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What is the whole point of being good? If everyone can be forgiven for their sins, then when someone does something really bad to you, does it even matter? I am thinking of my in-laws, and how they misread my husband and I's intentions and treated us so bad we had to leave the family farm and it has had this snowball effect on us and our kids. Now my brother in law who was the hardest on us (even told my husband to burn in h**l) was allowed to buy the family farm at the same price that he would not allow us to!!! (I say allow because my mother in law is trying to please everyone and all the kids persuade her decisions) I'm not upset because I want to buy the farm anymore- I can see we are better off far away from the in-laws- I am just upset about how we were treated and the lies told about us and how it ended with them getting things just peachy for them. And we have been through some really, really tough times as a result of the whole escapade. And it really doesnt matter because in the end, this life won't matter anymore. Because God loves all his children and wants all his children to be happy- just like I do as a parent of three kids. I understand that. But why, then are we to be good??
Help me understand.
I could turn it around and ask why Christ died on the cross if it was up to us to be good? Ultimately, it was because we are unable to be good--we are unable to earn God's favor. Your in-laws sound like they did some wrong to you. In the grand scheme of things, none of us are better than them--none of us can say we're truly GOOD.
So why are we to be good if Christ paid for our sins? Because we ought to have a feeling of gratitude. If we love God and are grateful for him saving us, why WOULDN'T we want to try to do good?
God is Righteous. He ALWAYS does what is Right. We do NOT always do what is right, and when we do, the flesh does the works with the wrong motives.. bringing glory to self, getting saved, etc.. The Bible says, and the world bears witness, than Man is inherently EVIL. We are not good people that eventually do bad things, but are Evil people that eventually do good things with the wrong motives. We are all about SELF and how to serve SELF, even at the expense of others.
God is JUST. As our Creator, He is Judge. He MUST Judge RIGHTEOUSLY because He is Holy and Just. The JUST Sentence for our wickedness is DEATH. The ONLY WAY the Justice of God can be appeased is through the Cross of Jesus Christ as He, the innocent, was punished as a sinner for OUR SAKES. Without Christ, the Justice of God will be upon our own person.
Ultimately the flesh CAN NOT BEAR FRUIT. (Matt 7) It bears only thorns. The Spirit gives life. The Spirit working in and through the believer does good with the right motives. God working in the individual's life bears FRUIT. We are instructed to DIE TO SELF, and let God work in our lives.
The Fruit ultimately BRINGS GLORY TO GOD! God will be glorified in HIS WORKS of Salvation and working in the lives of Sinners.
What is the whole point of being good? If everyone can be forgiven for their sins, then when someone does something really bad to you, does it even matter? I am thinking of my in-laws, and how they misread my husband and I's intentions and treated us so bad we had to leave the family farm and it has had this snowball effect on us and our kids. Now my brother in law who was the hardest on us (even told my husband to burn in h**l) was allowed to buy the family farm at the same price that he would not allow us to!!! (I say allow because my mother in law is trying to please everyone and all the kids persuade her decisions) I'm not upset because I want to buy the farm anymore- I can see we are better off far away from the in-laws- I am just upset about how we were treated and the lies told about us and how it ended with them getting things just peachy for them. And we have been through some really, really tough times as a result of the whole escapade. And it really doesnt matter because in the end, this life won't matter anymore. Because God loves all his children and wants all his children to be happy- just like I do as a parent of three kids. I understand that. But why, then are we to be good??
Help me understand.
I think we may have all been told this, so more people will join a Church.
What is the whole point of being good? If everyone can be forgiven for their sins, then when someone does something really bad to you, does it even matter? I am thinking of my in-laws, and how they misread my husband and I's intentions and treated us so bad we had to leave the family farm and it has had this snowball effect on us and our kids. Now my brother in law who was the hardest on us (even told my husband to burn in h**l) was allowed to buy the family farm at the same price that he would not allow us to!!! (I say allow because my mother in law is trying to please everyone and all the kids persuade her decisions) I'm not upset because I want to buy the farm anymore- I can see we are better off far away from the in-laws- I am just upset about how we were treated and the lies told about us and how it ended with them getting things just peachy for them. And we have been through some really, really tough times as a result of the whole escapade. And it really doesnt matter because in the end, this life won't matter anymore. Because God loves all his children and wants all his children to be happy- just like I do as a parent of three kids. I understand that. But why, then are we to be good??
Help me understand.
