This question was raised in the context of living a good or moral life. One person observed that you do not have to be a Christian to love your neighbor as your self. This is true. For example – out of a group serving in a food kitchen there may be a Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Jew and atheist all serving next to one another. I think that this is a beautiful thing. Although the physical action may be the same, there may be differences in motivation – some may be motivated out of a concern for others, others out of a response to a particular faith tradition, or maybe out of a requirement for community service.
I believe that it is important to be clear about the motivations for one’s actions. My hope is that my life is lived in response to the good news of Jesus Christ. Sometimes this will lead to actions that visibly distinguish me from other people. At other times, there will not be a visible distinction. I hope to be able to articulate the reason for my actions so as to “… live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27, TNIV)
This is part of a series of posts responding to questions raised in The Secret Message of Jesus – A Book Discussion at Resurrection.
Rev. Andrew Conard 