J. Warner Wallace – Does No Eternal Life Equal Greater Accountability Now?
J. Warner Wallace answers the question, “Atheists claim that no eternal life and forgiveness actually leads to more accountability here on earth. How do you respond?”
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I listened to you on Christ Revealed and so wish I could listen to you more👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I feel this got needlessly messy.
Indeed, but I can't help think the view you're sketching is a minority view. Is it not?
This seems to conflict w the thought that, persons are saved by faith alone.
Actually, better put:
(1) What does it mean for the saved to be accountable?
(2) Does this mean the unsaved (those who reject Christ), are not accountable for their actions? What about hell?
Wait, accountability exists only if you're saved?
Not sure how to interpret when you say: "it's not accountability (unless you have been saved). "
(1) I think you, as well as Mr. Wallace, sneaks the topic of motivation into what seems to be a different topic, albeit related, accountability.
I think at the end, the question of accountability is left largely ignored.
Suppose you are correct though:
(2) What does accountability mean given the fact that Jesus can forgive us? In other words, if people can do evil and manage to find the saving power of Jesus in time, what does accountability is actually being referred to?
(1) Your response has a lot of controversial presuppositions, but it was worded in a confusing way, at least to me; so I'll suppose they can be adequately defended.
(2) I think your response agrees with my criticism. You write "…moral motivation is precisely motivation to be morally accountable." Motivation and accountability may be closely related, one necessary for the other, implications etc…but for all that, they are NOT the same. And this was my critique.
Jim, you're always incredibly articulate, brother! Thanks for your work! I don't however think the question "Does no eternal life equal greater accountability" was actually answered. I believe the key lies in the nature of accountability itself. Who or what, would any particular person be "accountable" to, if the entire universe is simple a mistake of molecules in motion, an act of material happenstance? To have accountability in a world without intention or meaning seems nonsensical.
I think Mr. Wallace conflates accountability with (moral) motivation.
It seems like this is not answering the question, or at least to the core of the question. Mr. Wallace's answer would be good, well not really I think, if the question were about motivation.
Thanks! Good explanation. Many people do not understand this.