Question Of The Day

[Guest]

Your answer below, please.

[LynnDel]

What is your answer, David? Is there a difference between saying, 'I am good,' and saying, 'I am being (acting?) good?' I could say the second some of the time, but as to the first, there is none good, only God.

[Guest]

LOL...Finally! Someone with courage to reply to this post! But yes, I agree. it would have to be more related to "I am being good."

I am hoping for some to venture here and define "being good," as we often hear people say: "if you are good," you will receive eternal life," or words to that effect.

I must run for now to church, but will be back...

[LynnDel]

When someone says, "If you are good, you will receive eternal life," that is just wrong!

LD

[Woody]

Your answer below, please.

David ... I will try to answer your question ...

I am perfect IN CHRIST.

[Guest]

When someone says, "If you are good, you will receive eternal life," that is just wrong!

LD

I certainly agree; and thanks Redwood for your reply too.

I am interested in hearing from people on what they mean when they say "being good." What do you mean when you say it to your kids? Do you ever think of "being good," in terms of your relationship with God?

In short; what is "good?"

[Neil D]

David-

Why are you asking such questions as this? All this does is cause consternation and doubt and uncertainty and aprehension....

If you must ask a theological/moral question, please ask something that is more simple and thought provoking...something along the lines as

"Since you are going to hell, why are you still here?"

Even the essays-

"10 reasons why I am perfect", and "Why I will be in Heaven 1/2 hour before you" is quite acceptable for debate among C/A members...

Ok, I will stop with the castigating...But surely, with your question...you jest!

[/TIC]

[Guest]

David-

Why are you asking such questions as this? All this does is cause consternation and doubt and uncertainty and aprehension....

If you must ask a theological/moral question, please ask something that is more simple and thought provoking...something along the lines as

[LynnDel]

As a parent and as a teacher, I have made an effort to refrain from saying, "Be good," to my children. It's just too nonspecific. One gets a picture of a neatly dressed child sitting in a chair with her hands folded, and that's not what we are looking for. If I tell them, "Do what ____ tells you" -- having, of course, already trained the children when NOT to obey an adult -- or, "Follow the classroom rules while I am gone" -- i.e. "Be respectful, Be responsible, Be resourceful" -- then they know exactly what is expected.

Uh, Neil? This is for you: Be resourceful! David asked an open-ended question, so we can make with it what we like! I know you can do something entertaining with it. Try this one -- You have three options: See an iffy movie, drink coffee for a week, or break a civil law, driving 90 mph, for example. How are YOU good? Why?

LD

[Guest]

As a parent and as a teacher, I have made an effort to refrain from saying, "Be good," to my children. It's just too nonspecific. One gets a picture of a neatly dressed child sitting in a chair with her hands folded, and that's not what we are looking for. If I tell them, "Do what ____ tells you" -- having, of course, already trained the children when NOT to obey an adult -- or, "Follow the classroom rules while I am gone" -- i.e. "Be respectful, Be responsible, Be resourceful" -- then they know exactly what is expected.

Uh, Neil? This is for you: Be resourceful! David asked an open-ended question, so we can make with it what we like! I know you can do something entertaining with it. Try this one -- You have three options: See an iffy movie, drink coffee for a week, or break a civil law, driving 90 mph, for example. How are YOU good? Why?

LD

This is scary LD

Someone (you) at Club Adventist is actually reading my mind. You are bringing out some of the types of things I was hoping would start coming out. Jesus constantly used open-ended questions like this. I think if we are patient, (is that being good) then some more gems such as your's will start to appear here.

All my life I have heard this phrase "Be good," under different contexts for various reasons. I am not trying to make any specific point, except that maybe we could re-think our use of this term. I have some ideas to put here; but they are still in formation, so until then, everyone will be waiting for NeilD... Now Neil; perhaps you did not understand the above animated graphic I made for you? Maybe you are wanting more specifics re the flashing question: "Why?" Please allow me to post another graphic to help explain. I was trying to tell you not to do this to people. Let them have a little fun, and learn a little while doing so..

[John317]

If I am "good" at all, it is because of the presence and power of Christ in my life. If it was just me, I would have been out in the streets and roaming the city looking for sinful pleasures. Instead, I am hungry for the word of God and making plans to go to a local prison and preach. Am I being "good"? I don't feel that way, but I know if you were to compare my life now to the way it was not very long ago, you have to say Christ has changed me for the better. Do I feel worthy? Not by a long shot, and I hope I never do feel "worthy," because when I do, I'll know something is wrong and that I've got my eyes off Christ. I like it best when I know the Holy Spirit is showing me new things He wants me to notice and allow Him to change. I know myself well enough to know there'll be no end to them.

It is true that none of us can ever be good enough to earn or merit salvation. And it is true that no matter how "perfect" we are, there will be an infinite way to go before we are perfect as God would have us. But having said that, I'd like to know how the question relates to Rev. 22: 14, 15; 1 Cor. 6: 9-11; 1 John; and James 2.

