>Of course one may ask which is a larger sacrifice, to spend one's life in
>a self-sacrificing way convinced that one will be rewarded later or to
>spend one's life in a self sacrificing manner without having such hopes ?
>Is the former even an example of self sacrifice if it is founded on the
>belief that it will be rewarded later ?
CW: A Christian's self-sacrifice is not motivated by her hopes for reward
after
death; the reward is already assured. Her actions are based on gratitude
for the gift of eternal life already given.
Are you sure that the reward is already assured ? Perhaps this is your
belief but is it a universal or eternal or objective belief ? By merely
being a Christian I am assured of a reward after death ? No matter what I
have done as a Christian ? What if the Christian becomes an atheist ? What
about the catholic belief of purgatory for instance ? Or is eternal life
assured to all of us already ? No hell only heaven ?