When God looks at our lives, what does he care about the most?

[Anastasia1]

I found this what kind of Christian are you quiz, and I am not sure what the answer to this question should be.

19. When God looks at our lives, what does he care about the most?

       A. Whether or not we've accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
       B. How much we have aligned ourselves with the kingdom of God.
       C. Whether or not I am a good person.
       D. How we feel day in, day out. He longs to make our lives better.

What do you think? What's a good Orthodox answer? I'm thinking it is B since A sounds evangelical, C doesn't necessarily include worshiping and following Him the way most people talk about "being a good person", and D is all about us in some transient aspect. And if it is B, what does that mean from an Orthodox perspective?

[Asteriktos]

I would guess B fairly strongly. Verses that come to mind: See ye first the kingdom of God, and everything else will be added to you. The Kingdom of God is within. In patience possess ye your souls. Suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. A work of faith, a labor of love.

[WPM]

That we follow His word in the bible.

[Ionnis]

Our Lord Himself answers your questions:

   “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
   “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
   
(Matthew 25:31-46 ESV)

[Ashman618]

 Is that question even Orthodox?

[Deep Roots]

E. Headcoverings
F. Not having contact with heterodox

[Anastasia1]

Is that question even Orthodox?

It's not from an Orthodox site, but what would you say as an orthodox answer?

[Nephi]

I found this what kind of Christian are you quiz, and I am not sure what the answer to this question should be.

19. When God looks at our lives, what does he care about the most?

       A. Whether or not we've accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
       B. How much we have aligned ourselves with the kingdom of God.
       C. Whether or not I am a good person.
       D. How we feel day in, day out. He longs to make our lives better.

What do you think? What's a good Orthodox answer? I'm thinking it is B since A sounds evangelical, C doesn't necessarily include worshiping and following Him the way most people talk about "being a good person", and D is all about us in some transient aspect. And if it is B, what does that mean from an Orthodox perspective?

I don't think any of them really work as they are.

I think a modified combination of A + B would be a better response. God wants us to accept Christ and a necessary component of this is to (try to, at least) align ourselves with his kingdom. "How much we have aligned ourselves" would probably better be replaced by "whether we are trying to align ourselves."

[Romaios]

A broken and a contrite heart God will not despise. (Ps. 50:17)

"I desire mercy (chesed - steadfast love), and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." (Hos. 6:6)

[Ashman618]

He cares if our life is elevated and participates in the eternal relationship of His Trinitarian Union. D would be the closest to this in some sense, not that he wants us to feel "good" or "confortable" but He certainly cares if we "feel" love for and from Him. As to the second part He did come so we may have life more abundantly, but not in some prosperity gospel sense.

[Opus118]

Our Lord Himself answers your questions:

   “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
   “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
   
(Matthew 25:31-46 ESV)

Yes! Absolutely, Ionnis! This is the answer. Our God is a loving God who wishes for our salvation. We have a role to play in this. We are the conduits of God's love and mercy for those in need.

[biro]

I have heard that praxis - how we carry out what we believe - is much more important than anything else.

[Gebre Egziabeher]

I found this what kind of Christian are you quiz, and I am not sure what the answer to this question should be.

19. When God looks at our lives, what does he care about the most?

       A. Whether or not we've accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
       B. How much we have aligned ourselves with the kingdom of God.
       C. Whether or not I am a good person.
       D. How we feel day in, day out. He longs to make our lives better.

What do you think? What's a good Orthodox answer? I'm thinking it is B since A sounds evangelical, C doesn't necessarily include worshiping and following Him the way most people talk about "being a good person", and D is all about us in some transient aspect. And if it is B, what does that mean from an Orthodox perspective?

I don't think any of them really work as they are.

I think a modified combination of A + B would be a better response. God wants us to accept Christ and a necessary component of this is to (try to, at least) align ourselves with his kingdom. "How much we have aligned ourselves" would probably better be replaced by "whether we are trying to align ourselves."

Yes, this is a very reasonable answer. I feel as if much of the time we tend to forget that it is the will to repent that is central to the Christian Faith. You cannot live a life without sin for we humans are sinners in nature. This is why I am always baffled when some Christians claim they know they will be with God in His Kingdom after they pass. We must humble ourselves before God & pray for His forgiveness for all the sins we have committed in mind & body, all the days of our lives.

[Cyrillic]

Whether we love our neighbour as ourselves and the Lord with all our heart.

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