Yes indeedy (1 Corinthians 9:26)

Last week I talked about how great karma was right before I pulled the rug out from under you by showing that it is contradictory to Christian theology. Then why is it that last week's verse seemed to promote karma? If my deeds don't matter in the grand scheme of things, why should I bother doing good?

The problem is that you're confusing timescales. Over the span of your life, it's not humanly possible to do enough good deeds to get into heaven. However, in the individual moments, actions do have a ripple effect. For example, if a man commits murder he can seek forgiveness and go to heaven, but as a result of his actions he will still go to jail.

Studies have been preformed for many years examining the physical and psychological effects of doing good deeds. It seems that helping other people has been genetically wired into our bodies. After doing a good deed most people experience a “helpers' high” resulting from a release of endorphins. An article on WebMD entitled The Science of Good Deeds has many examples of the positive effects of altruism from studies collected by Dr. Stephen G. Post. The one that stuck out to me was that in a large sampling of older adults the effects of active involvement in volunteering showed a greater reduction in early deaths than exercising four times a week.

Doing good deeds doesn't guaranty that you're going to get good things in return, but it's putting you in a better position. You can live your life as an aimless Christian, but you will find it much more rewarding if you live with purpose. We should do good deeds, not because they make us feel good, but because God told us to take action. Paul liked to compare this to athletics. A dedicated athlete follows a well planned regiment in preparation for an event. When the competition arrives, they're ready to perform their best. In the same way, your actions matter because they are a reflection of what's in your heart.


For every Jesus push up: