Non Christian person doing nice things Vs. a Christian who does nice things?

[Kyle16]

non-Christian and a Christian doing good deeds as far as the world is concerned is that some people think that all you need to do is good

Agree

 

[Blade]

What is the difference between a nice person who is not a christian who helps people out Vs. a Christian who helps people out. I struggle with this thinking. Can we (Christians) do nice things for people with out mentioning a single thing about Christ?

Well when anyone this world does nice things, even never sinned lets say. Means nothing. All their work and deeds are as rags before Him. For it is written NO flesh will ever glory in His site.

Jesus said "you being evil know how to give good things". They that did the good things are evil. God is not a man nor thinks like one. So He never understands when it comes to what HE says and then what we say and do. His WORD is final. Its never ok ..this time. No.. if HE does not get ALL the glory.. its ALL Him or nothing. For me.. any good thing I have ever done. Was never me. Its Him. He did it.

So no matter how or what we as man as flesh in this world, and without Christ can do good things. If HE was not at the start or finish..it means nothing. It will get you no reward. Again.. Jesus aka GOD said..you being EVIL know how to give good things. It HAS to be for Him to Him with Him of HIM though Him.

So YES Christians can do good things with out ever saying JESUS. There have been times in my life.. just standing someone came up.. a your a Christian arent you? I said..yes how did you know? Theres just something about it. So.. HE SHINES....through you..even when you say nothing.

But.. its a WALK a price to pay. .meaning.. we cant be of this world. We dont talk like act like think like. Yet we are the servants to all..we bend.. we become nothing so they become great..and say..nothing. We always pray.. and in the spirit. We love all forgive all. We always see the best in all. We dont see faults. What does see act...Phil how we should always be thinking. The price.. FREE. No one makes us do this.. WE have to make the choice.

Want to be like Jesus? LOVE.. be that in all things.

 

[Kyle16]

I think that you forgot to mention that there are nonbelievers who do good things because of love and/or because they feel that good things makes the world better for all, etc. It's also possible that the believer is doing good things for their salvation, which may be another way of saying that they are doing good things for themselves.

I agree that these are very good points. Dannheim did have some good points and some points I do not agree with.

 

[Kyle16]

In both cases the recipient of the good works will benefit, whether the doer of the favor is a Christian or not.

The difference is not to the recipient of the good deed, but rather reflected back to the doer. Because the Christian has surrendered to Christ he will receive God's promise of eternal life, not measured by his works, but propelled by the Holy Spirit to glorify God through his actions here on earth.

Sadly the non believer will not partake in the gift of Gods salvation, no matter how many good deeds he has done. Not because he isn't loved by God, but because he doesn't want to follow God's premise to get God's promise.

John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Matthew 7:21 - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Blessings!

Are you saying non Christians will be rewarded?

 

[Hank77]

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
If it is not done of faith than it is sin, even if someone else does get helped.

Matthew 7:17
Romans 14:23

Your a Child of Darkness or a Child of Light, there is no gray.

Are you saying that when Cyrus, the king of Persia let the slaves, including the Jews, in Babylon go free, it was bad fruit? When he provided all the building supplies to rebuild their temple and returned their stolen temple items, this was bad fruit?

 

[Hank77]

Non-Christians can do great good, however they cannot do what is godly.

imho,
All good things come from God. God can use the ungodly to do Godly things.

The main difference between Believers and unbelievers doing nice things is that believers do it for the glory of God and unbelievers do for the glory of themselves

Unbelievers can do amazingly good deeds to help others out, however, it is debatable whether or not they would do so in the way that Christians do. Christians do their good deeds in secret, not wanting to receive special attention or recognition (Christ commanded this way of doing good) What motivation would unbelievers have to behave the same way?

A believer and an unbeliever each send money to St Jude's Hospital for Children. No one knows they sent it except themselves and God. Both did it because they saw the need and their hearts were moved. How is the nonbeliever receiving glory? Who moved the believer's and the nonbeliever's hearts to give?

In the eyes of God our best works are but filthy rags before Him (Isaiah 64:6). Therefore there are no works alone that can secure salvation. Our faith is our salvation and a good non-Christian has no faith and is lost.

This I completely agree with. That is truly the difference.

 

[Kyle16]

No one knows they sent it except themselves and God. Both did it because they saw the need and their hearts were moved.

The unbeliever, would not do it for the glory of God. It would likely be some other human flesh motivative.

 

[Hank77]

The unbeliever, would not do it for the glory of God. It would likely be some other human flesh motivative.

I would say that the unbeliever does not recognize that it is God who is moving them to give and therefore they do not give Him the glory/credit.
ALL good things come from God. The rain falls on the just and the unjust alike.

