Secksay Jeebus, Bruno Deepbull asked:
I’ve heard on many occasions Christians bragging about how their religion is sooo much better than others because it is faith-based, and not works based. So… How does that make it better? How is it better to get a reward because of an arbitrary belief, rather than getting a reward based on being a good person, and doing good things for other people?
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I’ve heard on many occasions Christians bragging about how their religion is sooo much better than others because it is faith-based, and not works based. So… How does that make it better? How is it better to get a reward because of an arbitrary belief, rather than getting a reward based on being a good person, and doing good things for other people?
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Religion
Low Cost Bargain
I thought you got the memo. They are all b.s. so nobody wins.
ProConsultancy.com
It’s all in the mind.
Failed Experiment
that because no christian ever does good deeds
Thats why they changed the rules!!!!
Fire Your Boss Now
*whining voice* But works based forgiveness takes too long. I have to live with my guilt for months even years.
It is so much easier to get forgiven right away and then conveniently fall off the Good Train a couple of days down the line.
Fire Your Boss Now
It proves God, not works, is what causes salvation. While doing good deeds is nice, they are, as the Bible says “dirty rags before God.” Basically, works aren’t good enough for salvation. And its sad that we brag about it. And FYI, we ask people to do good, its just not the primary motivation.
ProConsultancy
I wouldn’t call it bragging. I’m from a Christian background, so I should know.
The thing is, everyone feels inadequate. They want to believe that they’ll still “make it”, even if they’re not perfect. See the attraction?
If you’re going to bash this belief, I’d say it would be more accurate to call it wishful thinking than bragging.
religion
It just means that you can still be a good Christian no matter what sort of past you have.
It’s basically an easy way to recruit more people.
Fire Your Boss Now
that explains it
Photoshop Life
Christianity also claims that salvation is works-based. Depends on which verse you choose to believe (if any).
One example of many: Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
religion
How much work is enough to get into heaven?
Fire Your Boss Now
You are right to a point. Faith without works is dead and Works without Faith is dead.
But if you depend just on works to get you to heaven, Jesus said it will not work. You have to accept him as your savior and then work for rewards.
Photoshop Life
Nothing, as long as the works are not pro forma rituals. If the works are invigorated with faith, more power to them. After all, Jesus said he would reward us according to our works, so the churches that deny that works are necessary seem like they have an ulterior motive — they either don’t want us to get any rewards from God, or they are just trying to tell us what we like to hear so they can get our money. Go figure.
Collecting Comix
ALL OF THAT IS INCLUDED.
NOT YELLING, JUST EXCITED.
WE DON’T SECTION OUT FAITH.
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS SHOWS NO FAITH AT ALL, WE KNOW THAT, BUT YOU DON’T SEE IT, SO WHY DO YOU ASSUME IT?
WORKS WITHOUT FAITH IS NOTHING, BUT WORKS…IN YOURSELF TO BOAST.
WE DON’T WORK TO BE SAVED…WE WORK BECAUSE WE ARE.
Failed Experiment
A good person do good things by his/her good works is all religious theory. But in Christianity a good person do good when he/she believes in Christ. We are saved not because of our good works but only the grace of God through faith in Jesus.
Photoshop Life
It’s not good to brag about your religion, because for example, if someone is a Muslim or a Buddhist, people don’t have the right to say something bad about their religion. How would a Christian like it if a Muslim said that their religion is better? We all have different religions, and some of us don’t even have a religion. So we don’t have a right to judge other people and their religions. Remember, the Golden Rule is, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” I am a Catholic, so this is just my opinion. I hope this helps.
religion
there is a good christian and a bad christian the bad will brag the good will pretty much listen to wat you have to say and pray for you and give advice perhaps and the reason faith is Strong is cause not a lot of non believers witness the change of life god has givin’
Failed Experiment
The whole old testament proved that there is none good. So salvation based on works is tainted.
ProConsultancy.com
You cant do enough good works to make restitution for your sins. Restitution can only be made by someone who is not indebted. Justice requires restitution. Love is when someone else pays it off for you.
religion
Excuse of lazy people that don’t want to move a finger….
ProConsultancy.com
heres a good example of people of faith putting it into practice for the love of Jesus and the truth.http://www.lifenews.com/state4083.html
faith that works through love, is the biblical way. many bible texts show this. It also has been in my questions, ie the scripture verces.
ProConsultancy.com
Christians believe that good works are important in pleasing God, but believing in Jesus is what will get them into heaven. It is comforting because no matter how much a person has sinned or what good deeds they have done, all they need to have is faith in Christ. It’s more of that they don’t have to count each and every sin and worry about whether they are going to heaven or not. They are assured that because Jesus forgives and saves them that while good works are important, they are not detrimental to going to heaven.
Failed Experiment
” For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast ” Ephesians 2:8 – 9
Low Cost Bargain
Its about not doing good things just because you think you will give rewarded in the end. Do good things because that’s what you should do. I also don’t think that if I do something good what I get 5 extra points? Its about having faith in God even when times are bad and not just when they are good. And the whole better than everyone is a turn off, but I believe in my religion so am going to think am right why else would I believe in it? But there is a way to talk instead of preaching I agree.
