Fear? Is it worship or being scared?

Why be good? Is it because of the consequences of being bad? Is it in utter mortal terror of God's wrath? Is it because being good is the right thing to do?

Doing the right thing is often the hardest thing in the world to do. For the truest of reasons, knowing God means that one wants to be closer to Him because one loves God. To get closer to God means to do the things that are right. It is fear, but not of the abject terror or anxiety that is associated with "Do this or else." It is the fear of reverential awe.

Being good is a general choice one makes. It certainly isn't that Christians have a lock on being good. It is just that it appears to be incomprehensible to choose to be good merely for goodness' sake. However, there's almost always some entity that will call someone on her choice. Many times, that decision is possibly arbitrary according to differing points of view.

The idea that Christians, for instance, have a mortal dread that what they do is going to send them to hell is an interesting concept. If people are actually understanding the point of being saved, the Christian and the mortal are facing the same choices daily. The mortal's choices don't matter to him for his eternal situation, and the Christian's choices shouldn't generally preclude him from heaven. (Jesus is able to save completely those who are lost.) The truly saved Christian isn't in fear of damnation. He's in awe of God and wants to do the right thing because of the idea and gratitude of the gift. The mortal is free to do as he wills under the constructs of society.

In short, the doing good things is because of a desire to achieve good results. In mortals, this is potentially arbitrary. In Christians, it is because they are thankful for salvation and the desire to be near God that they [should] do the right thing and make the right choices. If anything, everyone, mortals and Christians should be encouraging Christians to make the right choices -- mortals, because even if they don't believe in God, know that Christians do, and should follow the right path; and Christians should encourage each other to continue in the race until the finish, running as if to win the race.