What's the point in being good?

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The difference between one who tries to be good his whole life and dies in Christ, and one who repents at the last second and dies in Christ is this:

The one who is faithful his whole life may go straight to Heaven … or … he’ll spend a minimal amount of time being purified in Purgatory. That is, he’s done most of his Purgatory while on Earth.

The one who repents at the last second saves his soul, but he won’t go straight to heaven. (Exception being Martyrdom, dying because one is a Christian). A death row inmate who repents at the last possible second has done NO Purgatorial suffering while on earth, except for the pain of his death. He dies owing a great temporal debt to sin, so in all likelihood, he’ll spend until the End of Time in Purgatory.

From what I’ve read, the average saved soul spends 30 years Earth-time in Purgatory.

If you are good your whole life though, maybe you’ll only spend Earthly equivalent of 30 minutes in Purgatory.

Plus, if you’re good your whole life, you can offer up your Partial and Plenary Indulgences to God in penance for the poor souls suffering in Purgatory (The Church Suffering). From what I understand, Purgatory is not a pleasant place. You suffer greatly there.

See the difference???

It is better to be the lifelong faithful son than the prodigal son. It is also best not to be jealous of the Prodigal Son. The best way to react to your brother is to do the Will of your Father.

Jesus is like the faithful son in the parable of the prodical son, but with one difference. Jesus does not get jealous. Instead, he does the will of His father, and embraces his lost-but-found brother with open arms.

Plus, a really good Christian tries his best to imitate Jesus Christ, movitivated by his love for the Divine Creator, the Trinitarian God, and not motivated by fear of Purgatory or Hell.

Hope this helps.
 
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bernmutt:
I think the question assumes that being good is difficult and not ‘fun.’ Jesus said he came to give us life, and have it more abundantly. Once we are saved, we are born-again and mature into what God wants us to be. Best of all, we develop a relationship with God through Christ. All this is what brings inner peace-- not sinful and selfish living.

Unfortunately, people equate true religion with Catholicism. The rules and rituals in Catholicism are distracting to a free spiritual relationship with God. It’s much better to get closer to God through the Scripture and studying/applying the saying of Jesus, rather than religious dogmas of denominations.

…Bernie
www.FreeGoodNews.com
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Have you read Thomas Merton’s autobiographical “Seven Storey Mountain”? He was a convert to Catholicism who became a Trappist monk. He called the monastery “the four walls of my freedom.” I think if you read his writings, you will find that Catholicism is far more than rules and rituals.

If you have ever raised children, you will perhaps not be so quick to dismiss the place of ritual in the communal life… and even a cursory reading of the New Testament will lead you to the conclusion that Jesus is calling you to a communal life. Life is not just about you. It is far, far bigger than that. You are called to be part of the Body of Christ–according to Scripture, that is where your life in God is. Even if you are an eye, you have no corner on vision. You need the eye on the other side of the face, or that vision will have no depth. You who are eyes are called to work together, at the service of the feet, so that they will not stumble. (Eyes that do not know how to work together, however, are nothing but a headache.)

You accept the authority of Scripture to be your teacher, and that is good. Did you know that in doing so you are making use of the authority of the Church, which sorted through a great many texts before settling on the canon that you revere? Don’t think for a minute that you are looking at the sum total of what people have claimed Jesus to have said and done. The Bible itself is part of the dogma of the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church is an apostolic community. It is not just the rules and rituals that have been handed down in an unbroken line from the Apostles. It is the communal life we share as the Body of Christ, born on Pentecost, to which you are invited. I think if you join us, you will find more than distraction.
 
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cteslak:
What’s the point in being good your whole life when a death row inmate can get to Heaven by repenting at the last minute? Does this have to do with the degree or closeness to God once you are in Heaven? Maybe I just didn’t get the point of the prodigal son story but it hardly seems fair. If I remember correctly, the father told the son that stayed home (after the son complained of unfairness) not to worry because everything the father had was his. But what the father had was reduced by what he gave to the other son prior to and after his escapade.
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I’m going out on a limb here… maybe it’s to be with God in heaven! 👍 Assuming of course, your goal is to get there… I have alway wondered about the preoccupation with what our brother is doing… Live a Christ like life, and let God worry about your brother… 👍
 
Well we really have two choices; to be good throughout our lives or to gamble with our salvation. In light of this obvious truth I do not really understand the question! :confused:

If you are the best Christian you can be throughout your life then you would have a much better chance of getting to heaven that someone that plays fast and loose with salvation in hopes of repenting at the very end. I find that most people are gamblers, maybe not with their money or property but when it comes to eternity they are more than willing to roll the dice.
 
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cteslak:
davidv said:

Recall the parable of the vineyard workers. Jesus’ message was that if you get what you agreed to, who are you to restrict the generosity of the giver.

cteslak says:

But wasn’t the original agreement for the son to each get half. The son who left already spent his half and now that he’s back, the father is using a portion of the remaining estate (all of which at this time should go to the son who stayed) to throw a huge party for the returning son. I suppose, and it doesn’t say, that after the party was over, the father did in fact withhold any more of his inheritance from the prodigal son.
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We must go beyond the literal sense of the passage and get into the spiritual sense. In that regard I believe we have to say that the father represents God our Father. What is God’s inheritance? Eternal Life. How much does he have? It is infinite. So, no matter how many times God shares his inheritance, we each inherit it all that we need. His sharing never diminishes what we get.
 
