Moses was High
Out of context: Reply #175
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- neverblink0
(1)(a)
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.This is the 'Golden Rule' posted a couple of pages back. Basicly what you are saying is that we should make living here Heaven on eart - I think anyone can agree with that.
(b)
I do good because I am grateful for being forgiven of my sins. [...] We don't need the reward per se, God simply does not want to be apart from us.So, would you say you would do 'good' even if you knew there was no Heaven? No eternal life? This might be a bit of an unfair question - since you believe there is - and I am asking you how you would act if you wouldn't believe. But would you find a person, who would not believe in any kind of reward but still did anything in his power to aid his fellow humans, more nobel than someone who knew there would be a reward waiting?
(2)
—The Kingdom of heaven is in the here and now. [...]Well actually that's why I made a distinction between 'Kingdom of Heavens' and 'God's Kingdom on Earth'. The way I see it we are struggling to achieve paradise (God's Kingdom on Earth) here on earth. When we die we are freed from that struggle, you say they go to (the Kingdom of) Heaven(s). See above comment about reward.
(3)
—Can you point me toward someone who does not work toward some reward?No I cannot. I think this is because we need to have some 'reason' why we do things. A reasoning behind what is considered doing good - other than 'doing good' itself. Because if there is no reason, why should we do good? That would end in total chaos (a so called 'Hell on earth').
(4)
—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.If this is true, everybody goes to Heaven, right? Everybody sins, and in the eyes of God we are all equal. "All our good deeds are useless to him". --- The thing Christians bring to the table is their 'faith'. They make a deal with themselves instead of with their God. They accept the doctrine of the religion as the 'reason' (see above) in their life.
btw. thank you for taking the time to anwser my previous question so extensively.
- You're numbering/list system here kicks ass!!!TheBlueOne