Morality Vs. Christianity

N. I. Zimudo

Description

The author contends that we don’t become Christians to find morality but rather to become the children of God in Morality vs. Christianity.

There is more to Christianity than being kind, empathetic, and decent.

In fact, there is a great gulf that separates morality from Christianity. One does not need to become a Christian to be moral, but one certainly needs Christ to become a child of God.

N. I. Zimudo, who has spent his life teaching others to walk with the Lord, notes that if morality was all that God required of us, then Christ would not have needed to die on the cross. It’s clear that Christianity goes beyond right and wrong to address matters at the core of our human existence.

As you read, you’ll explore themes such as morality, religion, repentance, and Christianity, including the differences between them. Consider questions such as:

• Can morality exist outside of a religious system?

• What are the practical differences between good morals and Christianity?

• What more does Christianity have to offer besides good behavior?

• Why is morality a risky business?

The author contends that we don’t become Christians to find morality but rather to become children of God. Find out what God expects of you and how to take hold of his blessings with this book.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Spiritual Growth
• Christian Living
• Philosophie et théologie
• Religión
• Morality
• Spirituality
• Christianity
• Truth
• Repentance

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 30 décembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664286306
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Morality vs. Christianity
N. I. ZIMUDO


Copyright © 2023 N. I. Zimudo.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
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Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8629-0 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8631-3 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8630-6 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022922687
 
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 12/29/2022
Contents
Chapter 1 Morality and Religion
Chapter 2 Morality and Addictiveness
Chapter 3 Morality and Emptiness
Chapter 4 Morality and Knowledge
Chapter 5 Morality and the Flesh
Chapter 6 Morality and Repentance
Chapter 7 Morality and the Law of Moses
Chapter 8 Christianity and Religion
Chapter 9 Christianity and Addictiveness
Chapter 10 Christianity and Emptiness
Chapter 11 Christianity and Knowledge
Chapter 12 Christianity and the Flesh
Chapter 13 Christianity and Repentance
Chapter 14 Christianity and the Law of Moses
Chapter 15 Conclusion


To my lovely wife, Adaeze
1

Morality and Religion
M orality can exist within or without a religious system. Of this fact, there is no doubt. Some atheists and agnostics practice kindness, empathy, and charity; and they try to live peaceably with all men. There are also people of all sorts of religions who live by one form of moral code or the other. Indeed, morality, when viewed from a practical perspective, appears to be generally similar regardless of the religion practiced or the lack thereof.
About five millennia ago, Ptahhotep of ancient Egypt advised the learned not to be proud in their own knowledge but to engage with the ignorant in the same manner as they did the sage. He encouraged men not to spread fear among humankind but to live instead in a house of kindliness lest they risk the punishment of the gods. He taught the importance of treating one’s wife with love and gentleness, and of moderation and self-control. Urukagina of ancient Sumer, also five millennia ago, promulgated laws that forbade conditions in which a workman was forced to beg for bread. Laws also were created that forbade priests from invading the garden of a humble person and that freed the inhabitants of his city from usury, burdensome controls, and the seizure of property.
In the code of Ur-Nammu, murder, robbery, kidnapping, rape, false accusations, and assault were all recognized as evils, which necessitated some form of punishment. Therefore, as long as there has been a human society, morality has existed in one form or the other.
Now God shows us through his prophet Isaiah that he would rather we be of good morals than practice religion. He shows us that religion that doesn’t translate into good morals is empty and meaningless.
Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:10–17)
In this passage of scripture, we see that God elevates good moral behavior over religious rites and practices. This is indeed true, beloved, for all who have known him have confirmed to us this preference of God for good morals. David, in his prayer for forgiveness, for example, exclaimed that he knew that God didn’t desire sacrifice, or else he would have given it. He knew God didn’t delight in burned offerings, or else he would have offered them. He reckoned instead that the sacrifices of God were a broken spirit, even a broken and a contrite heart, which thing he would never despise (Psalm 51:16–17).
When reprimanding Saul for his disobedience to the commandment of God, the prophet Samuel rhetorically inquired of him whether the Lord had as great a delight in burned offerings and sacrifices as in obeying his voice. Samuel proclaimed to Saul that to obey was better than sacrifice and to hearken was better than the fat of rams. He said that rebellion was as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness as the iniquity of idolatry (1 Samuel 15:22–23).
In his teaching of how men ought to present themselves before the Lord, Micah preached to Israel that thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of oil weren’t what pleased God in an offering; neither were they to give their firstborn for their transgressions or the fruit of their bodies for the sins of their souls. He taught them that God had shown them what was good and what he required of them, which was that they should do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with him (Micah 6:6–8).
Brethren, it’s therefore clear that God would rather we were of good behavior than participate in the rites and activities of church or fellowship meetings. He would rather we lived at peace with our neighbors than enrich his house with the bountifulness of our physical, material, and financial gifts. Even Jesus tells us that the weightier things of the law are judgment, mercy, and faith—and not the paying of tithes or offerings (Matthew 23:23).
There is perhaps no one who exemplifies the virtue of good behavior more aptly than Job, a politician who sat at the gate of his people. This is the same Job of whom God had a testimony that there was none like him in the entire world, a perfect and an upright man, one who feared God and eschewed all evil (Job 1:8). Indeed, beloved, Job’s life paints for us not only a picture of good deeds but also one of the honor that is its reward. Behold, it was known about him that from the days of his youth he had delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless, and those who had none to help him. When the young men saw him, they hid themselves, and the aged arose, and stood up (Job 29:8, 12).
The princes refrained from talking and laid their hands upon their lips. The nobles held their peace, and their tongues cleaved to the roof of their mouths. When the ear heard him, it blessed him; and when the eye saw him, it gave witness to him. The blessing of those that were ready to perish came upon him, and he caused the widow’s heart to rejoice. He put on righteousness, and it clothed him; his judgment was as a robe and a diadem (Job 29:9–11, 13–14).
He was eyes to the blind, and feet he was to the lame. He was a father to the poor, and the cause that was hidden from him, he searched out. He broke the jaws of the wicked and plucked the poor out of their teeth. His root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon his branch. His glory was fresh in him, and his bow was renewed in his hand. Unto him men gave ear, and waited, and kept silent at his counsel. After his words, they spoke not again, and his speech distilled upon them like the dew. They waited for him as for the rain, and they opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain. If he laughed at them, they could not believe it, and the light of his countenance they couldn’t cast down. He chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one who comforted all the mourners (Job 29:15–25).
Remember, beloved, that God had never at any time given the inhabitants of the land of Uz, whereof Job was a native, a set of laws or commandments to live by. Nevertheless, those of his country, and the other lands of the east, and perhaps the rest of the world found a form of religion that was acceptable to him, just as Abel, Enoch, and Noah, all of whom lived before the time of the Law of Moses, had done. These served God not only with the laws of their consciences but also by the fear of the Lord. Indeed, it was this fear of the terrors of the Almighty that birthed forth good behavior in Job, as is seen in his defense of his integrity to his friends.
At that time, he put forth his argument to them, stating that he had made a covenant with his eyes not to think upon a maid, for the portion or reward from God for such a thing, even God who saw all his ways and counted all his steps, was destruction and a strange punishment. He assured them that if he were to be weighed on an even scale, he wouldn’t be found to have