Christians: Why is belief more important than morality? (Jesus, crucified)

[keevelish]

Michel, why don't you look at it in God's perspective? He is almighty, so what HE says GOES. It has nothing to do with whether we like it or not! God set a standard- we don't live up to it, he is infinite AND JUST and perfect. Less than perfection cannot have fellowship with perfection unless we can accept his mercy. God obviously sees it as just, because the atheist REJECTED God's gift. Simple. It may seem harsh, but it is just. Why can't people just accept Jesus instead of making pitiful excuses and then blaming God for their rejection?

[keevelish]

God is ONLY all-forgiving when a person accepts his free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Why should he forgive a person who rejects him? And it is exactly the fact that it DOES hurt that some people go to hell- but we DON'T blame God for it- we have compassion for other's souls and seek to show them how they too can trust Jesus as their saviour. That is why Jesus commanded us to go and tell people the gospel (Acts 1:8).

[chris9178]

I am so upset that anyone could be made to believe that his religion tells him that his dad will be sent to hell just because he is an atheist.

If you hold this standpoint then all you're doing is meausring God, aren't you? You try and decide which is good, which is bad, and which is even worst. What should we be judged for and what shouldn't we?

Well, for one thing, it's quite arrogant to say that God "should, or shouldn't". But that's based on opinion (afterall you may not even believe in God!).

More importantly, if you're trying to measure God, what do you use? Your feelings? Perceptions?
God has given us Scripture that gives us a small grasp of what God wants and does not want us to do. That scripture tells us, more or less, that atheists are going to be judged. If you have other scripture that tells us something different, then by all means, bring it forward.

Of course, if one is an atheist, then this has little meaning to him. But in this case, angellous is not.

[Master Vigil]

I feel bad that people are trying to say what god thinks. Please, you are infinite, your understanding can't even come close. None of us can. And a book written by finite imperfect men, even if inspired, can't come close.

[Mr Spinkles]

*MOD POST*

Once again, a friendly reminder that this is the Same Faith Debates forum. Please everyone remember that only Christians should be posting in this thread.

Thanks.

[true blood]

[QUOTE=groovydancer88]I'm a Christian - but I have a new question about my faith every day. This is one I have had for quite a while. Some people have asked, if you don't believe in God, what is your motivation for living a moral life? Well, even if you DO, what's your motivation? Christianity is based on the idea that God forgives all as long as you accept Jesus as your savior, right? Surely God frowns upon sin, but he doesn't eternally condemn you for it - but he will eternally condemn you if you don't believe in him or his son. Why is this so? Why should belief be more important than morality? I don't get how my atheist dad who is one of the kindest people I know will be sent to hell, but murderers who believe in Jesus won't. What am I missing here?[/quote]

If you are a believer your Dad isn't going to hell. You know, there are passages that state those in Christ will be the ones to do the judging come Judgement Day. I think alot of people have sin-consciousness. Spiritual antaganism comes when a person does not realize what has been given to him by Jesus Christ. When a person becomes a Christian he is legally made righteous in Christ. What then is righteousness? It is God-given justification where a person can stand in the presence of God without any consciousness of sin, guild or shortfalls. It is something God imparts. Sounds to me like you lack teaching and still think you are unworthy to recieve all that is good from God like faith that your dad is going to be ok whatever religion, practices, acts, etc... he has done.

[Joannicius]

Originally Posted by groovydancer88

I'm a Christian - but I have a new question about my faith every day. This is one I have had for quite a while. Some people have asked, if you don't believe in God, what is your motivation for living a moral life? Well, even if you DO, what's your motivation? Christianity is based on the idea that God forgives all as long as you accept Jesus as your savior, right? Surely God frowns upon sin, but he doesn't eternally condemn you for it - but he will eternally condemn you if you don't believe in him or his son. Why is this so? Why should belief be more important than morality? I don't get how my atheist dad who is one of the kindest people I know will be sent to hell, but murderers who believe in Jesus won't. What am I missing here?

The Orthodox Christian 88 would never say your dad is going to hell for two reasons.

1. There is no hell (as defined by the Western Christianity) it is a condition, not a place. There is only the love of God that all will spend eternity in and with and the ones that love God will be in bliss and the ones who don't will be in a hell inside themselves tormented by their lack of love.

2. Only God will judge the final state of a person, we are forbidden to pass that judgement toward anyone.

MT 7:1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.

LK 6:37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven

[Joannicius]

Like Chris said 88, C.S. Lewis "Mere Christianity" is a great place to start and if you can't get your hand on one, PM me and I will send it to you in MP3 format....free, it's great listening to.

[Joannicius]

Originally Posted by keevelish

Michel, why don't you look at it in God's perspective? He is almighty, so what HE says GOES. It has nothing to do with whether we like it or not! God set a standard- we don't live up to it, he is infinite AND JUST and perfect. Less than perfection cannot have fellowship with perfection unless we can accept his mercy. God obviously sees it as just, because the atheist REJECTED God's gift. Simple. It may seem harsh, but it is just. Why can't people just accept Jesus instead of making pitiful excuses and then blaming God for their rejection?

The Holy Spirit that Jesus gave us to love with, is being rejected by those Pharisaical spirits that say "look at me, I'm going to heaven and you are going to hell", bring to mind the ones Jesus castigated the most....the ones who said they had arrived and am in need of nothing........have you arrived keevelish?

We don't know we made it until our Creator says we have.

Will it be "thou good and faithful servant" or
"Depart from me, I never knew you"?
But Lord didn't I prophesy and do miriacles in your name???

[groovydancer88]

Thanks everyone for your insightful words - this is helping me understand. And I'm going to the library right now to get Mere Christianity, I'm sure that will help a lot too (I love books!!), thanks for the tip. Keep posting!