Also how does it relate to the Investigative Judgment? If we say our behavior is inconsequential and completely unrelated to salvation, then how do we understand and explain the Pre-Advent Judgment?

[Guest]

Am I being "good"? I don't feel that way, but I know if you were to compare my life now to the way it was not very long ago, you have to say Christ has changed me for the better. Do I feel worthy? Not by a long shot, and I hope I never do feel "worthy," because when I do, I'll know something is wrong and that I've got my eyes off Christ.

[LifeHiscost]

I am interested in hearing from people on what they mean when they say "being good." What do you mean when you say it to your kids? Do you ever think of "being good," in terms of your relationship with God?

In short; what is "good?"

To verify Lyndel's comment;

"And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God."

Mark 10:18 KJV

It would seem that would indicate that no goodness of mine has anything to do with my salvation since none are good except God.

OTOH, is "being good" an essential element of salvation? And again, is being good the same as acting good?

As to the first question:

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 KJV

That text appears to indicate we can glorify God by the good works we do but I see nothing about them saving my soul. In fact I'm led to believe that attempting to prove my "good works" as a means of salvation for me personally is probably counter-productive.

" For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." Romans 10:3 NASB

As to the second question, the closest I can recall where we are asked by Jesus that which resembles most, "being good", is this as referred to in another post;

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48 KJV

Being perfect when we are recognized throughout the universe as not even capable of being good, indicates to me that only an act of creation will ever suffice to give us entrance into the kingdom, and of that those who accept Jesus as Lord have this promise.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

Blessings!!

[Neil D]

Dear Lynndell and David...

Yo'all need to read my posts very carefully...Please note the following at the bottom of my post-

"[/TIC]"...

This means that the whole post is 'tongue in cheek' and usually not to be taken seriously...Usually MY posts include some outlandish but not too awful unreasonable statements, and in this case, essay questions re: "Reasons I am in heaven 1/2 hour before you" should have given one reason not to take the post seriously but rather for entertainment purposes...

Of course, if your responses were less obvious and were also replys in kind, I can be dense as well, and have been known to blunder quite well into the literary stumbling block as well....where we all have had a good laugh at my expense.

Hopefully, this is not the case and I am explaining things for your edification...and rolling on the floor saying things offline like "Got another sucker!" .....

[Guest]

Dear Lynndell and David...

I can be dense as well, and have been known to blunder quite well into the literary stumbling block as well....

Well, we were definitely "enetertained;" but don't worry about it - I sure won't be. We can be "dense" together.

Don't worry re the graphics either. I am just practicing my technique with a FREE software program called The Gimp.

[Bravus]

I'm being reasonably good in the negative sense - not beating my wife, stealing, being unfaithful, being mean and nasty, and so on - (in Christ's power and to the extent I let him have control, of course). But I fear I'm falling far short of 'being good' in the positive sense. I've been meaning to give blood, for example, for ages, but just never got around to it. 'Being good', to me, would be going out of my way to help others.

[Gerr]

When the One who is good abides with & in you, and you abide in the One who is good, you can't help but be good.

Gerry

[Beryl]

In other words, it is Christ within Who lives out His life through me -- for as long as I let Him. Trouble is, I find it hard to keep my sticky fingers out of the way!!

Beryl

[cricket]

So, possibly a better question might be, "Is Christ living in you?" Or even still, "Are you allowing Christ to live in you?"

[D. Allan]

Quote:

Trouble is, I find it hard to keep my sticky fingers out of the way!!

And don't we all!

How to do it? Perhaps if one would make it a constant practice to remember each moment s/he is 'in Christ' (however you understand that phrase) the stickiness would wash off. As David Battler pointed out, we should feel good about ourselves and avoid 'Self-Abasement Theology.'

__________________________________

By doing just a little every day, I can gradually let the task completely overwhelm me. -Ashleigh Brilliant

[Beryl]

Of one thing I am certain. When my sticky fingers DO get in the way, I know that I have a Saviour who not only forgives but also helps me learn the "lesson of the day"!

God bless,

Beryl

[Guest]

I'm being reasonably good in the negative sense - not beating my wife, stealing, being unfaithful, being mean and nasty, and so on - (in Christ's power and to the extent I let him have control, of course). But I fear I'm falling far short of 'being good' in the positive sense. I've been meaning to give blood, for example, for ages, but just never got around to it. 'Being good', to me, would be going out of my way to help others.

Hello Bravus

I liked what you said here re the positive, and the negative sense of "being good..." Sometimes, for eg., husbands and wives are guilty of this kind of thing with each other. I know that my wife would feel quite neglected if that's all I did was to "not hit her." LOL...you have to put the energy in to get the energy out..Maybe it's similar thing with us being "good?"

[Guest]

Of one thing I am certain. When my sticky fingers DO get in the way, I know that I have a Saviour who not only forgives but also helps me learn the "lesson of the day"!

God bless, Beryl