What's the motivation for atheists and christians to do good or not do evil?
2007-01-04 12:45:45 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
OK Gary B: So why should morality even matter at all for atheists?
2007-01-04 12:50:36 · update #1
Just giving an intellectual consent to the gospel message doesn't assure one's salvation. God sent his son Jesus to stand in our place and pay our sin debt for us. But the Bible doesn't teach that a person can then go on and live an immoral life. Instead there is this passage that contains a dire warning to professing Christians who don't turn away from their sins.
Hebrews 10:26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. (28) Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. (29) How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? (30) For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." (31) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
So God asks all of humanity to trust in the sacrifice He provided to pay for all of our sins but He doesn't say that a person doesn't have to live a changed Christ like life.
2007-01-04 12:52:50 · answer #1 · answered by Martin S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it does not only come down to believers and nonbelievers. The Bible makes several things clear. First, that there will be different levels of rewards and punishments based on our behavior. (Contact me personally if you want references.)
But more importantly, Christians are told to imitate Christ, to try and conform our minds and characters to His. We can't very well do that by doing evil. Finally, if we do evil, how will other unbelievers see the truth in us? As somebody said "You are the only Bible many people will ever read." That's a sobering enough thought for me.
2007-01-04 20:49:08 · answer #2 · answered by Gary B 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Jesus said it best, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Do you like it when evil is done to you or someone neglects you?
He uses our own desires as a tool for empathy, so we have no excuses come judgement day. None of us.
Repentence, then is key. It is knowing our propensity to look out for no. 1 and then turning it around to look out for others. This turning around all stems from a knowledge given to us by God about ourselves and our need for someone to do good to us and save us.
Knowing your are not natuarallly in a position of humility but in a position of arrogance brings us to a point of decision.
I don't believe any of us has a humility that naturally occurs within our hearts, it has to be something that is learned. Where as Jesus the God Man does have this humiliy that is actually in his heart(intent and motivation) and manifests this humility in what is called love. This is what it means that he had no sin.
Since we are in a poistion of arrogance we are basically, you might figurativly say, above Him, sinful. We are separated in a way that God could only breach by humbly offering Himself for us as a peace offering since we really lack the ablity to do it on our own.
The decision to accept the peace offering of God is what is called salvation. It is a covenant written in blood set in the middle of history for all to see and know that your original sin(lacking the humility and gentleness of heart) and fruit thereof is forgiven.
Believing has consequences and knowing what you are and what Jesus has done bears the good fruit of salvation.
2007-01-04 21:36:25 · answer #3 · answered by Daniel P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
most religions have some code of written or unwritten morality. regarding our society, if morality was totally discarded you would become someone's concubine or maybe not if you are zena. only the overtly strong would rule. maybe that would be the nfl. another crazy idea. another inane question. are you happy with my answer?
2007-01-04 20:52:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Morality matters a great deal. Even immoral believers will go to hell according to the bible.
2007-01-04 20:51:06 · answer #5 · answered by tian_mon 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
it's personal opinion, it has nothing to do with judgement, you act as a moral person because that's how you should act, not because you blindly follow some god.
2007-01-04 21:02:21 · answer #6 · answered by Scott Justice 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good is better when one does it simply because it is right instead of waiting for a reward.
God is a schmuck if he doesn't see that.
2007-01-04 20:47:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
True Christians serve God through Christ and want to do good for Him.
2007-01-04 20:47:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