Before the 2004 election, a televangelist was asked if he would classify a lesbian as a hedonist, a person engaged in the self–indulgent pursuit of pleasure as a way of life. Seeking to avoid criticism by the left–wing portion of the media, he refused to answer the question. Instantly, several Biblical nouns and adjectives flooded my mind because God employs graphic nouns to denote a person’s character and descriptive adjectives to picture his soul.

• EVIL (II Timothy 3:13) means a quality of being bad in character and conduct. In Philippians 3:2, the word describes those who pervert the gospel.
• ABOMINABLE (Job 15:15-16) means hated and detested. The word describes God’s opposition to sinful activities. Titus 1:16 informs us that people who say they are Christians but their lifestyle is completely the opposite are abominable to God.
• WICKED (Malachi 3:18) describes a person who is guilty in committing wrong against God or other people. This type of person is lawless. In II Thessalonians 2:8, wicked refers to the Antichrist.
• PROFANE (Hebrews 12:16) denotes a person who is void of piety and love for God. Esau is called a profane person because he put the temporal things in life ahead of the spiritual.
• PROUD (Proverbs 16:5) displays an attitude of arrogance that is connected with sin. God rejects those who are proud, but He gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
• HEADY (II Timothy 3:4) literally means "to fall forward." A heady person’s life is characterized by rushing headlong into something without self–control.
• IMPLACABLE (Romans 1:31) designates a person who is in a constant state of war with God and others and who has no intention of making or listening to peace.
• UNMERCIFUL (Romans 1:31) means not being compassionate or kind to others.

A FEW OF GOD’S NOUNS

• VIPERS (Matthew 12:34) are dangerous, poisonous snakes that harm people and other animals. Jesus called the religious leaders vipers because of the poisonous, deadly lifestyles and opposition to Him that they were producing. They were setting the wrong examples by their hypocrisy and lies about the Lord Jesus.
• FORNICATORS (I Corinthians 6:9) prostituted themselves for money. In the New Testament, this word is used of an impure person of any kind, whether money is involved or not.
• ADULTERERS (Hebrews 13:4) were not faithful to their marriage partners. In James 4:4, the word is used of people who are not faithful to God and who are guilty of idol worship. Anything put before God is an idol.
• IDOLATERS (Ephesians 5:5) worshiped and served idols. A covetous person is called an idolater because he makes desires, people, and things more important than God.
• REVILERS (I Corinthians 6:10) use abusive speech to hurt other people. I Peter 2:23 states that Jesus was reviled while He was on the cross, but He did not revile back to those who were mistreating Him.
• EXTORTIONERS (I Corinthians 6:10) take things by force that do not rightfully belong to them. In the Old Testament, extortioners lent money, but charged excessive interest to the borrowers. They take things in the manner of a wolf. They are described as not inheriting eternal life.
• DECEIVERS (Titus 1:10-11) lie to others to turn them from the right way. God uses this word for false prophets and for Jews who tried to distort His salvation. In II John 7, "deceiver" is associated with "antichrist."
• LIARS (I John 2:4) speak deceitfully and lie to God and man. If a man professes salvation but lives, acts, and thinks oppositely, he is a liar.
• BLASPHEMERS (II Timothy 3:2; I Timothy 1:13) attempt to destroy the reputation of another by using abusive speech. These people blaspheme both God and man. In the book of Revelation, men and the Antichrist will blaspheme God.
• TRAITORS (II Timothy 3:4) betray others through speech and actions. They give others reason to trust them, and then they desert the ones who trust in them. Judas Iscariot is known as a traitor of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• COVENANT BREAKERS (Romans 1:31) make agreements with other people and then refuse to abide by those agreements. Their words cannot be trusted.

Obviously, God does not approach issues in an evasive way. Instead, He speaks lovingly, precisely, convictively, and correctively. Therefore, in answering a question about hedonism, the Christian should state that people choose self–centered pleasure (II Timothy 3:4; Titus 3:3-5; II Thessalonians 2:12; Romans 1:32) or Christ–centered pleasure (Psalm 16:11; John 15:11, 16:22, 24; 17:13; I Peter 1:8; I John 1:4; III John 4).

Joshua 24:15, " CHOOSE you this day whom ye will serve. . . as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Psalm 16:11, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are PLEASURES for evermore."