Charity from the heart.

[Imwashingmypirate]

I went to Bible group this morning. They were discussing Galatians. Paul speaking to Peter about basically letting the people believe they needed to earn salvation when they are already saved through Christ. Paul says that if we were to be saved through the Jewish works (as I understood it) then there would have been no point to the crucifixion. Paraphrased. I couldn't work out why it mattered. Why was what Peter done so bad that the words used were so strong?

I had a slight epiphany.

Mormonism very much teaches and impresses that we must be saved through our actions. Mormons do lots of charity work. But it occured to me that the expectation to do it actually makes it very hard for members to do those things purely because they love and live in Christ. Christians who do charity work because they feel it in them and want to do it are doing something very different to those being told they must to be saved. I am struggling to put the words together. I think I grasped for a moment why Paul may have been upset at Peter. By being taught you must to survive undermines and prevents one from doing it for the right reasons. Even if they tell themselves they are, that thought is still there. The expectation is there.

I can't explain it. I might come back and try again later.

[drumdude]

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Basically, the opposite of the LDS newsroom using every $50 donation as a photo opportunity to advance the public image of the church...

[Gadianton]

Yeah, it sounds good in principle, but just because I claim to be saved and claim that therefore goodness is flowing forth through me via the holy spirit and that's more natural than a Mormon who has to do the works and then get the carrot or get the stick, doesn't mean the holy spirit really exists and is doing that. It's one of those good rhetorical ploys a Christian can use against a Mormon to sound like they are putting Jesus up a little higher.

But if there's a psychology paper somewhere that says people who believe they've received salvation first are more likely to act like it, then that would be interesting. Christians would have to explain the huge failure of their principle in light of the MAGA Christian movement.

A lot comes from personality. My dad was a huge member missionary who did constant service and never tired of it. He was very outgoing and a people person; go figure.

[Imwashingmypirate]

Yeah, it sounds good in principle, but just because I claim to be saved and claim that therefore goodness is flowing forth through me via the holy spirit and that's more natural than a Mormon who has to do the works and then get the carrot or get the stick, doesn't mean the holy spirit really exists and is doing that. It's one of those good rhetorical ploys a Christian can use against a Mormon to sound like they are putting Jesus up a little higher.

But if there's a psychology paper somewhere that says people who believe they've received salvation first are more likely to act like it, then that would be interesting. Christians would have to explain the huge failure of their principle in light of the MAGA Christian movement.

A lot comes from personality. My dad was a huge member missionary who did constant service and never tired of it. He was very outgoing and a people person; go figure.

That's a good point. It would be interesting if there were anyone who wished to explore that. Unfortunately we can't read minds and hearts so we don't truly know.

Your dad sounds awesome.

[Moksha]

Mormonism teaches and impresses that we must be saved through our actions. Mormons do lots of charity work.

Mormons can be extraordinarily kind and charitable. That is the source of their truth.