Looking for scripture passage

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sir_Knight
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Sir_Knight

Guest
Isn’t there a parable or passage somewhere whick illustrates that even if a person does something good for vain or selfish reasons, the charitable deed still benefits the person on the receiving end?
 
There’s the parable of the dishonest steward in Luke 16:1-9. Is that what you had in mind?
 
No. The person wasn’t doing anything wrong but he was doing the right thing for the wrong reason and Jesus pointed out that even though he was doing it for the wrong reasons, someone still benefitted positively despite the selfish intentions.
 
I thought Jesus said that if you do something for selfish reasons, then you will receive your earthly reward instead of your heavenly reward.

NotWorthy
 
40.png
NotWorthy:
I thought Jesus said that if you do something for selfish reasons, then you will receive your earthly reward instead of your heavenly reward.

NotWorthy
Click to expand...
NotWorthy,

You are absolutely right, Jesus did indeed say that (see Matthew 6:2, 6:5, and I’m sure in other places.) But what Sir Knight was asking, I believe, was a different question: if you “do the right thing” for the wrong reason, the person who benefits from your doing the right thing still benefits. It stands to reason, but I don’t know of anywhere in the Bible that recounts Jesus saying that.
  • Liberian
 
40.png
Liberian:
You are absolutely right, Jesus did indeed say that (see Matthew 6:2, 6:5, and I’m sure in other places.) But what Sir Knight was asking, I believe, was a different question: if you “do the right thing” for the wrong reason, the person who benefits from your doing the right thing still benefits. It stands to reason, but I don’t know of anywhere in the Bible that recounts Jesus saying that.
Click to expand...
Jesus makes specific allusion to this in Matthew Chapter 7:

Mt 7:21-23 "Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’ "

Obviously, the recipients benefitted from the the mighty works and casting out of demons in Jesus’ name. Yet Jesus still condemned the performers of those deeds for acting according to their own will and not the Father’s will.
 
No Bible at hand… 1 Cor 13 speaks about giving all my goods to the poor and giving my body to be burned, but not having love, it profits me nothing.

Close?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top