Would it be better____

[LifeHiscost]

____for any of us to serve our Father for who He is or for what we think we're going to receive from Him?

And I don't think I could make this statement if I didn't know Him, but if I were certain Heaven were never going to be my home, I would still be grateful enough for the way He's taken care of me and mine to this point, that I would serve Him to the best of my capacity until my last remaining days here on this earth.

Is it selfish for one to yield service for what one has already received or is that just facing the facts about Whose responsible for the goodness inherent in this earth, even in this earth with it's dark history.

It does seem like we get what we expect to get.

"“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’"Matthew 25:20-30 NKJV

Regards!!

[Gerr]

Good question, but I don't think that what He is and what we can get from Him can be separated. How could He be eternal and omnipotent and a God of love if there is no eternity for us? As Paul says, if there is no resurrection (eternal life), we might as well eat and drink for tomorrow we die.

[cardw]

I guess my question would be, "Why does god need our service?"

This master/servant motif is really based on an old world view. I think it works far better to see "help" as establishing independent beings who know how to be.

The reward/punishment system is really not a very advanced way of being. And this idea that we would be a servant even if we didn't get eternal life is really meaningless. I guess there is an ego reward of some type, but again it is a world view that is based on a very elementary reward/punishment system.

[Gerr]

God does not "need" my service or yours. But you and I are under the service of one or the other.

The choice is yours and mine.

[phkrause]

God does not "need" my service or yours. But you and I are under the service of one or the other.

The choice is yours and mine.

Good point Gerry.

pk

[LifeHiscost]

I guess there is an ego reward of some type, but again it is a world view that is based on a very elementary reward/punishment system.

Not too surprising your conclusions would arrive at a punishment/reward basis when the Scripture is seen as a fairytale. The greatest evidence of a consideration that they(the Scriptures) might possibly be true is the vehement effort to prove them false. If it were necessary to prove all fairytales false there would be as much gusto making effort to prove Santa Clause false since he exists in one form or another in most western or European countries.

One thing about the Scriptures that will ever be true, all those who hold them to be true and put their lives in the hands of the only One Who knows their total worth, have possibility to receive an eternity of unimaginable joy, whatever their life on this earth is like, while those who reject the Word have only death to look forward to, whether right or wrong.

""Say to them, ' As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?' " Ezekiel 33:11 NASB

If one is concerned this is only speaking to the Israelites, anyone can receive the surety of the promise by claiming this promise.

"And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. " Gal 3:29 KJV

Regards!!

[cardw]

Originally Posted By: cardw

I guess there is an ego reward of some type, but again it is a world view that is based on a very elementary reward/punishment system.

Not too surprising your conclusions would arrive at a punishment/reward basis when the Scripture is seen as a fairytale. The greatest evidence of a consideration that they(the Scriptures) might possibly be true is the vehement effort to prove them false.

[abelisle]

Isn't this what we teach our children in SS - that they should be good in order for them to go to Heaven?

Then we grow older and do good for the same reason?

The implication is that we can't be good for goodness sake but need an ulterior motive? Isn't that why so many Adventists are legalists? Doing good things to attain salvation through works?

Alex

[LifeHiscost]

Isn't this what we teach our children in SS - that they should be good in order for them to go to Heaven?

Then we grow older and do good for the same reason?

The implication is that we can't be good for goodness sake but need an ulterior motive? Isn't that why so many Adventists are legalists? Doing good things to attain salvation through works?

Alex

While I'm satisfied there are those of the Adventist faith, along with the same practice in innumerable groups of peoples, who probably do good deeds for the purpose of heavenly reward, the book of Revelation as well as the Old Testament give counsel that righteous deeds bring reward, legally accepted.

However eternal life is not a reward. It is a gift and anyone who places their works as a means for receiving everlasting life has accepted the fallacious doctrine that something they do, albeit good deeds, can be instrumentally necessary for receiving the gift.

Surrender to the Person of the Creator is the one deed, if you can call that a deed, sufficient to enable reception of eternal life.

"Happy is he who is reading, and those hearing, the words of the prophecy, and keeping the things written in it -- for the time is nigh!

`I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last;' and, `What thou dost see, write in a scroll, and send to the seven assemblies that [are] in Asia; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.'

He who is having an ear -- let him hear what the Spirit saith to the assemblies: To him who is overcoming --...To him who is overcoming, I will give to him to eat from the hidden manna, and will give to him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, that no one knew except him who is receiving [it]. " Rev 1:3,11; 2:7,17 YLT AMP

And thus it was to each of the seven churches in similar reward for effort. As also reward for righteous deeds done as well as appropriate reward for unrighteous deeds as stated in old testament times.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. "2 Corinthians 5:10 NASB

As far as the gift is concerned, it wouldn't be a gift were it necessary to be paid for by our works.

"...that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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." Eph 2:7-9 NKJV

Joy!!

[LifeHiscost]

The implication is that we can't be good for goodness sake but need an ulterior motive? Isn't that why so many Adventists are legalists? Doing good things to attain salvation through works?

Alex

Those who draw conclusions based on implication are as often wrong in their conclusions as are those who judge others in their motive for deeds done, whether the deed is right or wrong. More often than not, IMO, implication perceived is often predicated on personal flaws extrapolated to another since it is assumed, "Since I would do it that way, you would also".

"You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. "

Romans 2:1 NLT

Regards!