Does that which is good help bring about salvation, or is that which helps bring about salvation good?

[Aeden]

So, this question occurred to me in a philosphy class this week while discussing plato, socrates and the nature of good and evil. During the discussion, it came up how we define good and evil, and this question occurred to me. I was hoping to discuss it with some of y’all. so:

Do we define good as that which is rewarded with salvation, or does that which is rewarded with salvation define good?

 

[Regency]

If you are saved then you do good, not the other way around.
A corollary is that if you do no good then you aren’t saved.

Among those who do good there are the hypocrites, whose reward is a good life in this world, for the world is a mirror.

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10.20)

 

[Abba]

Weeellll, I would say that good exist and those who follow its path are saved. God already created the universe and He saw that it was good and there are laws guiding creation. So, the good already existed independent of salvation. Then man fell and God had to save us and the good leads to salvation but it is not the case that the good exists if it leads to salvation.
Not to mention that God is Good and He certainly exists independent of salvation. Jesus said: Who are you calling good? Only God is good!

:twocents: duly deposited.

 

[mytruepower2]

So, this question occurred to me in a philosphy class this week while discussing plato, socrates and the nature of good and evil. During the discussion, it came up how we define good and evil, and this question occurred to me. I was hoping to discuss it with some of y’all. so:

Do we define good as that which is rewarded with salvation, or does that which is rewarded with salvation define good?

Good is defined as that which is in accord with the purpose of the thing, if I recall correctly. For example, it’s good for a person to have a leg that works, and bad for their leg to be broken. Yet, this has nothing to do with salvation.

On this basis, I would say that the latter alternative is more likely to be true. Our purpose is to come to God, and know him fully, so things which help us to achieve this purpose are usually good.

However, even this is not a hard and fast rule, since a person can be lead to salvation by a horrible tragedy, and that doesn’t make the horrible tragedy good.