Can a non-Christian truly do good in the sight of God? Why or why not?

I believe you can be a good person with morals. But to be good in the sight of God impossible for anyone. The Bible says are righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God. The only thing that makes us good is Salvation with His Mercy and Grace.

A non christian can do good, they can be used to by God to do good to others, but the real problem is that they can never make thierself good enough "for" God or good enough to save thierself. Since they have as all men do a evil nature and no matter how much good they do, they are still sinners who will have to be forgiven. So yes they do good, but they can never actually be good thierself.

Honestly, I don't care. I think religion is all interpretation and interpretation by men always leaves rooms for mistakes.

Me... I say do good in your own eyes. Do what makes you happy. Because the one absolute certainty in life is that you have to wake up to yourself everyday. Life has no guarantees except that one.

I will worry about the afterlife when I get there.

I think that is what "God" would want. I think he would be happy with you if you served yourself... after all you are as important as everyone else, why not take care of numero uno?

Actually, I believe, "in the sight of God", we all are good as in his loving heart, we all are His Children.

It is not God who turn his back on us and labels us "bad", it is we, with choice, who turn from him.

And I am not preaching, as on a daily basis, knowingly or unknowingly I do something
More then likely outside His will, which is in away turning away from him.

Yes.
Because God is not religious.

I once thought that the motive behind the deed is what made it good or bad. If one was doing it for selfish reasons, it no longer made it good but rather just appeared to be good... even though it might be helping someone. The question is... what defines good? Is it good as long as it reaps an award by either the receiver or the giver? If that's the case, how are we actually rewarded? We are rewarded by God in Heaven... and if we are rewarded in Heaven, than how can a non-believer be rewarded?
I still believe that the motive behind what we do somewhat decides if it is good or not. Our motive is supposed to be that in everything we do, we are to do it for the glory and honor of God... to lift His name, not anyone Elysees. If our motive is to please ourselves or anyone else but God, then can it be good in the eyes of the Lord?

Ken,

You are very right, or I should say I agree with you very much in the fact that if you do a good deed out of love for our Lord, then yes, He is pleased... but... if you do something for "fan" recognition, or to hear... "Isn't Allheart wonderful"... then no, I would not think this is pleasing to God at all. And it also has the "ick" factor... :)

Our reward, yes, it to have eternal life with Our Father, and you ask a good question about those who do not believe, then no, what I am taught, they would not enter into the Kindgom of Heaven.

I also learned that we all will be given a chance to know him - and then it will be our choice whether to believe or not to believe.

You're right that goodness is a matter of cultivating worthy motives, informed by intelligence. It has nothing to do with awards or rewards, whether in heaven or on earth, nor does it depend on belief.

Why are you so keen to know God's view of the doings of non-Christians? Is it really any of your business?

Christians and non-christians can both do bad things, as well as good things. I believe that someone's religion or absence of, does not affect someone's ability to do morally wrong or right things. Christians can be murderers, christians can gamble, rape, prostitute, cheat and lie. SO can somebody who doesn't believe in God. Being Christian doesn't make you better than anybody else, neither does being muslim or hindu or any other religion. Having a religion doesn't make you have some magical powers, which allow you to be perfect and never do anything wrong. We are all equal people, with individual feelings and personalities. If we are going to do bad things, it is not because we are Christian, it is because of our MORAL beliefs, not religious beliefs. How God sees us, well if you don't have a religion, God doesn't really exist does he? And if you do believe in God, doing something good is a good thing weither or not a higher power observes it or not.

Absolutely. The story of the good Samaritan is a perfect example of how "non-believers" can also do good.

People do good deeds and have kind hearts and do not identify themselves with any religion.

Because one is a beleiver of God, does not make them better or more deserving of good.

We all should be doing our best to walk along the right path - because it is right - not for a reward.

But I have heard many a preacher speaking about the reward of Heaven, so I do understand your question.

I think those of us who do believe have to be so careful in not thinking we are better or superior and damn those who don't believe. ( by the way, that is just a general statement, I do not see that you are doing that).

We all struggle through this thing called life and all of us our human and as a result, imperfect. There is no such thing as less imperfect.

The bible does say that "all of our rightousness is as filthy rags " and "ther is a way which seemth right unto a man but the end thereof is the way of death" WHY? Because "through the disobedience of one man( Adam) many were made sinners." So yes we can do good in our own eyes or our fellow man but God is a Rightous God and those that worship him must worship in spirit and truth. The only way for that is through the lord JesusChrist. Jesus said "I am the truth and the life no man commeth unto the father but by me"

I understand what you are saying GE - I do.

