What is our Motivation?

  Notice:  I have started a WordPress site, which may eventually become my sole blogging site.  You can access this article on my new site at: https://waytruthandlifeblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/19/what-is-our-motivation/

   We are by nature sinners.  As such, we are naturally inclined to seek our own glory rather than glorify our Creator.  Even when doing the holiest of things, our hearts can be full of pride.  In this post, I would like to challenge my readers to examine their motivations for living the Christian life. This is something I have been challenged on myself, and to be brutally honest, I have yet to find a good intention of mine that is not tainted by some selfish motivation. True, that may seem like a rather excessive statement.  But read on - there is sometimes a reason to my madness.

   Firstly, let us talk about motivation as far as salvation is concerned.  Do we treat salvation merely as a form of 'death insurance'?  Many professed Christians do, and their lives reflect it.  "I'm already going to heaven, so why do I need to do anything more?", they say in their hearts.  This sort of thinking is a common trap that Christians fall into, and one that can hinder spiritual growth.  What about loving the Lord? Or living in obedience to His Word? Or becoming more Christlike?  If you are simply professing to believe in God without any intention whatsoever of doing His will, you ought to go read Matthew 7:21-23 and repent.  If you have believed and repented, and you are doing the will of God, take heed lest you fall after the error of this sort of thinking. It hinders fruit.

  Second, let us talk about motivation for living in holiness.  Did you know that it is possible to hate sin for the wrong reasons?  We may abhor our sin simply because we don't want God to get angry at us.  We may abhor it because we want to appear holy to others.  And we may even abhor it because it is humiliating to admit that we are less than perfect.  The actual reason we are to abhor our sin is because we love God, who is holy and just.  It is out of our love for God that we hate sin, because we realize sin for what it is - a direct affront to God, who sent His Son to save us from sin.

   Third, let us talk about motivation for bearing fruit.  It is possible for us to 'bear fruit' for the wrong reasons.  We may do so to look good in front of other Christians, which is, in a way, asking for glory to be given to us rather than God.  It is God who gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:6), and we have nothing to boast of.  Let us therefore not rob God of the glory due to Him.  We can give our lives to the 'Christian cause', but really, does this amount to anything in God's eyes?  I mean, do not many other religions have their dedicated adherents who give their life to their religion?

    Our chief motivation must be Love for God. And love in the Bible does not mean 'affection', as it apparently does in the English tongue.   It means devotion and commitment. With this in mind, take a look at the following Scripture.  Note: I am using the old KJV here, which renders the word for love as Charity:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.  (1 Cor. 13:1-3).