Why value this world at all?

[Statilius the Epicurean]

If one believes in the idea of heaven, why would one value anything in this world? Thinking of Christians specifically, since that is the tradition I'm most aware of, why do they care about posting on internet forums or making friends or playing football or even what they have for breakfast? If one believes they have knowledge of a way to live eternally after death, why doesn't one spend every waking moment trying to ensure that they secure this life? If one believes that they have personal access to a transcendent divine being, why doesn't one spend every waking moment meditating on this fountainhead of all goodness? Why choose to be a computer programmer and not a monk?

The actions of most religious people show that they don't *really* believe in eternal life after death since they act pretty much the same as non-religious individuals do. How to explain this cognitive dissonance? It baffles me.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

First off, grace is not something earned, but a freely offered gift, so it is not something we secure by our own actions. Second, more than that even in the Biblical accounts of creation, we weren't created to be endless meditators on the nature of the Divine. In both accounts, man was created to care for this world.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

That's what I've been saying!

[Blue3]

Because we were created for this world. After the "end times" (if taken literally), we are meant to be bodily resurrected and live on the New Earth.

We are meant to love one another. That is how we love God. By helping others in this life.

If anything, God rejects monks who don't interact with the outside world.

[Kingpoleon]

First off, grace is not something earned, but a freely offered gift, so it is not something we secure by our own actions. Second, more than that even in the Biblical accounts of creation, we weren't created to be endless meditators on the nature of the Divine. In both accounts, man was created to care for this world.

I indeed agree, but don't you know that no one asks such a question as this expecting an answer? He wishes only to speak and to question, not to find the truth. No man sets a bear trap hoping for a bear to pass by it without being caught. So why would anyone set a trap for a human hoping for an answer?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

First off, grace is not something earned, but a freely offered gift, so it is not something we secure by our own actions. Second, more than that even in the Biblical accounts of creation, we weren't created to be endless meditators on the nature of the Divine. In both accounts, man was created to care for this world.

I indeed agree, but don't you know that no one asks such a question as this expecting an answer? He wishes only to speak and to question, not to find the truth. No man sets a bear trap hoping for a bear to pass by it without being caught. So why would anyone set a trap for a human hoping for an answer?

Even though he not seek the truth, there's always the chance the truth will find him.

[catographer]

First off, grace is not something earned, but a freely offered gift, so it is not something we secure by our own actions. Second, more than that even in the Biblical accounts of creation, we weren't created to be endless meditators on the nature of the Divine. In both accounts, man was created to care for this world.

"a freely offered gift"
So there's no point in being a good person or doing anything useful?

[Georg Ebner]

If anything, God rejects monks who don't interact with the outside world.

If anything, GOD rejects monks, who interact with the outside world.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

First off, grace is not something earned, but a freely offered gift, so it is not something we secure by our own actions. Second, more than that even in the Biblical accounts of creation, we weren't created to be endless meditators on the nature of the Divine. In both accounts, man was created to care for this world.

"a freely offered gift"
So there's no point in being a good person or doing anything useful?

Humanity naturally seeks to do good and be useful, but our perception of good is imperfect and self-centered. The metaphorical fall happened when we realized our imperfections and turned away from the Divine believing that our imperfections made us unworthy (or more blasphemously that we needed to seclude ourselves from the Divine lest our imperfections mar Divine perfection. (We humans just don't have a good intuitive grasp of how infinity works.)) The gift of grace brings us closer to the Divine and that closeness helps us perfect our perception of good.

[catographer]

First off, grace is not something earned, but a freely offered gift, so it is not something we secure by our own actions. Second, more than that even in the Biblical accounts of creation, we weren't created to be endless meditators on the nature of the Divine. In both accounts, man was created to care for this world.

"a freely offered gift"
So there's no point in being a good person or doing anything useful?

Humanity naturally seeks to do good and be useful, but our perception of good is imperfect and self-centered. The metaphorical fall happened when we realized our imperfections and turned away from the Divine believing that our imperfections made us unworthy (or more blasphemously that we needed to seclude ourselves from the Divine lest our imperfections mar Divine perfection. (We humans just don't have a good intuitive grasp of how infinity works.)) The gift of grace brings us closer to the Divine and that closeness helps us perfect our perception of good.

