Hedonism is the principle that life should be devoted to gaining maximum pleasure or happiness.Altruism is unselfish concern for the welfare of others.
I believe Jesus was both. Jesus endured the cross ... for what reason? Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us He did it "for the joy that was set before him." Jesus found the greatest joy, peace and happiness in obeying God the Father. He was secure and satisfied enough in His Father's love that he was able to unselfishly love and give to others. In fact, the same Hebrews verse tells us that Jesus "endured the cross" despite shame for us. Sacrifical death is the ultimate act of altruism.
For further reading, I'd recommend Dr. John Piper's site. Among other things, Dr. Piper is known for his writing on Christian hedonism. His most famous work is entitled, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. Here is an excerpt from his website:
Nowhere in the Bible does God condemn people for longing to be happy. People are condemned for forsaking God and seeking their happiness elsewhere (Jeremiah 2:13). This is the essence of sin. The Bible actually commands us to delight in the Lord (Psalm 37:4). Jesus teaches us to love God more than money because our heart is where our treasure is (Matt. 6:21). Paul wants us to believe that gaining Christ is worth the loss of everything else (Phil 3:8) and the author of Hebrews exhorts us to endure suffering, like Jesus, for the joy set before us (Heb. 12: 1-2). Examine the Scriptures and you'll see this over and over again. Christian Hedonism is not a contradiction after all. It is desiring the vast, ocean-deep pleasures of God more than the mud-puddle pleasures of wealth, power or lust.
I'd also recommend this article.
[Answered by Pastor HM]