 

[T. Aadms]

What is the difference between a nice person who is not a christian who helps people out Vs. a Christian who helps people out. I struggle with this thinking. Can we (Christians) do nice things for people with out mentioning a single thing about Christ?

The Bible states in Jeremiah 17:9:"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" I believe a good deed is perceived from the heart, with that said, a non-believer is not regenerated, the heart is not changed, so he can not do the deeds of God because his heart is still of stone. So his deeds are for self-rightness, like the rich young ruler who kept the law but could not give up his possessions and give them to the poor and follow Jesus. If a Christian can follow Satan and do self-righteous deed, I would say a non-believer is doing all unrighteous deeds.

 

[T. Aadms]

Too bad we didn't evolve into trees...
Not everything is a sin though. Doing good works without faith doesn't inherently make it evil.

Sorry but that is not biblical, Romans 14:23 Parallel Verses ... Anything that is not done in faith is sin. ... Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: ..., that would deem it evil.

 

[T. Aadms]

Just because you are considered a christian doesn't mean that every good action you do is because of your belief. It also doesn't mean that every other christian thinks and acts like you do. Not everyone does good in secret, christian or not.

Objective morality is exactly that...objective.

You say that Christians don't want their enemies punished and unbelievers do. There are tons of stories in the bible about punishing your enemies. God plans on doing it to his enemies.

I just can't sit back and let you say, that because you have a specific belief system , your actions are more justified and good than someone who doesn't share your beliefs. Even if it is the exact same action.

But sir, your belief about a Christian doctrine is not relative, only what the Bible states is relative to it's doctrine or teachings. If you don't agree, that's fine with a Christian but that won't change the fact that we believe the Bible is true. "Jesus is the Lord God and his words are true and they give life", even to you if you believe.

 

[scottyp588]

We do everything for the Glory of God. That is written all over the bible. For the rest of the comment I cannot not comment because I am unsure.

So no Christian has ever done anything selfish? That's a ridiculous statement. The goal is to do everything for the glory of god, but if we could do that, we wouldn't be sinners.

 

[scottyp588]

Yes, don´t you think so??

We have free will because god says we do. But that doesn't seem like we have a choice...

 

[scottyp588]

Sorry but that is not biblical, Romans 14:23 Parallel Verses ... Anything that is not done in faith is sin. ... Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: ..., that would deem it evil.

Romans 14:23 is referencing your actions of the doubts of your personal belief system.
let me ask you this, is everything you do done because of your faith? What about the good actions and thoughts you had before you were a Christian that you continue to do and think now? Are they now not sins, even though nothing about them specifically has changed?

 

[Maria.V.H]

We have free will because god says we do. But that doesn't seem like we have a choice...

I see what you mean.To me it´s getting to know myself and my actions, i can only truly do that through the free will. It´s not good enough to read in a book that this and that is forbidden, i need to experience why it is so, i need to learn what is wrong and right by experience and for that i need the free will. That is the same as not knowing why 1+1=2 It´s the =2 that is the whole point. If God punishes me when i die for my wrongs, then i truly don´t care, because i have experienced! Life is too short to be holy because no one is

 

[Kyle16]

Another way to say it is that when the unregenerate do good works it's externally motivated. When Christians do good works it's internally motivated by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the new nature one receives upon regeneration (Eph 2:10).

Agree, but how will the recipient know that your a Christian if you just do a general nice thing without bringing up Christi.

 

[Kyle16]

The difference is that one is a Christian and the other is not. Doing nice things has not been patented by Christianity, anyone can do them. The one nice thing a Christian can do that a non Christian probably would not be able to do well is tell people about Christ and the joy one can experience just by being a Christian. Other than that nice things can be done with no mention of Christ at any time and in any place. I never feel compelled to mention that I am a christian every time I do something nice for someone. I sometimes do nice things because I remember as a Christian I am indebted myself and have been helped without qualification and so I extend myself when I would otherwise not have bothered . I do not do nice things as a recruitment tool but because of my basic belief system, I often do them in spite of any inclination to avoid doing them. I only speak of my Christianity if the occasion warrants it and the subject flows from the nature of the conversation I have with someone. At other times I do nice things without thinking about anything other than I want to help someone. I can't speak for non Christians but I think their experience may be similar with their basic belief system often causing them to do nice things they would not do if they had no moral compass at all and also doing nice things just because they felt compassion for others.

I understand what you are saying. To be honest I did skim your post so maybe I missed it but how will the recipient know you are a Christian by the nice thing you did if you do NOT mention anything about Christ?