Moralism & Christianity

[HammerStone]

I'm intrigued on the difference between moralism and Christianity. Some say we are a nation of laws. Others, I've heard, say we are a nation of morals.

What do you think is the difference between someone simply following morals and someone following morals as a part of following God?

How do you tell the difference (if there is one)?

 

[Jake]

Man is the one who has set up rules for morality. One man may not see something as moral, when another person does. A sin in one person, may not be sin for another person.

Jesus said "come, follow Me". We follow Him, not a set of rules, and in Him we can follow His ways exactly.

Bless you.

 

[Robbie]

Reminds me of what Paul was talking about hear...

For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them...

 

[Jake]

Amen Robbie! Good recall, following the Spirit is the only way to go! Men's ways gets us into trouble everytime, God's ways are different.

Bless you, brother!

 

[Rach1370]

I think there could be several answers to this question. I would say that as we (Christians) follow Jesus, and as Jesus is good, we are therefore 'moral'. For non Christians, most people have things they consider 'right' or 'wrong', and therefore have 'morals'. The big difference I suppose is an issue of salvation. Non Christians will never attain it by following their morals. They follow them, in a sense, to be a 'good and descent person'...in their own eyes, in the eyes of the world. As Christians we know two things: one, we will never gain salvation by our own works or goodness; and two, we strive to live a life that is pleasing to God's eyes, no others.
In essence is all comes back to Jesus, to salvation and to His work on the cross. As Christians we focus only on that and let it steer our behaviours (or we should!) and non Christians strive to be 'good' for their own purposes, worldly purposes.

 

[FHII]

I agree with the posts above. Nothing wrong with having morals and I believe it's a good idea to have them (the apostles said to get along as much as you can). We are even told that certain things while lawful are not expedient. But being moral doesn't make you a Christian.

 

[aspen]

I'm intrigued on the difference between moralism and Christianity. Some say we are a nation of laws. Others, I've heard, say we are a nation of morals.

What do you think is the difference between someone simply following morals and someone following morals as a part of following God?

How do you tell the difference (if there is one)?

I believe morals are the music of love. If you love perfectly, you will automatically become moral. Trying to become moral first, bypassing love will result in resentment and bitterness.

blessings

 

[Prentis]

Amen Robbie and Jake! :)

Moral is the tree of Good and Evil... We then are the ones deciding what's good and what's bad.

Christ calls us to an entirely different way. He tells us to choose the tree of life (which is actually Him!) We don't walk according to morals; there is freedom in the Spirit. We walk according to the Spirit. All things are lawfull, but not all things edify. We must follow the Lord!

Sadly, we who say we are the Lord's have too often turned following the Lord into following a set of rules... In reality, these end up being opposed sometimes. We say 'you must do this, you can't do this', and the Lord comes to destroy this. This is not to say we should be immoral, to the opposite. But the reality is that all the laws come down to two; love the Lord your God, and love your neighbhor. You shouldn't steal, because that is without love and faith, and in it's opposite.

The law does not make us righteous, rather it exposes our lack. That is it's purpose.

Man's righteousness is to be honest and truthfull enough to admit that he is NOT strong enough to be righteous. That honesty is good. After all, will God ask us to do more than we are capable of? No, but we need be honest about it.

But, as Christians, we are called to something higher; the righteousness of Christ. Christ has come to empower us that we might indeed fulfill the law (ie, love perfectly, first the Lord, then men). Through Christ who strengthens us, we can do all things!

In that sense, Christ has come to fulfill the law. Sadly we mistake fulfilling the law with following morals, something we cannot do.

Morals are not the point. You can follow morals and be boiling with hatred inside. The Lord wants us to follow Him. The whole purpose is that we see that we are made for HIM, not that we set up some rules. When we follow Christ, we can fulfill the law perfectly. :)

 

[aspen]

Amen Robbie and Jake! :)

Moral is the tree of Good and Evil... We then are the ones deciding what's good and what's bad.

