Christians; do you think it's honest to have good morals and to praise God expecting to get some reward?

Question

We atheists don't expect any rewards when we help our fellow humans, especially 'afterlife' rewards....what do you say about that?

Sounds like Pink Floyd The Wall's school master: "If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!!...how can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat??!!"

Answer 1

Being a Former Fool, Current Atheist (eh? eh? Yeah, kind of an inside joke...) I can say that I NEVER did anything that was good expecting a reward. I just didn't want Evil Sky God to burn me in Hell for eternity.

Answer 2

If you do not believe in an afterlife you are an fool not to be leading a life of pure hedonism. I mean, why not? Are not your own purely selfish wants and desires all that really matter? If the world is worse off because you lived, what difference does it make after you die?

I still contend that if anyone were to truly believe that there is only the here and now, that they should busy themselves with pillage, rape and plunder or whatever else will bring them immediate gratification. There is obviously no reason why humans have even achieved self-realization.

Humans, according to Atheists, have no soul and are only smart apes. Well, start acting like one. Apes do not worry about tomorrow and take all the pleasure they can with no concern for others. Survival of the fittest should be your creedo. Any of the higher behaviour of humanity, such as altruism or empathy need not concern you. To behave in these, morally absolute ways is pure folly for you.

You either get yours now or you never will, right?

.

Answer 3

We just say that to interest people.

Really, we do what we do for love of the One who made us. He always has shown so much love and care for us, like a best friend.

With a best friend, you would help him fix up his deck on weekends. Go to a game or out to dinner. Be there when he needs you or you need him. Maybe loan a few bucks when he forgot his wallet. Except you can't do that with God.

No pockets or even need for cash for one thing. The only thing we can give Him that He would appreciate is our honest worship. If He gives us eternal life, terrific! If He doesn't, that's fine too. After all, there is nothing we can pay for it. That would have to be a free gift

Answer 4

Do you think it is honest to do a good deed because it makes you feel good knowing that you helped out another? That is a reward that comes from a good deed that atheists receive as well. Christians don't do good deeds expecting heaven as a reward. The good things that I do will not get me into heaven. They do not erase my sin, negate my sin, or replace my sin. The only thing that does that is the blood of Christ. I get the gift of heaven because I accept that gift, not because of the things I do. Our good deeds AFTER salvation do earn us rewards in heaven, but all of those rewards will be given back to Christ as our show of appreciation for what He did for us. I don't get to keep my rewards, so why would they be motivation to do good? My motivation for doing good is to be able to show my Savior how much I appreciate what He has done for me!

Answer 5

Job 34:11 says, "For He (God) repays man according to his work, and makes man to find a reward according to his way."

Man is designed to work for a reward. He cannot help it. There is nothing a mere human can do outside of selfish ambition. He may say he did a good work selflessly, but perhaps he did it to satisfy a desire to help others. So it is selfishly that he did a good work to fulfill that desire.

God commands us to do good works and expect no reward, but since this is impossible, and God knows it is impossible, is it unjust of Him to ask us to do it? Certainly not! Instead, God shows mercy on His servants, and says that we cannot do a good work without being selfish...

But through Him, we may. Only through God can a human act selflessly, and expect nor want any reward. But if you do good works, and they are NOT for Christ, then quite simply, they ARE for yourself, and therefore done selfishly.

When God said that by doing good works on earth, we would get treasures in heaven, He did not mean that it was like a deal. On the contrary, it was merely a promise, and should by no means influence our reasons for doing good works. No, we should do good works to praise God, and to show that He has done a good work in our lives, and that He could do the same for others.

Answer 6

What is your reward for helping out your fellow human beings? You get a good feeling about it dont you? Is a good feeling about helping others a reward I think it most certainly is. Everything has it's rewards no matter how small or minute it might be.

Answer 7

When a Christian is born again, he receives a new nature - the nature of Christ. This is the nature of the Lamb of God who sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. It is not the self-centered,
"what's in it for me?" nature of the world.
Now I will admit that it takes some Christians a long time to realize this, but this is the path of Christian maturity. I know this from experience, because before being born again I was a total cynic, being convinced that every living human being was just looking out for "number one". When you realize though that God Himself endured terrible pain, torment and rejection for the sake of His wayward creatures, the children of Adam, it works a change in the soul that re-establishes union with the Life of God, the only purely unselfish Life that exists.

Answer 8

I would have good morals rather I believe in God or not. I don't expect rewards for good morals. I hope I can be with my family and God when I die. I love God because He has helped me, He loves me and He is kind.
That is what I have to say about that.

Answer 9

We don't expect rewards for our morals or goodness either. It should be what we do automatically. We do expect reward for our faith and belief in Jesus Christ. That's the biggest difference between believers and non-believers. Rewards are the last thing we seek. Presence with God is first and foremost.

Answer 10

oh, it's you again, does pissing on christians ever get old for you?
I visited Calcutta some time back and saw the work Sisters of Charity (Mother Teresa's order) did for the abandoned, sick and dying... they did not expect any reward, now or after they die, they just believed compassion and love are the path they need to follow. Funny, did not see any Atheist Sisters helping the most wretched... can you tell me why ?