Eternal, Ultimate Happiness

Many people are often concerned about happiness. “Do what makes you happy,” they will say, or perhaps something like “Follow a path that leads to happiness.” Sometimes, we as Christians will pronounce this as too self-centered, or point out that this is not the main point of existence (that would be to worship God). And while this is correct, especially as it relates to our current culture, there is still something to be said about happiness.

My contention (and this is hardly original to me) is that true, eternal, ultimate happiness is only found in Christianity. That is to say, we are only truly, eternally, and ultimately happy when we are fulfilling our purpose. This purpose is to love and worship God. But notice that a loving relationship between two parties only works when both sides love the other. Thus, we fulfil our purpose by being loved, not just loving. That loving relationship is only found in following our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He paid the penalty for sin in his life and death on the cross, and God vindicated Jesus by raising him from the dead. If we believe this, and desire to be saved, and trust God for that salvation, we will be forgiven, and we will be saved.

Now I have said that this kind of ultimate, eternal happiness is only found in Christianity. Why do I say that? For two related reasons. First, Christianity is true. If Christianity is true, then its doctrines are true, and this means eternal happiness is found in worshipping God and fellowshipping together for all eternity. Second, other worldviews either do not have a coherent account of eternal, ultimate happiness or else the coherent accounts they do have tend not to reflect eternal or ultimate happiness. For example, in Islam, eternal, ultimate happiness is found in collecting 72 virgins, amongst other things. In Mormonism, it is found in becoming god of your own planet. It’s not wrong to have things to look forward to in Heaven. However, God is the only thing that can be eternal, ultimate happiness. And Christianity fulfils the truth condition. Think about that today.