happy. Submitting to other people will not make us happy. Submitting ourself to the Holy Spirit makes us happy. Happiness is a result of the exercise of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:13-26
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

If the above verses look familiar, they were included in last week's study. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are closely linked together in our spiritual life.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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