Moses was High
Out of context: Reply #162
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- gramme0
neverblink,
(1)
My only question is: If a Christian does good, only for the Glory of his God. Why should there have to be a reward for the Christian? Doesn't that ultimatly boil down to the Christian doing it for the reward / his own ego.I should elaborate that doing things for God's glory, and because he requires it, does not just glorify God, but it benefits humanity as well. For example, we are called to love our neighbors, 'neighbor' being anyone and everyone, even people we can't stand. I do good because I am grateful for being forgiven of my sins. It's not about God. It was God's decision, because he loves us so much, to never be apart from us, to live in glory with him...if we own him as savior. Dying to myself, to my own desires, for the sake of God's kingdom, is an act of selflessness...especially because much is promised, but not yet seen. It's an act of faith. We don't need the reward per se, God simply does not want to be apart from us. And I for one will gladly take the reward of eternal life. It does not make me selfish, especially because in order to get into heaven, I must truly believe that I am completely beyond repair save through Him. It's the ultimate admission of weakness, and it cannot happen if the Holy Spirit does not open one's eyes. I hope that answers your question, even if it may not satisfy you.
(2)
I think the whole concept of a 'Kingdom of Heavens' is a fairytale to give people hope who can not be satisfied by the fact that they lived their lives only for the 'Glory of God' and ultimatly to establish 'God's Kingdom' right here on earth.—The Kingdom of heaven is in the here and now. It is in construction, so to speak. God uses us as his builders and designers. The full glory of it will come when this universe is remade and perfected.
(3)
I think you are truly devoted if you don't need the reward at the end of the struggle. If you truly believe you are 'fighting for a good cause' the notion that you might have helped your ideals become reality should be enough reward for you.—Can you point me toward someone who does not work toward some reward? We die without hope. We hope in a resolution, a reward, of some kind, regardless of race or creed. I am rewarded when I see the cause of Christ advanced – i.e., when people see God's nature in me because of the love I show them. That is how people see the nature of God – in his followers, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
(4)
btw. This applies to all religions.—There is no other religion that involves grace. All other religions require the believer to bring some sort of merit to the table, to pile up good works to win God's favor. Christianity is about understanding that we have nothing to bring to the table, nothing that can raise our status in God's eyes. All our good deeds are useless to him, since we are incapable of avoiding sin entirely. That's why we need a substitute to take our place.
- (1) I meant it IS about God, what He did, but what I meant is that I act out of gratitude for what happened in the past...gramme
- ...and have faith in what will happen in the future.gramme
- So if there was no Heaven / no consequence, you would still 'do good'?neverblink