Do you act the way God would want you to because......?

Question

it's what he says , or because its who you truely are? If you want to do something but don't because it's against God, then isnt that half as bad as actually doing it? People say, I don't do it becasue its againt God ect... You rarley hear I don't do it becasue its not who I am. If someone has evil thoughts or wants some thing "bad"all the time but doesnt act upon them becasue of God, does that really make them a good person? So are you the way you are becasue you follow God or becasue its who you are?

Answer 1

good question. that's why religion came to be. there are people who would not do it whether there was a God or not, and there are those who need religion to keep them on a straight path.

People who fear Atheists seem to believe that because there is no religion in their lives, that they are more prone to do bad things. But, like you said, a good person wouldn't do it and not because of God, because they choose not to.

Answer 2

Dear Jessie,

What you seem to be speaking about is morality pushed upon us by an exterior force, parents, teachers, god, friends, when ever we do something because we "should" or "shouldn't" then you have not internalized, made your own, the understandings of the teachings. A person who does this is neither right not wrong, most people are like this. They are just on auto pilot.

It is a symptom of not thinking things through. If you read the bible, and other works, there are the rules, and then there are the exceptions. Did you ever think that the exceptions were there to teach us that we must think before we act? And that we must face the consequences of our actions.

Simple example - let's say you decide to not say Hello, to people. We do, because society taught us to right .... what would really happen. 1- we would feel strange, to resist the impulse, 2- people might start treating us differently (natural consequence to action) 3- we may learn that saying Hello, brings more good. What if you decided to not live under the rule, Thalt shall not kill - what would happen, even if there was no laws about it .....Also, what does that mean to all the Christians who go to war? Or the people of the inquisition that acted for God? What does that mean if you accidently kill someone in a car accident? Or while protecting your child?

There are real reasons behind these rules, many of them are simple and full of common sense. But, I do feel that when we stop acting on complete auto pilot, and start understanding deeply, for oneself, we are truly that much closer to true understanding.

Neither good nor bad
star spinner

Answer 3

Who are we truely. I think they're only now finding that out. The word is that we aren't our thoughts, but we have thoughts. We aren't our feelings, but have feelings. The personality is similar so we're just an awareness and that's arguable. We used to have a personality and couldn't change it much. Now it's no longer true. Scientists say that the conscious mind "is like a monkey on the back of a tiger." I would have said on the back of a human. So we have a parent. Do we listen to our good sense or intuition? I try to do something from my good sense. In other words we're supposed to "Try all things, hold fast to what is fine." That's the real rule in the Bible. I suppose they can use and misapply.any scripture they want and are doing just as you say. I guess test all things means to use our good sense on anything, including scriptures. The problem is that our emotions warp our good sense, so we have to understand emotions and get out act together. It's a fight until we know how to do it better. Our feelings are just free impartial energy that goes where our thoughts are. If we decide something is not for us, then we can move the energy over and we're in synch with out thoughts when we are sure that they're "fine". Just using descriptive words instead of judgmental ones make us very non-judgmental, objective and scientific. Judgmental words carry emotions. With descriptive words we can move our emotions more easily where reason dictates and even reach our deeper emotions because we have the tools to handle them. I guess I would say neither one, maybe, but rather because I know scripture is for us, I do it when I understand what it means, how to apply it and it's reasonable. It always is, but you have to test it, maybe just to make sure you got it right. If we do it because it says so we inevitably don't understand it and can do more harm than good. A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Answer 4

Both...I don't do things because it just isn't in my nature to do so. Many of those things used to be but aren't anymore because the Lord has changed my heart...
"22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
As we repent, the Spirit will come and change our very hearts. I have seen this in my life many times and in others' lives. Our actual desires will change. It is a tremendous gift which can only occur because of The Atonement of Jesus Christ.

I am not perfect. There are still some things I do wrong, of course. Some things I do just because the Lord asked me to but I am seeking a change of heart in those areas too. The process of being born again takes many many years but I know we can come through triumphant in the end.

Answer 5

God is Holy, Satan is UNHOLY. The spirit in christians cries out to be Holy. The flesh in christians cries out to be sinful. God gives christians the power to overcome the flesh, though many times we fail. Having a sinful thought is not sin unless you continue to entertain the thought or act on it. Christians are a work in progress as they hopefully grow in Christ. This scripture may help you in Roman Chapter 7. 14We know that the Law is spiritual; but I am a creature of the flesh [carnal, unspiritual], having been sold into slavery under [the control of] sin.

15For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled, bewildered]. I do not practice or accomplish what I wish, but I do the very thing that I loathe [[b]which my moral instinct condemns].

16Now if I do [habitually] what is contrary to my desire, [that means that] I acknowledge and agree that the Law is good (morally excellent) and that I take sides with it.

17However, it is no longer I who do the deed, but the sin [principle] which is at home in me and has possession of me.

18For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. [I have the intention and urge to do what is right, but no power to carry it out.]

19For I fail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but the evil deeds that I do not desire to do are what I am [ever] doing.

20Now if I do what I do not desire to do, it is no longer I doing it [it is not myself that acts], but the sin [principle] which dwells within me [[c]fixed and operating in my soul].

21So I find it to be a law (rule of action of my being) that when I want to do what is right and good, evil is ever present with me and I am subject to its insistent demands.

22For I endorse and delight in the Law of God in my inmost self [with my new nature].(D)

23But I discern in my bodily members [[d]in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh] a different law (rule of action) at war against the law of my mind (my reason) and making me a prisoner to the law of sin that dwells in my bodily organs [[e]in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh].

24O unhappy and pitiable and wretched man that I am! Who will release and deliver me from [the shackles of] this body of death?

25O thank God! [He will!] through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One) our Lord! So then indeed I, of myself with the mind and heart, serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Answer 6

clean the heart.. then can see the pure beauty..