ProConsultancy
Doing good works is just another way of proselytizing. The church gives nothing away for free. If you don’t believe that why is the catholic church coffers full of money and property. Why do preachers have a reputation for driving Cadillacs? Go to the Phillipines and see who started buying property after the missionaries came. Go to any third world country where missionaries have been and see if they sold help for believing.
religion
You must have both, faith and works. It would be like a bird with only one wing. A bird can’t fly with one wing.
James 2:19&20 You believe there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder. But do you care to know , O empty man, that faith apart from works is inactive?
Also verse 21-22 says: Was not Abraham our father declared righteous by works after he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? You behold that (his) faith worked along with his works and by (his) works his faith was perfected.
ProConsultancy
What if heaven is really a gift…because it has to be.
We cannot earn it , ever.
What if hell is the wages for rejecting the gift of God…
and we have all earned it in spades…
What if those (fill in the blank) christians were really just trying to tell you you were on a sinking ship, and a lifeboat was available…
there really is a redeemer, a rescuer who has earned the gift of heaven for you…
It would be wrong for them not to tell you, wouldn’t it…
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Anybody can do good works. Even an atheist. But having faith in God will lead you to do good works anyway. Faith and good works goes hand and hand. You don’t do good works and expect a “reward”. You do it because of your love and faith in God and His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, and for being obedient to His Spiritual Laws.
ProConsultancy.com
Because when it is work based we forget God. We do a lot of God things. Yet forget the relationship part. Knowing God. Prayer for self and others. thanksgiving and praise. We can get caught up in events and procedures and forget the love of God and godliness.
God teaches us with his spirit and we can get to busy to listen to his voice. There is no room for bragging. Everything comes from God as far as Christianity. 2 corinthians 9: 8-15. God makes it happen for us to be generous with our time and giving. If we are good and do good things it is God within us. God is good and his spirit reveals that to us with his works. God does the work not us. Isaiah 58. we must pray and ask for wisdom. Proverbs 3.
Fire Your Boss Now
Christianity is based on the work of jesus he did the work on Calvary when he died for all mankind, i don’t have my bible with me to quote verbatim but in romans it tells us that salvation is gift of god, that by grace we are saved, not by works least any man should boast,, meaning that our works will not get us into heaven but the blood of jesus, (i am the way, the truth, and the light. no man comes unto the father but by me.) our works should be a outward expression of our love for jesus and by extension for all mankind, ( if we say we love jesus and have not love, we are liars, somewhere in the book of james)
nothing wrong with works but they will not get you into heaven
Low Cost Bargain
Having faith in doing good deeds or works is found in the Book of James and conflicts with Pauline Christianity.
Indulgences has been reinstated by the RC Church and deeds and prayers can be made via donations. See Martin Luther’s break with RC Church on this issue, found on line. Martin was originally a catholic priest.
The reward of a good deed is the deed itself and it becomes contagious. Good folks doing good for others and not looking for a reward I believe is a very good thing. God never wanted a stack of deeds done without the total commitment of heart, mind and soul. Actually Jews are told if they are doing a deed for the world to see and not for the sake of His mission to him, then that person should do the deed again, and even better, in private, like giving food by having someone else deliver it. Donating to a hospital without getting a name plate on the wall. When someone donates $5,000 when it is only 1% of his earnings, it looks good on TV but does it look good with God? Even Christians require charity, helping the sick, giving to the poor, helping the orphans, building schools whether or Paul did.
They say for anyone, a good deed creates another angel by God who will stand by you when judged, if this is the case, I do not think you could do enough deeds to justify killing innocent people, etc. But that is between you and God.
No matter who you are, what religion you live by or practice, keeping count of your deeds makes no sense and doesn’t do anything for improving your soul, life or the people that are around you.
We are here to make the bad good, to take the mundane and make holy, not doing a good deed and look around to see who is watching.
As a note, Constantine, that made his conquests embrace Christianity (Eastern rite), was not baptized until he was on his deathbed. Many Christians did the same because Church law prohibited readmitting a baptized Christian that committed sins back into the fold.
Fire Your Boss Now
Christ did say that “Whatever you do on to the least of my people that you do onto me”
Back when I believed,, I used to volunteer at homeless shelter and clean the whole place from top to bottom. I guess I was hoping that when I met Jesus, I could tell him that I provided him with fresh sheets and clean place to take a dump.
Of course, St Paul said the “Good works without faith are worthless”
But shouldn’t faith result in good works?
I agree with you. I once had an argument with a priest about the fate of an atheist’s soul. Christ said that “There was no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” If an atheist threw himself on a grenade, believing only oblivion awaited him and saved his friends.. Isn’t that a nobler deed than anything a Christian could do?
Collecting Comix
The Bible teaches that the only way that we can receive eternal life in Heaven is if we have faith that Jesus Christ (the son of God) was crucified to pay for our sins (by believing this, we are accepting the gift that God offers us). This faith washes away our sins in God’s eyes because he looks at us, but sees the perfect sacrifice (Jesus) that paid for our sins.
If we believe that and ask Jesus to come and live in our hearts, then good works should follow (good works should be a product of a life following Jesus).
If you only have good works, but no faith in Jesus, you will probably receive rewards while you’re here on the Earth. However, when you die you will still be in your sins (you won’t be washed clean by Jesus’ blood) and the wages of your sins will be eternity in Hell.
Therefore, the Christian faith is better because the rewards are reaped both in this life and in eternity, whereas the rewards of other religions are only seen in this life.