Christian vs Non-Christian Morality

[Exial]

Can anybody name a single moral action that a Christian can do but that a non-christian cannot?

 

[drich0150]

Can anybody name a single moral action that a Christian can do but that a non-christian cannot?

No, because "morality" is man's attempt to reconfigure the righteousness of God to include the sins he is willing to live with. In other words "morality" is a Failed attempt at God's stated righteousness. One does not have to be a "christian" to fail to obtain true righteousness.

 

[ephraimanesti]

Can anybody name a single moral action that a Christian can do but that a non-christian cannot?

MY FRIEND,

It is not a case of "CANNOT," it is a case of WILLNOT.

ABBA'S FOOL,
ephraim

 

[talitha]

Good answer, drich..

 

[Lukaris]

I do not know about a single moral action but I could point you to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12 and that 7 of the 8 Beatitudes can be shared by Christian and non Christian but the final in vs. 11-12 regards the persecution of Christians exclusively.

 

[Sarrapin]

Those are good answers that you've already been given.

From a different perspective, however, I think it also has a lot to do with the heart and reason for doing those moral actions. For example, selfless contrasted with doing an act of charity because it "makes you feel good about yourself." It's a "good act" in the eyes of other people regardless, but the heart makes all the difference to God.


As an afterthought, I cannot imagine that too many non-Christians could genuinely pray for their enemies, as Stephen did when he being stoned for his faith in Christ (see Acts 7:59). Such love, compassion, and forgiveness - I believe - can only come from God.

 

[razeontherock]

Wow, I wonder how many here could do what Stephen did? I sure hope I'm never called to do that!

 

[elman]

Can anybody name a single moral action that a Christian can do but that a non-christian cannot?

All humans can do loving Christian moral actions.

 

[Faulty]

Can anybody name a single moral action that a Christian can do but that a non-christian cannot?

In the long run, would it really matter?

 

[ViaCrucis]

Can anybody name a single moral action that a Christian can do but that a non-christian cannot?

Dedicate oneself to following Jesus of Nazareth and serving God as we see Him revealed in Jesus; worshiping the Holy Trinity and proclaiming the good news of God's compassion for the world as Christ commanded and taught.

Of course whether one regards that as a moral action is entirely a matter of perspective.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[GrayAngel]

The problem with secular morality is that its focus is on the wrong thing. The secular world makes everything about us (humankind), while Biblical morality puts the focus on serving God first. Consequently, without having God's intentions first, along with the acceptance of God's principles, our ability to serve our fellow man is severely limited, because the heart is in the wrong place.

I do not know about a single moral action but I could point you to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12 and that 7 of the 8 Beatitudes can be shared by Christian and non Christian but the final in vs. 11-12 regards the persecution of Christians exclusively.

Actually, that's a common misconception. Jesus was not speaking to the crowd, but to His disciples (though some in the crowd likely overheard). And His message only applies to believers. The Beatitudes are the progressive steps a Christian takes in the maturation of their faith. It begins with realizing one's spiritual depravity (poorness in spirit) and ends with the application of one's faith.

 

[leftrightleftrightleft]

Depends on your definition of what makes something a moral act.

I would say that a morally good act is to serve God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind.

A non-Christian would not do this by definition because if they did they would automatically be put in the Christian category. So I do not think a non-Christian can perform all the moral actions that a Christian can according to the Christian definition of morality.

 

[chris4243]

Can anybody name a single moral action that a Christian can do but that a non-christian cannot?

Following the first and the third of the Ten Commandments?

 

[Lukaris]

The problem with secular morality is that its focus is on the wrong thing. The secular world makes everything about us (humankind), while Biblical morality puts the focus on serving God first. Consequently, without having God's intentions first, along with the acceptance of God's principles, our ability to serve our fellow man is severely limited, because the heart is in the wrong place.



Actually, that's a common misconception. Jesus was not speaking to the crowd, but to His disciples (though some in the crowd likely overheard). And His message only applies to believers. The Beatitudes are the progressive steps a Christian takes in the maturation of their faith. It begins with realizing one's spiritual depravity (poorness in spirit) and ends with the application of one's faith.

No disrespect to your following of faith and this is not to debate. There are different understandings among Christians re the Beatitudes.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

Morality is doing right, no matter what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, no matter what is right.

 

[elman]

Morality is doing right, no matter what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, no matter what is right.

Christianity is loving others---not at all doing what you are told by men no matter what is right.

 

[elman]

Stop taking free will for granted. It's not Biblical.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:4-5)

.

Free will as defined by our ability to obey the command to love is almost on every page of the bible. The ephesians 2 passage does not say we do not have free will. It probably does say we cannot obey God's command perfectly or enough to earn eternal life.

 

[GrayAngel]

Free will as defined by our ability to obey the command to love is almost on every page of the bible. The ephesians 2 passage does not say we do not have free will. It probably does say we cannot obey God's command perfectly or enough to earn eternal life.

This isn't the topic or the forum to debate this. But if you want to take this to Theology forum, or maybe to PM, I'll gladly debate it with you.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

Christianity is loving others---not at all doing what you are told by men no matter what is right.

I was a Christian for over 20 years and attended many churches during that time. I saw very little love in those churches. I mostly saw bickering, divisions, strife, abuse, bullying and big dollops of gossip. Maybe I just went to the wrong churches (Baptist, Pentecostal and independent non-denominational types), but I was left, quite honestly, disillusioned with Christians. They claim to know the truth and to be filled with the love of Christ, but in practice they are no better than a pack of wild dogs, especially if they think you have sin in your life. As Andrew Wommack once said (one of my favourite Christian teachers while I was still a practicing Christian), "Christians are the only group of people who kill their own wounded".

I'm not judging you personally. There are always a few diamonds in the rough, and maybe you are one. I'm just saying that my own experience in churches has been unpleasant. Was it Gandhi who said "I like your Christ, but not your Christians"?

 

[golgotha61]

I was a Christian for over 20 years and attended many churches during that time. I saw very little love in those churches. I mostly saw bickering, divisions, strife, abuse, bullying and big dollops of gossip. Maybe I just went to the wrong churches (Baptist, Pentecostal and independent non-denominational types), but I was left, quite honestly, disillusioned with Christians. They claim to know the truth and to be filled with the love of Christ, but in practice they are no better than a pack of wild dogs, especially if they think you have sin in your life. As Andrew Wommack once said (one of my favourite Christian teachers while I was still a practicing Christian), "Christians are the only group of people who kill their own wounded".

You make some observations about Christians that I agree with as far as the non Christian behavior such as gossip, discord and so on carried on in the Christian churches by professing Christians. However, you seem to have a propensity for interrupting threads here when the OP is the only non-Christian permitted to post in the Exploring Christianity threads. Why not start you own thread on the subject you have brought up? It is not just a rule for rule's sake but it is unfair to high-jack an OP's search when you can just as easily create your own. I wish you would start a thread using the very paragraph I used as a quote here, there are some things I would like to discuss with you, but let's not do it here, OK?