“In On Christian Doctrine, one of the great classics of Christian literature, Augustine draws a careful distinction between using things and enjoying things. He pictures us as exiles longing to return from a foreign land to our own country, where our true happiness lies. We are therefore pilgrims: travelers on the journey home. As with all travelers, we need certain things to help us arrive at our destination, including refreshment along the way. But there’s a problem, says Augustine, if we become so delighted with the pleasures of the journey that we’re unwilling to finish it quickly. If we’re not careful, we will lose interest in our home country, the place where true happiness awaits. When this happens, we’ve started to unduly enjoy the things that God intended to be used in helping us in our progress. And so as Augustine says, “If we wish to return to our home country, where alone we can be truly happy, we have to use this world, not enjoy it.”109”
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Hit List: Taking Aim at the Seven Deadly Sins
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Hit List: Taking Aim at the Seven Deadly Sins
by
Brian G. Hedges63 ratings, average rating, 14 reviews
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