Christ calls us to an entirely different way. He tells us to choose the tree of life (which is actually Him!) We don't walk according to morals; there is freedom in the Spirit. We walk according to the Spirit. All things are lawfull, but not all things edify. We must follow the Lord!

Sadly, we who say we are the Lord's have too often turned following the Lord into following a set of rules... In reality, these end up being opposed sometimes. We say 'you must do this, you can't do this', and the Lord comes to destroy this. This is not to say we should be immoral, to the opposite. But the reality is that all the laws come down to two; love the Lord your God, and love your neighbhor. You shouldn't steal, because that is without love and faith, and in it's opposite.

The law does not make us righteous, rather it exposes our lack. That is it's purpose.

Man's righteousness is to be honest and truthfull enough to admit that he is NOT strong enough to be righteous. That honesty is good. After all, will God ask us to do more than we are capable of? No, but we need be honest about it.

But, as Christians, we are called to something higher; the righteousness of Christ. Christ has come to empower us that we might indeed fulfill the law (ie, love perfectly, first the Lord, then men). Through Christ who strengthens us, we can do all things!

In that sense, Christ has come to fulfill the law. Sadly we mistake fulfilling the law with following morals, something we cannot do.

Morals are not the point. You can follow morals and be boiling with hatred inside. The Lord wants us to follow Him. The whole purpose is that we see that we are made for HIM, not that we set up some rules. When we follow Christ, we can fulfill the law perfectly. :)

WOW - I love the interpretation of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life! Point for you!

 

[Prentis]

Ah Aspen! No more of this calling you by your real name thing! ;) lol

That is not from me actually. A brother helped me see that the other day.

It's amazing how the world has turned Christianity into the exact opposite of what the Lord made it to be. The point is that we realize we are made for fellowship with Him, and enter that fellowship. The law simply points to our lack. Yet we've once again come to think we do it by morals, and by simply doing enough of the law.

Or, because Paul's message is not easy to understand, we've concluded that we simply have to do nothing... You win the lottery or you don't!!! WHAT!!!??! :blink:

:)

The Lord in his wisdom has confounded the wisdom of men, and their pride.

We do have a part to play, unlike what so many preach. Yet that part is not at all about morality, as human logic would say.

Our part is to walk in the power and life of Christ. The law is there that we might see we have no power of our own and as a result surrender to the power and the life that is in Christ.

Then, morality in this sense indeed comes against Christianity. And then we see that, the offense of the cross is restored, because it makes our righteousness null and incomplete and requires that we lay down our life and take his (including taking up our cross)! That's how it's foolishness to the unbelieving, who do not see, and an offense to the believing, because by our own 'believing' we think we have acquired righteousness.

 

[aspen]

Ah Aspen! No more of this calling you by your real name thing! ;) lol

That is not from me actually. A brother helped me see that the other day.

It's amazing how the world has turned Christianity into the exact opposite of what the Lord made it to be. The point is that we realize we are made for fellowship with Him, and enter that fellowship. The law simply points to our lack. Yet we've once again come to think we do it by morals, and by simply doing enough of the law.

Or, because Paul's message is not easy to understand, we've concluded that we simply have to do nothing... You win the lottery or you don't!!! WHAT!!!??! :blink:

:)

The Lord in his wisdom has confounded the wisdom of men, and their pride.

We do have a part to play, unlike what so many preach. Yet that part is not at all about morality, as human logic would say.

Our part is to walk in the power and life of Christ. The law is there that we might see we have no power of our own and as a result surrender to the power and the life that is in Christ.

Then, morality in this sense indeed comes against Christianity. And then we see that, the offense of the cross is restored, because it makes our righteousness null and incomplete and requires that we lay down our life and take his (including taking up our cross)! That's how it's foolishness to the unbelieving, who do not see, and an offense to the believing, because by our own 'believing' we think we have acquired righteousness.

Brilliant!