"Simple facts of life" are rarely so simple. Often, this kind of rhetoric is simply a way to avoid critical analysis.
Not all jobs involve direct interaction with an adversarial management. There's self-employment, gig work, worker-owned collectives, etc. What you are presenting is just a manifestation of a particular culturally constructed work ethic, not an immutable law of the universe. And that says nothing about the varying management styles within more traditional, hierarchical business organizations.
Howevever, it is not easy for everyone to get the jobs you mentioned that pay well, and they are not in always known to the average individual. Most people work at regular jobs. So my point stands that there are lots of jobs whereby you can get fired for breaking the rules. I know. I am a blue-collar worker. I mean, you make it seem like no family can ever be on the streets without a job. I have seen it plenty of times. So the reality you paint is not the real world in which we live in. People can lose their jobs and they can be homeless, starving, and even get sick. So it seems to me like you want to bury your head in the sand to certain realities in life.
You said:
That doesn't offer a real moral basis for doing good. Avoiding punishment and doing good aren't the same thing.
Sure it is. Doing good to avoid punishment exists in our real world (of which you ignore). Many people do good so as to avoid punishment every day. People do not drive like maniacs on the highway (they are doing good in being a good driver) so as to avoid the punishment of an accident and in getting tickets, and or in going to court (paying fees).
Driving drunk can harm you and others.
Stealing at a job can get a person fired and possible jail time (which is not a pleasant place to be) if the thing stolen has extreme value (like say a diamond ring).
It's also a concept taught in the Bible, as well. Jesus says if you will enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17). Jesus even warns that various sins can lead to hellfire like looking upon a woman in lust (Matthew 5:28-29), and in not helping the poor or the unfortunate in this life (See: Matthew 25:31-46). We learn in the story of the Rich-man and Lazarus that the rich-man who did not do good in helping the poor guy (Lazarus) at his gates was thrown into the place of torments (hell) (Luke 16:19-31). So his failure to do good led to punishment.
You said:
Furthermore, not playing with powerlines involves a clear cause and effect relationship that are part of impersonal natural processes, not personal agency as implied in punishment (somebody chooses to enforce a perceived rule or norm). Lighting is only a kind of personal agency in the crudest and most primitive understandings of the world.
God created the natural processes of this universe, but you fail to understand that God is in control of the forces of nature, and He is in control of life and death. So if a person is struck by lightning, it is God who has allowed it to happen. It is no accident or random occurrence. Nothing in life is random. But those who love God all things work together for good for them. So if any bad happens in the life of a believer it is for their benefit. Take for example chastisement of a believer. They are punished so that they may get back on the path in doing what is good or right. Same thing with dogs. If a dog is yelled at for pooping on the carpets, it can deter the animal in doing so again. With enough proper positive and negative re-enforcement, the animal learns to do what is good. Oh, and yes, there is a reward in doing good, too. When a person does good, they can be rewarded and not just so as to avoid punishment, too. There are perks in doing good. For believers, this is the fruits of the Spirit like love, joy, peace, etc.; It is fellowship with the living God of the universe. A relationship that is founded on the truth of God's Word (the Bible).
If MacArhtur is indeed insanely wealthy and he is living that rich lifestyle as others claim: I imagine MacArthur does not take seriously the parts of the Bible that warn against the spiritual dangers of being rich under the New Covenant. He either chooses to not see them or he knows about such a truth, and he simply decides to do his own thing anyways. If he is super wealthy as men say, and he condemns others for prosperity, he is in a way being hypocritical because he no doubt believes he gained his wealth from God. But I wanted to take a step back and not condemn without really knowing the man personally. I do not reallly know with 100% certainty that he owns millions of dollars and he holds on to it and he goes to rich golf clubs that only the super rich can afford to attend. I don't know that for sure. Others could be trying to slander him. But what I do know is that even MacArthur does things out of fear of punishment on things in this life. It's not the kind of fear like fearing what man can do to us, but it is a fear of not wanting bad things to happen to us so that we can live quite lives in service to our Lord in peace and love and joy.