But if I understand the OP's question, I think in there somewhere he asked if a non-Christian does good, does God see it as good?

If that is the question, and if a non-beleiver gave shelter to the homeless, food to the hungry, or clothes to the naked and love to those around him or her, of course, I believe Our Heavenly Father smiles and indeed sees the non-believer as doing good.

Of course they can -- they always have the power to become Born Again Christians!

If you are looking for an answer to get around becoming a Christian, you will not find it in Scripture as it relates to your being Saved, and what good is anything else -- as we are here on Earth for only a very short period. However, the overriding question should be whether the non-Christian is doing the will of God by remaining a non-Christian therefore, un-Saved. Remember, God wishes to Save every person! The answer to that is also found in the following Scripture: "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the ONLY begotten Son of God." -- JOHN 3:18 (KJV)

Also, this next Scripture is germane to this subject matter. "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be Born Again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." -- JOHN 3:3 (KJV)

Therefore, it is plain to see and understand that a non-Christian cannot be saved and although he/she can certainly do good deeds whenever he or she wants, while that is always helpful to others (if the intent is to do good and not for self-aggrandizement) spiritually speaking, what good is it in the sight of God if you are not a Christian, if you don't actually believe in the One and Only God because that's what truly matters! That is akin to bringing a teacher an apple every day for the full semester of studies in the hope that the teacher will pass you to a higher grade. That will never happen with a strictly moral teacher. They may surely be appreciative of the kind act in giving them things, but that does not automatically translate into special favors later on.

No matter what kind of good an un-believer does, it certainly will not help them to elevate into Heaven at their appointed time according to Scripture. It takes more! But what is the problem with not believing in the ONLY Son of God, Jesus, and why be so stubborn? Does it boil down to being your "personal preference"? But if it means that you will be Saved if you give your life to Him (which it of course does, when one becomes Born Again) then why refrain from doing so? Certainly, one has free will, but that free will also means that they can Accept Jesus and thereby become Saved. Perhaps it does not mean much to the un-believer at the present time while they are on Earth in a corporeal body, but later on when they have left this Earth, it will mean Plenty, as the decisions one makes here on Earth, be they good or bad, will carry over into the Afterlife, and that is for eternity!

For further reading, there is an excellent website (short-reading) at:
Are you a Non-Christian?

A believer? Yes.

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Hebrews 11: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him.

There are many non-Christians who have faith in God.

Can someone who does not believe in God do good in His sight? Only if he is seeking God while doing so.

Does this seem unfair? I would say, "no." It seems eminently fair. If someone doesn't believe in God, but lives only for himself, what does it matter to him if he pleases God or not?

Of course it doesn't. There are many here who don't care one iota about God. So, why do they want to do good in the sight of the being in which they don't believe and why do they want to go to heaven and eternity with the being which they claim does not exist?

So, in order to do good in the sight of God, one must first believe in God.

Serious question:

Doesn't it bother you being told you were born a worthless piece of wretched filth unless you do as 'they' say?

I drop in on this forum now and then to try and comprehend how the religious mind works. No offense, but I still can't make sense of it. But I'm trying.

I'll bet if a fireman saved a loved one from a burning building you'd consider it a miracle. But what if you learned that fireman was an atheist? All of a sudden he didn't do good by God, huh?

I've always wondered why "Christians" (those who have Christ in their heart) throw bible versus at those who do not believe, damn them to hell, and expect them to believe in our Loving God.

I believe in our Heavenly Father with all my heart and of course want others to know His love as well. I think our Father would want us to be loving followers and it would be through our loving actions that non-believers would open their hearts to Jesus.

When "Christians" yell, scream and damn others to hell... it doesn't resemble God's love and I wonder how much of Christ is actually in their hearts. I am saying I wonder, I am not saying they do not have Christ in their heart, but in truth, those that scream and rant, are those that I find it most difficult to see His Love in them.

God's word can be heard far greater by loving actions. It hurts my heart when those who claim to love Our Father, say hurtful things to those who are yet to believe.

The Prayer of St. Francis is one of my very favorites and I love to share it with you.


Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Hello K:

Who cares what your god thinks? I ain't interested. He already thinks I'm a sinner. He thinks I'm going to hell if I don't bow down to him. And, all I did was get born.

Nope. I'm trying to do good in the sight of ME.

excon