Jesus claimed to be God

Originally posted by @romans1009
I think I’ve answered that, but if you don’t think so, give me an idea of what you mean by “good works.”

It's you who is claiming that 'good works' happen (or, even, that they 'can't not' happen) if you have faith in Jesus and "God's Holy Spirit' is indwelling in a Christian. It's you who has to explain what these 'good works' are.

Originally posted by @romans1009
The best definition, I think, comes from the book of Galatians.

“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

(Galatians 6:2)

Give me some walk-the-walk examples. Perhaps draw upon the 'good works' you have seen carried out by Christians you've met in the last four years.

Originally posted by @fmf
The doing of so-called 'good works' is part of your theology. And you have mentioned the term literally hundreds of times. It is you who has to explain what you mean by it.

The ways in which someone could fulfill Galatians 6:2 are close to infinite.

I read a story just yesterday about a mother who was shopping in Target with her two very young children when the children both had what the article described as “a meltdown” at the same time.

The frazzled and exasperated mother was trying to put things back on the shelves and get out of the store when another woman came over, picked up the toddler and comforted him.

The frazzled mother was so impressed by this gesture and so grateful for it that she wrote a blog post that got picked up by the media.

Did that woman bear the mother’s burden as in Galatians 6:2 and do a “good work?” I think so.

Originally posted by @romans1009
The ways in which someone could fulfill Galatians 6:2 are close to infinite.

I read a story just yesterday about a mother who was shopping in Target with her two very young children when the children both had what the article described as “a meltdown” at the same time.

The frazzled and exasperated mother was trying to put things back on the shelves ...[text shortened]...

Did that woman bear the mother’s burden as in Galatians 6:2 and do a “good work?” I think so.

But how is it a result of a supernatural phenomenon? It sounds mundane. What would it matter what religion she was an adherent of, or even if she were a non-believer?

Originally posted by @romans1009
The ways in which someone could fulfill Galatians 6:2 are close to infinite.

I read a story just yesterday about a mother who was shopping in Target with her two very young children when the children both had what the article described as “a meltdown” at the same time.

The frazzled and exasperated mother was trying to put things back on the shelves ...[text shortened]...

Did that woman bear the mother’s burden as in Galatians 6:2 and do a “good work?” I think so.

http://abc11.com/society/woman-thanked-for-comforting-strangers-toddler-at-target/3248303/

Originally posted by @fmf
But how is it a result of a supernatural phenomenon? It sounds mundane. What would it matter what religion she was an adherent of, or even if she were a non-believer?

You’re now shifting the conversation.

No one is claiming that atheists cannot do good works, which is why it’s so silly to think good works are a requirement of salvation.

Someone who has God’s Holy Spirit within them will exhibit this through an aversion to sin and the performance of good works, but I’m not claiming nor ever have that someone without God’s Holy Spirit cannot do good works.

I think a Christian who is led by the Spirit is (obviously) more prone to be within God’s will than an atheist and maybe that manifests itself in fewer sins and more good works.

Certainly sharing the Gospel is probably the greatest and most important good work and an atheist or non-Christian would obviously not do that.

Originally posted by @romans1009
Jesus is speaking to His disciples in that passage.

John 14
15“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16“[And] I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17that is the Spirit of truth....
21“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. 24“He who does not love Me does not keep My words...

Jesus makes it clear that only those who KEEP His commandments / word will have "the Spirit of Truth" / God / Jesus abide in them.

Originally posted by @romans1009
You’re now shifting the conversation.

No one is claiming that atheists cannot do good works, which is why it’s so silly to think good works are a requirement of salvation.

Someone who has God’s Holy Spirit within them will exhibit this through an aversion to sin and the performance of good works, but I’m not claiming nor ever have that someone with ...[text shortened]... eatest and most important good work and an atheist or non-Christian would obviously not do that.

What's special about the woman in your story?

Originally posted by @romans1009
I think a Christian who is led by the Spirit is (obviously) more prone to be within God’s will than an atheist and maybe that manifests itself in fewer sins and more good works.

"Sins" aside ~ atheists have 'morality' and don't believe in "sins" ~ can you give examples of 'good works' that illustrate what you have in mind by the sentence of yours that I have quoted.

Originally posted by @fmf
What's special about the woman in your story?

You asked for an example of a good work in light of Galatians 6:2. I replied the variety was near infinite and gave an example from a story I read the other day.

Never said the woman was special; just cited what she did - bearing someone else’s burden - as an example of a good work.

Originally posted by @romans1009
You asked for an example of a good work in light of Galatians 6:2. I replied the variety was near infinite and gave an example from a story I read the other day.

Never said the woman was special; just cited what she did - bearing someone else’s burden - as an example of a good work.

And that is because of "God's Holy Spirit"?

Originally posted by @fmf
"Sins" aside ~ atheists have 'morality' and don't believe in "sins" ~ can you give examples of 'good works' that illustrate what you have in mind by the sentence of yours that I have quoted.

I already addressed this - the ways in which someone could bear another person’s burdens are near infinite. I’m sure you can imagine examples as easily as I can. I gave you one from a story I read the other day; not sure where you’re going with this, but it’s becoming tedious.

Originally posted by @fmf
And that is because of "God's Holy Spirit"?

You’re apparently not listening to what I’m saying. This too has been addressed.

Originally posted by @romans1009
I already addressed this - the ways in which someone could bear another person’s burdens are near infinite. I’m sure you can imagine examples as easily as I can. I gave you one from a story I read the other day; not sure where you’re going with this, but it’s becoming tedious.

What evidence do you have that Christians are more able to "bear another person’s burdens" than non-Christians and atheists and that Christians do it more often than non-Christians and atheists?

Originally posted by @fmf
What evidence do you have that Christians are more able to "bear another person’s burdens" than non-Christians and atheists and that Christians do it more often than non-Christians and atheists?

Have I said they do?

Certainly the greatest of all good works is sharing the Gospel and leading someone to Christ, and obviously an atheist or non-Christian would not be doing that.

But an atheist or non-Christian could certainly bear another’s burdens and some atheists may do that more than some Christians. That depends a lot on each individual’s circumstances and resources, and I think it’s wrong to view this as a competition. Look to the widow who gave two mites to the treasury and so impressed Jesus.

“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

(Mark 12:41-44)

It was the poor widow’s heart that impressed Jesus - not the amount of money she gave.

A Christian who is faithful in his or her relationship with God through reading the Bible and prayer will always be within God’s will.