humanitarianism vs. Christianity

there are good deeds and there are wicked deeds, true.
but what is the difference
between doing wicked deeds
and doing good deeds with a wicked motive?

to me, it's another tax collectors vs. pharisees scenario.

both, as people, are as screwed up and sinful as the other.

but do the good deeds (i.e., giving to the poor, teaching scritpure, feeding the hungry) mean anything when the motive behind such is selfish and self-glorifying? (i.e., praise of man, good feelings, self-righteousness, condemnation of others not doing the same things, etc.)

or are the good deeds still better than doing wicked deeds, purely because the good deeds benefit others and the wicked ones do nothing but harm?

or, is all "good" that anyone does is only good because God Himself has deemed it so?

i believe, therin, is the truth.

what the Lord says is good is good; period.
He uses fallen, unrepentant men all the time to do good works.
even if their heart is dark and blashphemous,
do they feed the hungry?
clothe the naked? comfort the hurting? bind up the wounded?
have you ever heard the story of the good samaritan?
and still more, He is able to use even wicked deeds to accomplish His greater, divine purpose.
(does He ordain us to sin? my view on this subject is NO, as God cannot do evil, lie, etc - and He will never be the One to tempt us; we are tempted by our own sinful desires... but this is practically another discussion altogether.)

yet, as Christians we know that what the world needs is not another children's hunger fund or salvation army; men's souls, no matter how outwardly sacrificial and selfless, are still simply humanitarian when Christ is not the center. they are still going to hell if He is not Lord of their lives and "making the world a better place" is their central mantra. however, i believe these people must not be written off. Christians could learn a lot from hippies and tree-huggers. hear me out. these types love others and nature and help each other not because Christ has commanded it, but because they have nothing else. we should be doing these things for the former reason, and that reason alone. then and only then will we be able to truly witness to these people - and it isn't some elite group i am speaking of; there are thousands and thousands. the ones who make morality their religion. we know the truth - morality is not the way to eternal life. yet when these folk see Christians, who claim to - as we claim to believe the Word of God in the Bible - deem these social justice type deeds as important and yet care more about our new car or video game system or clothes or reputation, how are we to say "you need what we have!" "you need to repent and come to Christ! He is the only way to live righteously!" they won't understand that it's an issue of the heart. they won't exclaim, "oh, i get it!" when you try to tell them that their deeds are as filthy rags before the Lord and don't mean anything to Him when they are the ones spending time with the people dressed in filthy rags and helping them, while you're busy arguing about theology. this won't hold any weight with them unless you are practicing James 2 and showing your faith through the way you live your life, spend your money, time, etc. unless your are doing this, they will not give a crap about what you have to say about needing Jesus to save them. they will stare at you and say, "look, you with your kids who hate you and your wife who you fight with and your cars and your toys and your anger management issues and your wasteful living and your horrible language and your self-righteous attitude and your pride... why on earth would i want what you have? why would i want to follow a God who produces that in your life when i can live the way i do and help the people i do?"


...at least that's what my pagan, tree-hugger, nature-worshipping brother would say to my dad if he ever tried to talk to him about Christianity again.




(somethingtothinkabout.)