Why should humans care about doing good tho? If the only requirement to get into Heaven and receive grace is to ask for forgiveness (essentially apologize to God for being human), then is there really any incentive to be a good person or to even follow the morals of the Bible? You could be a sh**t person and at the end have an honest, legit contrition and seek forgiveness and go to Heaven. Alternatively you could be a totally swell, great non-Christian and go to Hell.

[Statilius the Epicurean]

First off, grace is not something earned, but a freely offered gift, so it is not something we secure by our own actions. Second, more than that even in the Biblical accounts of creation, we weren't created to be endless meditators on the nature of the Divine. In both accounts, man was created to care for this world.

The first two sentences contradict each other.

Grace is freely offered and not secured by our own actions, OK, but God also created humans to do certain actions for Him? If we don't receive grace by anything we do on this earth, and if we have total free will, why is God creating us to steward the earth relevant to what we should do at all?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

First off, grace is not something earned, but a freely offered gift, so it is not something we secure by our own actions. Second, more than that even in the Biblical accounts of creation, we weren't created to be endless meditators on the nature of the Divine. In both accounts, man was created to care for this world.

The first two sentences contradict each other.

Grace is freely offered and not secured by our own actions, OK, but God also created humans to do certain actions for Him? If we don't receive grace by anything we do on this earth, and if we have total free will, why is God creating us to steward the earth relevant to what we should do at all?

Because like all things, we are happiest when we do that which we are best suited to do.  Hence it is in our own self-interest to steward the earth.  Such actions give us (at least in the long term) the most satisfaction and reward.

[catographer]

First off, grace is not something earned, but a freely offered gift, so it is not something we secure by our own actions. Second, more than that even in the Biblical accounts of creation, we weren't created to be endless meditators on the nature of the Divine. In both accounts, man was created to care for this world.

The first two sentences contradict each other.

Grace is freely offered and not secured by our own actions, OK, but God also created humans to do certain actions for Him? If we don't receive grace by anything we do on this earth, and if we have total free will, why is God creating us to steward the earth relevant to what we should do at all?

Because like all things, we are happiest when we do that which we are best suited to do.  Hence it is in our own self-interest to steward the earth.  Such actions give us (at least in the long term) the most satisfaction and reward.

What you said doesn't make sense, lol. Idk if you answered his question.

[Mr. Smith]

First off, grace is not something earned, but a freely offered gift, so it is not something we secure by our own actions. Second, more than that even in the Biblical accounts of creation, we weren't created to be endless meditators on the nature of the Divine. In both accounts, man was created to care for this world.

The first two sentences contradict each other.

Grace is freely offered and not secured by our own actions, OK, but God also created humans to do certain actions for Him? If we don't receive grace by anything we do on this earth, and if we have total free will, why is God creating us to steward the earth relevant to what we should do at all?

It is a matter of mere salvation vs exultation.

The grace that is freely offered and not secured by our own actions comes from the atonement, which everyone would be damned by default without. Of course damnation is still a possibility if you make the absolute worst choices. Same way one is born with inalienable rights can also lose them.

Exultation then is something higher than salvation which comes from doing the right things and learning everything that can be learned. In such a case, the world and people in it, despite perversions here and there are of utmost importance to value. They are children of God, and thus need to be loved, and they have some of his truths, whether they know it or not.

Stewarding the Earth then, is the best template for eventually ruling universes. How one stewards the Earth and treats others is a reflection to what type of God they can be, if they make it so far.

If anything, there're more consequences and more reasons to value the world when you have a belief in the afterlife than if you don't far as I can tell. I mean really, if the only final consequence to any action is death, why not just eat, booze, bone, and be merry?

Sure you could argue that those things are the world, but even for someone such as myself I find that a bit of a cynical summation.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Because, as broken, flawed, and screwed up as this world is, there is still plenty of good to enjoy while we are here.  As Ellen White said in Steps to Christ:

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Or, as King Solomon said in Scripture, everything is meaningless, so enjoy your life and don't let your cares get the best of you.