Would you still live a Christian life if...

ClementofA

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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory) & you were assured of endless bliss in heaven no matter how you lived in this mortal life in this world on earth? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?
 
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Tom 1

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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory)? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?

My first thought is that you would have to remove the positive consequences also to have a neutral starting point, but then there would be no point at all lol.
I think not going to hell was an issue for me when I first became a Christian, it was certainly something I thought about at the time. These days it's more about wanting to know Jesus and develop a deeper relationship. I think the main reasons for that are that in getting to know Jesus, the motivation to know more gets stronger, also I tend to like myself more when I am walking with him and 'keeping in step with the spirit'.
 
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mukk_in

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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory) & you were assured of endless bliss in heaven no matter how you lived in this mortal life in this world on earth? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?
Great question from a philosophical point of view. But, since we do have a life in heaven to look forward to I'd say I'll do all the Lord would have me to do. Peace in Christ :).
 
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Tolworth John

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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory) & you were assured of endless bliss in heaven no matter how you lived in this mortal life in this world on earth? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?

Turn it around.
How would you drive if there was no test to get a licence, no speed limits, no traffic lights etc etc?

Yes many Christians are motivated by love for God, but there is also an element of, 'what if I do wrong?' that motivates Christian behaviour.

Just as your driving is motivated by the fear of loosing your licence.
 
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Matthew 24 10

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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory) & you were assured of endless bliss in heaven no matter how you lived in this mortal life in this world on earth? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?

No you would not be able to be alive without God .
 
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Quid est Veritas?

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I think that living a virtuous life, even without a carrot or stick at the end, is worthwhile in and of itself.

Sin begets sin. If someone lies, they lie more to cover it up and so forth. If you stole once, you are more likely to do so again. Hate leads to violence over time, etc.

So by acting virtuously, you are effectively making the world a better place itself. If people acted this way, a tall order I know, then everyone would be happier. The Stoics didn't think they would be rewarded, yet tried to live well. Even the older Atheist thinkers thought you should keep to the moral precepts, a Noble Lie in their opinion, for the betterment of all. Practically, sin leads to ruin over time, of either the sinner or others that are negatively impacted by his sin. Either way, for the good of society, it should be opposed.

This even applies to things like sexual continence or avarice or gluttony, that are more controversial today. There is such a thing as excess, and a golden mean needs to be followed. For instance, a marriage where both are devoted solely to one another, would obviously be more succesful than an open one, which is only thought desirable today because people no longer value virtue for itself.
 
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r4.h

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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory) & you were assured of endless bliss in heaven no matter how you lived in this mortal life in this world on earth? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?

A truly born from above Christian does not live by fear or reward, but by Gods love entering their heart. This can be lost through unforgiveness etc, but taking time to repent and seek God again will see it restored. "If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us"
 
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bling

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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory) & you were assured of endless bliss in heaven no matter how you lived in this mortal life in this world on earth? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?
Are you going totally undeservingly to a place of bless because God is providing it over hell which is where you really belong? So are you not grateful?

“…endless bliss in heaven” is relative to what the person perceives bliss to be so does one get 72 virgins and another gets to continually serve others while in heaven? If you are talking about unselfish Love (agape) like God’s Love versus a very selfish Love (carnal love), which is true bliss?

Heaven is not anything and everything a person wants, but it is where God is.
 
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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory) & you were assured of endless bliss in heaven no matter how you lived in this mortal life in this world on earth? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?

I think I would want to do God’s will anyway, because I understand it is good. And actually, I think people can’t have both, evil and good. If evil, unrighteous, people would get eternal life, they would turn it to eternal suffering for all. Bliss is not possible with unrighteous people. That is why I believe eternal life is only for righteous.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46
 
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bugkiller

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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory) & you were assured of endless bliss in heaven no matter how you lived in this mortal life in this world on earth? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?
If what you pose is true, I see no difference.

bugkiller
 
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bugkiller

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Turn it around.
How would you drive if there was no test to get a licence, no speed limits, no traffic lights etc etc?

Yes many Christians are motivated by love for God, but there is also an element of, 'what if I do wrong?' that motivates Christian behaviour.

Just as your driving is motivated by the fear of loosing your licence.
You need a passport to drive? really?

bugkiller
 
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Noxot

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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory) & you were assured of endless bliss in heaven no matter how you lived in this mortal life in this world on earth? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?

too hard to answer since I know that evil is not good for me and in that reality being evil has no consequence. if I could magically transport myself to such a world, I don't even know if I would want to be in a place where you can be evil and then have bliss because it means that your being does not matter and I want what I am to matter to God.

if I had to exist in that world my idea of God would likely change but I think I would continue to seek what i want which is basically being with God in the perfect way that the depths of my spirit can't even clearly define but it is something like everlasting mutual love with God who is prefect for me and that I must be prefect for.
 
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Humble me Lord

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I believe Gods laws are written on our hearts before we are born, it's where we get our sense of morality. We have free will to follow this or not. So I suppose , in this fairy tale question, some would still live morally.
But, if we eliminate any negative consequences (like hell), then Jesus dying on the cross would be meaningless.
 
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Soyeong

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Would you still live a moral Christian life if...there were no after death negative consequences (e.g. hell or purgatory) & you were assured of endless bliss in heaven no matter how you lived in this mortal life in this world on earth? If so, why? What would motivate you? If not, how would you live?

Christianity is as much about getting heaven into us as it is getting us into heaven, and heaven is a circumlocution for God. It's about growing in a relationship with God based on faith and love, and God is our very great reward.
 
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