Godliness verses Morality

[NetChaplain]

Morality is what we do between one another, but godliness is what we do between God and ourselves. Morality can be a possible indication of one being a Christian, but godliness confirms it. One can be morally-centered but not be godly; and one who is godly will be morally-cantered.

It’s one of the most significant blessings that God, receiving the believer, does not require works or morality to be saved; but in time morality and works will become prominent to the believer. Nobody knows and does the Word at the outset of salvation, but must be patient with God while He “conforms” us (Rom 8:29; 2Co 3:18; Phl 2:13).

I would imagine that there will always be those who conceive that doing good is received of God, but Scripture says “to them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled” (Tit 1:15). Thus nothing, concerning an unbeliever, can possibly be good, as far as God is concerned.

Of course we’re already aware that the Lord Jesus had foreknowledge that the majority of mankind will not choose His “Way” (Matt 7:13, 14; Act 19:9 – NKJV); but He chose to create everything for those He knew would follow Him.

 

[PAC-fit]

", , morality and works will become prominent to the believer.

Of course, some tirelessly. Or as in the Apostle's quest, labored "more than all" the other Apostles (1 Cor 15:10). Agreed without discrepancy, so what view have you come to understand of Heb 4:10,

For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Is it simply a matter of giving God full credit and not His own labor he has found rest from, Sabbath rest, other?

I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily (Col 1:29)

 

[Lynx]

Hmmm...

Thought 1:
A true atheist will never help anybody else at his own expense, without any thought of reward. If you believe in evolution, helping other people for no gain of your own goes directly against what you claim to believe. A truly kind atheist is a very conflicted person.

Thought 2:
Hitler was the most logical atheist I have ever known of. If you believe evolution is true, and if you believe one race is genetically superior to all others, you can only do what Hitler did, for the good of the human race. Anything else would be a betrayal of your belief. From an atheistic standpoint he was very brave and noble. Misguided, but noble.

Thought 3, and the scariest one:
For an atheist who has thought out what he believes and truly understands it, Ayn Rand has some really good points.

 

[Eli1]

Thought 4:

Everytime the word "works" is mentioned people have Catholic Church knee-jerk reactions without explaining what a "work" is.
So far only @Gideon300 has properly explained it and i agree with him.

 

[NetChaplain]

so what view have you come to understand of Heb 4:10,
For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

It's my understanding that "from his own works" is in reference to one's "own works" that lead to the sin of eventual "disbelief" (Heb 4:11 . The main change in one reborn is the absence of the desire for doing evil. God knows we will continue sinning; but now it's not as a willing subject, but as one being a "captive" (Rom 7:23) against their will. Paul explained he still sinned after rebirth, but it was always, "no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me" (Ro 7:17, 20).

It surely couldn't be ceasing from good works, which only a Christian can do! For a non-Christian can only be evil, seeing that their "mind and conscience is defiled" (Tit 1:15). Thy are into being self-deceived thinking they have "truth," but it's "in unrighteousness" (Rom 1:18).

 

[NetChaplain]

Hmmm...

Thought 1:
A true atheist will never help anybody else at his own expense, without any thought of reward. If you believe in evolution, helping other people for no gain of your own goes directly against what you claim to believe. A truly kind atheist is a very conflicted person.

I believe I have run into many disbelievers that admit that being a good person has to be received of God. They can not understand what holiness is; without holiness one is foolish and self-deceiving.

 

[Suze]

Every good thing in our lives comes from God . God can use any person He wants to , to bless us . I have been helped by many people in my life and most of them were atheists , I believe that it was God who helped me , through them . God knows all of our needs well in advance of us knowing them , He plays the long game and sets every thing up in advance so that when we need help , there is some one there who will help us in exactly the way that we need help . This has been my experience so many times in my life . God is perfect and all knowing , beyond all space and time as we understand them , there r no coincidences , if we belong to Him then He clears a path for us and it leads us right into His Kingdom . All we have to do us trust Him . I do so enjoy all of my brothers and sisters posts on here , u r all a blessing to me ❤️ .

 

[NetChaplain]

Every good thing in our lives comes from God . God can use any person He wants to , to bless us . I have been helped by many people in my life and most of them were atheists , I believe that it was God who helped me , through them . God knows all of our needs well in advance of us knowing them , He plays the long game and sets every thing up in advance so that when we need help , there is some one there who will help us in exactly the way that we need help . This has been my experience so many times in my life . God is perfect and all knowing , beyond all space and time as we understand them , there r no coincidences , if we belong to Him then He clears a path for us and it leads us right into His Kingdom . All we have to do us trust Him . I do so enjoy all of my brothers and sisters posts on here , u r all a blessing to me ❤️ .

Hi Suze, and I appreciate you sharing this. It's comforting to know that regardless of where our maturity in Christ is, the Father always guides and "chastises" us for our good (Pro 3:12; Heb 12:6), as He uses everything in our lives for our good!

 

[Gideon300]

Hmmm...

Thought 1:
A true atheist will never help anybody else at his own expense, without any thought of reward. If you believe in evolution, helping other people for no gain of your own goes directly against what you claim to believe. A truly kind atheist is a very conflicted person.

Thought 2:
Hitler was the most logical atheist I have ever known of. If you believe evolution is true, and if you believe one race is genetically superior to all others, you can only do what Hitler did, for the good of the human race. Anything else would be a betrayal of your belief. From an atheistic standpoint he was very brave and noble. Misguided, but noble.

Thought 3, and the scariest one:
For an atheist who has thought out what he believes and truly understands it, Ayn Rand has some really good points.

I've yet to meet an atheist who is completely amoral. Yet that is the conclusion that the theory of evolution leads to. I've pointed this out to a number of atheists, but so far no one has responded. The opposite is true very often. They claim to have the moral high ground.

I also point out that if I evolved, I can no more not be a believer than I can choose the colour of my eyes. They have no answer to that either.

 

[gb9]

I've yet to meet an atheist who is completely amoral. Yet that is the conclusion that the theory of evolution leads to. I've pointed this out to a number of atheists, but so far no one has responded. The opposite is true very often. They claim to have the moral high ground.

I also point out that if I evolved, I can no more not be a believer than I can choose the colour of my eyes. They have no answer to that either.

good points to make with them...