If you knew there was no reward for serving God would you still serve him? (page 2)

bebu

Seems to me that people get to make something of a choice like that right now. God doesn't settle all accounts every Saturday: "bad" people don't get punished on a schedule, and "good" people don't get chocolates either. So, you really get to pick!

I think if you care about whatever is best or whatever is right, then you are happy as a matter of doing that, and not requiring another reward in order to act in that manner.

I actually am sure there is a reward for serving God, but it is not the reward of "getting stuff" (even Paradise Earth (TM)). I think the reward is God's Presence:

"Whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him..." (Somewhere in Ephesians)

Psalm 16:2 Oh God, You are my God, and apart from you I have nothing good.

I don't want to be on Paradise Earth without Christ-- It is all rubbish apart from Christ.

bebu

ashitaka

Of course not, no rational being would.

So, this particular Christian God (which I assume you're speaking of), makes the Universe, and let's mankind suffer for thousands of years because of a 'bet' with one of his kids in heaven. In all of this, if there wasn't a reward, how many people would believe in a Christian God?

Let me put it this way; how many of those older 'Pagan' gods that were only for one purpose (ex. Mars, god of war) are still actively worshipped today? And why? Because they can give no applicable reward to the modern person.

There's nothing like an escape from reality that makes people happy. Just like a drug.

ash

Yizuman

Seems to me that people get to make something of a choice like that right now. God doesn't settle all accounts every Saturday: "bad" people don't get punished on a schedule, and "good" people don't get chocolates either. So, you really get to pick!
I think if you care about whatever is best or whatever is right, then you are happy as a matter of doing that, and not requiring another reward in order to act in that manner.
I actually am sure there is a reward for serving God, but it is not the reward of "getting stuff" (even Paradise Earth (TM)). I think the reward is God's Presence:

It is and praise be to God for His Presence!

"Whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him..." (Somewhere in Ephesians)
Psalm 16:2 Oh God, You are my God, and apart from you I have nothing good.
I don't want to be on Paradise Earth without Christ-- It is all rubbish apart from Christ.
bebu

Amen! "You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever" (Psalm 118:28,29). "Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations" (Psalm 100:1-5) Song: Step by Step Oh, God, you are my God
And I will ever praise you
Oh, God, you are my God
And I will ever praise you

And I will seek you in the morning
And I will learn to walk in your ways
As step by step you lead me
And I will follow you all of my days Yiz

freedom96

So, if there were no God, would I just go around being mean and hurting people? Would I lie, steal, and cheat? NO.

My nature is to be the person I am regardless of my belief of a higher being to answer to.

blacksheep

Well, let's see. I don't "serve" God now (whatever that means, but I'm pretty sure I don't). For all I know, I'll be damned to hell for not doing so. If I don't serve God, in spite of that fearful possibility, I sure as heck wouldn't do it if there's merely "no reward."

Either way, you can't be sure of anything.

ashitaka

I don't want to be on Paradise Earth without Christ-- It is all rubbish apart from Christ.

Well, as soon as old J-boy decides to come back to earth and cures AIDS, cancer, and pays my bills for a month, then maybe I'll believe in his hokum. Otherwise, I'd be kidding myself.....the only real 'evidence' of God is the gooey feeling people have when they think of Him (or Her).

The only real rubbish is believing in something that has never directly affected you. You might as well believe that Zues still rules on Mount Olympus.

ash

Yizuman

Well, as soon as old J-boy decides to come back to earth and cures AIDS, cancer, and pays my bills for a month, then maybe I'll believe in his hokum.

Oh you'd love that would you?

Mankind is so demanding on what they want from God regardless if someone believes in Him or not and it's getting on my nerves.

A Pastor once said that they are always screaming, "ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME!"

He said they sounded like a bunch of "ME ME Birds"! Now, being deaf, I don't know how that sounds, but from the way he says it, it sounded pretty darn funny!

Yiz

tinkerbell82

Well, as soon as old J-boy decides to come back to earth and cures AIDS, cancer, and pays my bills for a month, then maybe I'll believe in his hokum. Otherwise, I'd be kidding myself.....the only real 'evidence' of God is the gooey feeling people have when they think of Him (or Her).

exactly!!!!!

unless you agree with spinoza that all the world is a theophany. which i dont.

bebu

The only real rubbish is believing in something that has never directly affected you.

How do you know that Christ has never directly affected me? That's pretty presumptuous, isn't it?

I am no longer controlled by my temper. I'm not controlled by a need for revenge. My life is not ruled by regrets over past mistakes because a) when I chose to do what was right I didn't have to deal with the consequences and b) I know I'm forgiven for all the wrong things I DID do. All of these I directly attribute to God, not my own efforts. That's just the tip of the iceburg.

I live a very free life, and it feels like a miracle to me!

bebu

ashitaka

A Pastor once said that they are always screaming, "ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME!"
He said they sounded like a bunch of "ME ME Birds"! Now, being deaf, I don't know how that sounds, but from the way he says it, it sounded pretty darn funny

ha! What horsepucky! Me birds??!?! This fella wasn't much on literature, was he? LOL

There are many giving, kind people who think that God is a load of garbage. Where do they stand? Where do athiests who work in soup kitchens stand?

Take away heaven....take away any reward from God. Then, where would that 'ME' Preacher's congregation be? At the slots, probably, or in the Powerball line. LOL

Humans are selfish, and choose to serve God because there's something in it for them. Anyone who says otherwise is either a fool, or lying.

Why do people confess sins? Because they go to hell if they don't.

Why do people go to church? Because they will be punished by God if they don't.

Why shouldn't people have premarital sex? Because God will smite them like Phineas in the Isrealite camp.

LOLOLOL. What crap!!!! The only reasons for religion are fear and reward! Admission of that will make sense to me, at least.

ash

P.S.--anyone who chimes in and says they love God 'just because', do me a favor and honestly list your reasons for loving/worshipping God. Give me more than 50% reasons that aren't selfish, and I'll eat my bum. (REAL REASONS, and you can't repeat one twice).

If you knew there was no reward for serving God would you still serve him?

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