Admitting that I haven’t read all of the posts, my answer to the original question is this:

You ask what is the point of being good if even a death row inmate can repent at the last minute and go to heaven. Well, if you know the moment you will die, then I guess you can wait for that moment to repent (although, if you deliberately choose to do this, is your repentance sincere as is required of such repentance?). Otherwise, we need to remember that our time will likely come as a thief in the night. You don’t know when your last chance to repent will be so you should be good so that you don’t have to repent. If you fail to be good, repent immediately so that you don’t have to worry about dying without repenting.
 
For every death row inmate or any other perpetual sinner that repents and is saved at the last minute there are probaby 1,000’s of others that never got the chance!

Thomas a’ Kempis put it this way:
VERY soon your life here will end; consider, then, what may be in store for you elsewhere. Today we live; tomorrow we die and are quickly forgotten. Oh, the dullness and hardness of a heart which looks only to the present instead of preparing for that which is to come!

Therefore, in every deed and every thought, act as though you were to die this very day. If you had a good conscience you would not fear death very much. It is better to avoid sin than to fear death. If you are not prepared today, how will you be prepared tomorrow? Tomorrow is an uncertain day; how do you know you will have a tomorrow?
 
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martino:
Well we really have two choices; to be good throughout our lives or to gamble with our salvation. In light of this obvious truth I do not really understand the question! :confused:

If you are the best Christian you can be throughout your life then you would have a much better chance of getting to heaven that someone that plays fast and loose with salvation in hopes of repenting at the very end. I find that most people are gamblers, maybe not with their money or property but when it comes to eternity they are more than willing to roll the dice.
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Geez, I think God will know what is in your heart. Playing fast and loose, with the plan of repenting at the final opportunity - I would worry about that one.
 
How about someone sits down and prays to God to ask Him? "Heavenly Father, I really want to go to heaven, but there are a few more people I have to murder. Can I just repent once I get to death row?

All jokeing aside.

The prodigal son story is a parable which condenses God’s relationship with Israel in the Old Testament. Can you see how the following Old Testament scripture fit Christ’s parable perfectly?

NAB ISAIAH 1:2

Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth, for the LORD speaks: Sons have I raised and reared, but they have disowned me! An ox knows its owner, and an ***, its master’s manager; But Israel does not know, my people has not understood. Ah! sinful nation, people laden with wickedness, evil race, corrupt children! They have forsaken the LORD, spurned the Holy One of Israel, apostatized.NAB EZEKIEL 18:30

Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways, says the LORD GOD. Turn and be converted from all your crimes, that they may be no cause of guilt for you. Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, says the LORD GOD. Return and live!

NAB LUKE 15:29

For years now I have slaved for you. I never disobeyed one of your orders. yet you never gave me so much as a kid goat to celebrate with my friends. Then, when this son of yours returns after having gone through your property with loose women, you kill the fatted calf for him.

NAB EZEKIEL 18:23

Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? says the Lord GOD. Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live?

And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil, the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does, can he do this and still live? None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered, because he has broken faith and committed sin; because of this, he shall die. You say, “The Lord’s way is not fair!” Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?

Please visit Repentance to Service for a more complete listing of OT prodigal son related verses. geocities.com/athens/forum/3325/10a.htm

Peace in Christ,
Steven Merten
www.ILOVEYOUGOD.com
 
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TheGrowingGrape:
It is better to be the lifelong faithful son than the prodigal son. It is also best not to be jealous of the Prodigal Son. The best way to react to your brother is to do the Will of your Father.

Jesus is like the faithful son in the parable of the prodical son, but with one difference. Jesus does not get jealous. Instead, he does the will of His father, and embraces his lost-but-found brother with open arms.

Plus, a really good Christian tries his best to imitate Jesus Christ, movitivated by his love for the Divine Creator, the Trinitarian God, and not motivated by fear of Purgatory or Hell.

Hope this helps.
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Yes. The “lifelong faithful” son was jealous because he thought his father owed him something. He thought his faithfulness was earning his inheritance, earning his father’s love. He chose to act as a servant instead of as a son without ever leaving home.

His father showed when he gave his riches to the prodigal son that he did not see it that way. This father gave to his sons because they were his sons. He asked them to act like his sons because they were his sons. And this is why we choose the good… because we are sons and daughters of God, because He is all good and deserving of all love. To choose otherwise is as foolish as to choose the travels of the prodigal son. It is to needlessly choose inner bankruptcy and poverty.

The error of the “faithful son” illustrates why there is more joy in heaven over the finding of one lost soul than over ninety-nine that never left. And admit it… how many of us have thought at one time or another that the shepherd was mighty unappreciative of those 99 that stayed put? The sayings of Jesus point out that error over and over again. That is why the religious authorities hated him.

We had better be ready for the possibility that there will also be more joy in Heaven upon the arrival of the repentant death row inmate than there will be over those of us who “never strayed”. There is good reason for it.
 
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BLB_Oregon:
The error of the “faithful son” illustrates why there is more joy in heaven over the finding of one lost soul than over ninety-nine that never left. And admit it… how many of us have thought at one time or another that the shepherd was mighty unappreciative of those 99 that stayed put? The sayings of Jesus point out that error over and over again. That is why the religious authorities hated him.

We had better be ready for the possibility that there will also be more joy in Heaven upon the arrival of the repentant death row inmate than there will be over those of us who “never strayed”. There is good reason for it.
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Hello BLB Oregon,

So Jesus returns Home to the Father carrying his prodigal brother. Which son is the Father going to hug first? Which Son is closer to the Father’s heart?

Peace in Christ,
Steven Merten
www.ILOVEYOUGOD.com
 
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