Jehovah forgives the ones that truly repent. True, Jehovah will forgive you, but don't take his kindness for granted. He don't want you to just do bad, just to do it, because you WILL regret it in the end. He's a loving God, but nobody's joke.
lol when I read this question, I just remembered a line from "Santa Clause is coming to town". "So be good for goodness sake".
As you grow spiritually, you come to realize that "being good" isn't for your own benefit and gain (because you won't always benefit or experience immediate gain). And it's not for God's attention and recognition. It's not about reward. It's not even about you.
I could turn it around and ask why Christ died on the cross if it was up to us to be good? Ultimately, it was because we are unable to be good--we are unable to earn God's favor. Your in-laws sound like they did some wrong to you. In the grand scheme of things, none of us are better than them--none of us can say we're truly GOOD.
So why are we to be good if Christ paid for our sins? Because we ought to have a feeling of gratitude. If we love God and are grateful for him saving us, why WOULDN'T we want to try to do good?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikelee81
God is Righteous. He ALWAYS does what is Right. We do NOT always do what is right, and when we do, the flesh does the works with the wrong motives.. bringing glory to self, getting saved, etc.. The Bible says, and the world bears witness, than Man is inherently EVIL. We are not good people that eventually do bad things, but are Evil people that eventually do good things with the wrong motives. We are all about SELF and how to serve SELF, even at the expense of others.
God is JUST. As our Creator, He is Judge. He MUST Judge RIGHTEOUSLY because He is Holy and Just. The JUST Sentence for our wickedness is DEATH. The ONLY WAY the Justice of God can be appeased is through the Cross of Jesus Christ as He, the innocent, was punished as a sinner for OUR SAKES. Without Christ, the Justice of God will be upon our own person.
Ultimately the flesh CAN NOT BEAR FRUIT. (Matt 7) It bears only thorns. The Spirit gives life. The Spirit working in and through the believer does good with the right motives. God working in the individual's life bears FRUIT. We are instructed to DIE TO SELF, and let God work in our lives.
The Fruit ultimately BRINGS GLORY TO GOD! God will be glorified in HIS WORKS of Salvation and working in the lives of Sinners.
This view of humanity is an abomination that blasphemes God's creation. We are not Evil and we are made to do good when we mature spiritually. Jesus came to show us the way and provide us with the guidance to do so after His death. His Holy Spirit (Comforter) is available to guide us to what God has "written in our hearts." If we follow that guidance we will mature spiritually and we can and will do good. If we follow Christ's instructions to "love God and each other" daily and repent when we don't . . . we cannot help but do good. I think it is time to remind everyone of what the point of doing good is:
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticPhD
If you are being good because God will punish you . . . you are failing yourself and God. The only reason to be good is because that is when you feel right with yourself and God. Being good must be its own reward . . . or you have not yet achieved the level of spiritual maturity that is required to be successfully reborn as Spirit after our death. The evidence is clear that this world does not typically reward the good and we should not have any great expectations that it will.
This life prepares us for the next. That is why we are cautioned to be separate from this world. Everything of this world is temporary. We cannot help but be in it . . . but we CAN choose not to be of it. We tend to affect only our own circle and within it we can have some impact. Love is the great healer and is not diminished when it is spread. It grows and is all we will take with us into the next life. Produce as much as you can while here.
What is the whole point of being good? If everyone can be forgiven for their sins, then when someone does something really bad to you, does it even matter? I am thinking of my in-laws, and how they misread my husband and I's intentions and treated us so bad we had to leave the family farm and it has had this snowball effect on us and our kids. Now my brother in law who was the hardest on us (even told my husband to burn in h**l) was allowed to buy the family farm at the same price that he would not allow us to!!! (I say allow because my mother in law is trying to please everyone and all the kids persuade her decisions) I'm not upset because I want to buy the farm anymore- I can see we are better off far away from the in-laws- I am just upset about how we were treated and the lies told about us and how it ended with them getting things just peachy for them. And we have been through some really, really tough times as a result of the whole escapade. And it really doesnt matter because in the end, this life won't matter anymore. Because God loves all his children and wants all his children to be happy- just like I do as a parent of three kids. I understand that. But why, then are we to be good??
Help me understand.
When it seems like just the jerks are getting all the comforts and pleasure of this physical life, I think of my reward to come as I keep plugging along. Crowns of righteousness, more responsibility during the rule and reign with Christ and other rewards. So this is why I'm good to people who don't really deserve it (like Christ is to me).
There is also the simple pleasure in this world of making other people's lives easier or more enjoyable, especially if they have it worse than you.
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