It seems to me thast a benevolent god would prefer if people behave in a virtuous way, as Jesus would behave for example.
Furthermore, organised religion could be perceived to have a self serving motivation behind any statements that this is insufficient to enter heaven.
Could you please comment on the above. If you think I am off the mark, could you provide reasons why?
2006-08-16 16:46:02 · 22 answers · asked by Jeremy D 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I believe in your vision of a benevolent God, Jeremy. What I keep running up against is this: If the "loving" God of the Bible is truly lovng, then He should recognize people by their works ("by their works shall He know them").
My mother, my grandfather and grandmother, all died as atheists, and comfortable with that. They were all phenomenally good people in their acts--"activists" on behalf of the poor and anyone else who deserved an advocate but lacked one--but any one of them would have bridled at having their actions ascribed to religious or even spiritual motives. I personally wouldn't describe myself as an atheist. But speaking with all humility, when I find in the Old Testament that because "I thy God am a jealous God" and that therefore whatever acts are done to better the lot of your fellow man on earth are worthless in the eyes of God, unless done in his name, I'm thinking... is this a God I can get behind?
God as thus proscribed will send my incredibly caring, capable and effective mom amd grandma to hell, but hecause he shouts out God's name loud and clear every Sunday, Trent Lott has dibs on God's grace. Hmmm. Maybe it's true,. If it is, I can't get behind that vision.
Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best.
Leslie
2006-08-16 17:23:06 · answer #1 · answered by Leslie D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, Jeremy, God is looking for more than good behavior. God is the searcher of hearts, and he is "looking for" true hearts.
Because a lot of people with evil intentions behave really well. This is not a new concept. Some people act very "appropriately" and even can appear generous, but some, in their hearts, are self-seekers and manipulators.
Not all, but some.
And so you can see how more than good behavior is required.
A pure heart--a heart with the humility to accept God's gift of salvation--is what God is searching us for.
As for "organized religion," that phrase is thrown around so much that I don't know what any one person means by it anymore. But religion that isn't organized isn't exactly religion. It is one person's personal belief--and religion is more than one person's personal belief. It is being of service to others, spreading the word, and so forth. To do this, some level of "organization" is required.
Especially when dealing with the Christian faith. Christ told his apostles to build a church. This wasn't a whim. It was purposeful. Part of the reason is that Christians are a body of believers united in the body of Christ.
Religion can say whatever it wants about who gets in to heaven and doesn't--but how is this self-serving? What does any religious outfit gain by claiming that John will go to heaven and Jack will go to hell? It doesn't gain anything spiritual and virtuous if it is lying. It just gains worldly adherents if it is lying and those to whom it is lying agree. But what is that? Lies are pretty easily seen through. My point here is that nobody can fool God. People may fool people, but no one fools God. So no religion is ultimately self-serving by claiming knowledge of who will be in heaven. Why? Because no one can trick God into letting them in.
So, to sum up, I think that you're off the mark. I think you have good intentions, but I still think you are off the mark.
2006-08-16 23:57:18 · answer #2 · answered by Gestalt 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are off the mark.. The verses below teach that NOBODY is righteous so they can't get into heaven that way.. A righteous God lets righteous people into heaven and the only way to be righteous is by the blood of Jesus that washes away your sin. When you are saved then God puts his Spirit in you and he is with you every day and guides you to do the right thing..
Then it is not a religion, but a relationship with his spirit and his son Jesus.. Hope this helps
Psa 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
2006-08-16 23:54:32 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well let me ask you. What do you judge as "good"? Perhaps you would just leave the judgment to God. Like, well, if your "good" deeds outweighed your "bad" deeds, you'd get to heaven, right? Okay.
The only problem is, sin. A person who has sinned cannot enter the presence of a holy God. So, what's to be done about this, then, everyone has sinned? That is the crux of the entire matter.
The only thing that can remove our sin is the perfect and righteous blood of Jesus Christ. And it's our belief in Jesus that makes us clean.
You see, it's not how "we" think. It's how "God" thinks. "My ways are not your ways", He has said, "they are higher than your ways". And there isn't a bell curve or sliding scale; if you offend at one point of the law, God says, that's it, you've broken them all. That is why we need a Savior, and have one, in Jesus.
2006-08-17 00:11:13 · answer #4 · answered by christian_lady_2001 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just being a good person won't get you to heaven. Read Revelation 20 verses 11 thru 15 and Revelation 21 verse 8, have you ever been guilty of anything listed in the last verse I gave you? And what is the destination of those listed? The only way is to accept Christ as your personal saviour.
2006-08-17 00:57:25 · answer #5 · answered by judy_derr38565 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree that good people should go to heaven, however I also know that it will take a lot more than good deeds to get me there.
I have a responsability to God to worship him as 1 only, as says the 10 commandments. As well to believe in all the prophets, his books and the Angels etc.
There are 2 reasons for people to do good and they are:
1. In the name of God, and for God only. This is to benefit our soul, and we do these deeds to get a reward in the hereafter.
2. To be a good person and be personally concerned with those around us.
Both are very important and when we do deeds we should be doing them for both reasons. However when someone does a good deed, but tries to boast, or doesn't do it in the name of God. They get their reward in this world. However, whenever we do something for God, we take the reward to the grave, and this is what protects us from the punishment in the grave as well as the hellfire.
There is a saying by Prophet Mohamed: " When you give charity you should be so secretive of it that your left hand doesn't even know about it, this is better for you."
Peace
2006-08-17 00:19:03 · answer #6 · answered by Sabrine * 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not about religion, but it is about relationship. To me religion is about traditions, which are good, but at the same time my most important goal of being a christian and a child of God, is by having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In the Bible, it says that Jesus said that no man can come to the father, but through me. Read your Bible. Read in the books of Matthew. Mark, Luke and John. You will get your answers there. Be Blessed!
2006-08-16 23:54:17 · answer #7 · answered by caramel_angelkiss 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is what we would like to think but the Bible is very clear that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" Roamans. God cannot look at sin in comfort-so in Revelation 22 when it says that all "liars....will take thier part in the lake of fire" He makes it very clear we are all sinners and need a savior. I could go on and on but you will get some interesting pts later on from other. But in reality, If we want to believe in a God who never sends people to an eternity w/o Him thats idolitry.
2006-08-16 23:53:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No one is good but one,that is God.And you are justified by faith not works.I think this is what you were looking for,people who say they believe but don't really? Jude 5-15 here's a part of it.Likewise these dreamers defile the flesh,reject authority,and speak evil of dignataries.Yet Michael the archangel,in contending with the devil,when He disputed about the body of Moses,He dared not bring against him a reviling accusation,but said "Tha Lord rebuke you!"But these speak evil of whatever they do not know;and whatever they know naturally,like brute beasts,in these things they corrupt themselves.Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain,have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit,and perished in the rebellion of Korah.I can say with a certain amount of certainty that Jack certainly is delivered from his Judge.
2006-08-17 00:00:52 · answer #9 · answered by dale 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If there is a God, He gets to set the terms under which we get to spend eternity with Him or not. He has chosen to speak to us through His inspired Word--the Bible. In it He says that He is holy and we are not and that there is no way we could ever be good enough to earn our way into His presence. You either take Him at His word, or keep trying to make it your own way. But you don't get to tell God how it should be done. That's what makes Him God and you not.
2006-08-16 23:54:38 · answer #10 · answered by happygirl 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