C. S. Lewis walks on our toes before we start: "We have no right to happiness, and we shouldn’t be asking for it" (God in the Dock, 318).

But the Declaration of Independence says that earthly governments must provide security so we can engage in "the pursuit of happiness." Our lesson is in that "pursuit."

The Lord wants the world to enjoy life, which means happiness. Jesus said, "I am come that they [all of us] might have life…more abundantly" (John 10:10). We interpret that to mean that he has inspired scientists and engineers to invent waterborne toilets (imagine life without them!); faucets that gush forth water (imagine carrying water from the swamp on your head—some of us have lived in old rural Africa); transportation in cars, trains, and planes; and medical science that enables the elderly to live longer. All these are part of that "more abundant life."

Lesson number one is to realize (and confess!) that all of life’s pleasures and conveniences—which we enjoy so richly this side of that "national ruin" we know is coming—all of these are therefore the purchase of the sacrifice of the Son of God on his cross. Be thankful that today you can use the toilet, that you can get water from your faucets, that you can flip a switch and the lights come on.

Be thankful, too, that there is still a measure of security; you can drive your car with relative safety; police can help; grocery stores are still open. "Baghdad" and "Darfur" haven’t yet taken over in North America. A profoundly thankful heart for what you do have is the beginning of happiness. Sometimes in mercy to our souls the dear Lord lets us lose some of these nice things and awaken us to reality. And when we are finally awake, behold, we have happiness in our hands!

Our Study Guide stresses two sources of happiness:

1. What we don’t have but hope for because it’s promised.

For example, "God…offers us promises that can bring healing and happiness" (emphasis added); also "what He is willing to do for us," (but hasn’t yet!), or "we have the promise of eternal life in a world made new." These passages come from this week’s text. This is standard fare in all Sabbath School classes—hope of reward. Cherishing that hope makes us happy—that’s the thesis.

But there’s another and maybe more positive basis for happiness:

2. What we already possess.

Here we generally tread more softly because we are theologically divided about what we do possess. One system of belief maintains that all Christ accomplished for the human race was to provide a possibility of salvation, to make an "offer." Arminianism rebelled against strict Calvinism by maintaining that salvation is equally available to all. But there’s a catch: No one actually gets anything unless he takes the initiative and believes (with the exception of physical life, which the animals also enjoy).

There is another system of belief in Adventism that maintains that Christ actually gave the gift of salvation to the human race and thus to every individual, and that, like Esau’s birthright, he has it unless he sells it or throws it away. Christ actually accomplished something for everyone that is present-truth-and-future-reality.

This is not a tempest in a teapot. Quite strong support from the Bible and Ellen White can be adduced, for example: "The sinner may resist this love, may refuse to be drawn to Christ, but if he does not resist he will be drawn…all the way" (Ellen White, Steps to Christ, 27).

And there’s Romans 5:15–18: a "judicial…verdict of acquittal" has been pronounced in favor of "all men" "in Christ." Four or five times Paul says that’s "justification," a gift given to those same "all men." That’s so close to being happiness that we can’t argue.

If the second point turns out to be true, we have a far more solid basis for happiness here and now. Unhappiness proves to be due only to our unbelief. Your salvation is not ultimately due to your own initiative (as in the first point), but due entirely to God’s initiative. He has willed it; he has effected it; Christ has truly redeemed the world. His proper title is "Savior of the world" (John 4:42), not would-like-to-be, which means he is your savior, so wake up and thank him.1

Here’s the happiness for which you have prayed so tearfully already in your hands! Now humble your heart and thank him.

Notes and References

1. We’ll get all kinds of backlash on this from some who say this opens the door to the New Jerusalem and lets people in who shouldn’t get there, that this is the old heresy of "easy believism." It depends on whether our motivation is old covenant or new covenant; one is a definition of "faith," which is egocentricity (an acquisitive hope of reward), the other that faith is a heart-appreciation of what it cost the Son of God to save us: He died our second death. A true presentation of "Christ and him crucified" "constrains" to total dedication of self to the One who died for us. That includes all the Commandment keeping possible in this world, including the Sabbath.

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