The Secret of Sacrificial Self-Service: Discovering the Spiritual Incentives of Christian Hedonism

Self-interest is a gift from God. From one end of the Bible to the other, God encourages our wholehearted search for satisfaction. The way to attain satisfaction is surprising, however. Christian satisfaction is discovered only through sacrifice. When Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," (Matthew 6:20-21) he encouraged us to see monetary giving and service unto others as valuable, spiritual investments in ourselves. Personal sacrifice is, ironically enough, the surest path to personal gain. Heaven grows within the hearts of those who serve others as God miraculously transforms earthly self-sacrifice into heavenly self-service. Drawing deeply from the well of biblical wisdom and channeling the insights of historic Christian thinkers such as Augustine of Hippo, Jonathan Edwards, Søren Kierkegaard, C.S. Lewis, and John Piper, the author encourages us to cultivate a redeemed sense of self-interest.