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The Matter of MotivationThe Matter of Motivation

In all endeavors and in all areas of life there must be motivation oraccomplishment and success will be lacking, religion is no exception. Of course,the view that some have of service to God would not require any motivation. Irefer to the religious thinking and teaching that "one has nothing one must doin service to God, God has done it all through the cross." The scriptures arereplete with teaching to the contrary. Paul succinctly wrote: "6: Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7: To them who bypatient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality,eternal life: 8: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth,but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9: Tribulation and anguish,upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of theGentile; 10: But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, tothe Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11: For there is no respect of personswith God" (Rom. 2). The inspired statement made by Paul clearly establishes man will be judgedby his deeds. The question that we raise is what is the motivation or impetusfor these deeds? In our simple study of motivation, we shall notice some keywords, the words "by," "for," and "because." These words suggest the source ofaction for the performance of certain acts, acts, as we shall see, that arevital in living the life of the Christian. In our study, we particularly want to

notice the action and the force behind the doing of the action.The case of unity. Religious people are often terribly divided. They speak

and teach differently and their actions are fragmented. What is the answer forall this fragmentation and how can unity be effected? "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that yeall speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that yebe perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I Cor.1: 10).

Consider the action: speaking the same thing and being perfectly joinedtogether in the same mind and judgment. Would not it be wonderful if allChristians were truly united? Even in a broad sense, can you imagine the whole

religious world suddenly without denominationalism and dividing creeds and allsimply Christians? We must, first, appreciate the fact that unity is not simplyan idealic thought but an actual commandment. Notice the impetus: "by the nameof our Lord Jesus Christ" (all emphasis throughout mine, dm). The motivation forall Christians being one is Jesus' authority. The fact that Christians recognizethe authority that Jesus possesses and the fact that he has commanded unityought to effect such unity and serve as powerful stimulus to do just what theLord commands. The state of consecration or holiness. The people of God are to be a holyand separate people, making a statement as to their belief in and connection toChrist by their manner of life.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye presentyour bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is yourreasonable service" (Rom. 12: 1).

Consider the action: bodies offered to God as a living sacrifice. God doesnot desire of the Christian the matter of an animal offering, but rather Godwants a living sacrifice, the sacrifice of our bodies in service to him.Fornication, debauchery of all types, and the abuse of the body are precluded inthis "offering" climate. However, what is the required powerful motivation foreffecting this sacrifice? The answer is, "by the mercies of God." When we

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reflect on the mercy, goodness, and or tender compassion of God, such shouldcause us to want to offer our bodies a living sacrifice in His service and notjust expend our bodies in the commission of sin and the satisfaction of sensualdesires. How can we destroy our bodies, the bodies that belong to God in secularpollution in view of all that God has so compassionately done for mankind? The case of spiritual growth. It has been well said that the Christian iseither going forward in spiritual growth or he is regressing in the absence ofsuch progress. "5: And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and tovirtue knowledge; 6: And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience;and to patience godliness; 7: And to godliness brotherly kindness; and tobrotherly kindness charity. 8: For if these things be in you, and abound, theymake you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of ourLord Jesus Christ. 9: But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot seeafar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10: Whereforethe rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: forif ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (2 Pet. 1).

Faith serves as the foundation and on this foundation there is to be addedvirtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and tobrotherly kindness love, Peter taught. Such constitutes the required action of

the passage. What is the motivation for thus spiritually growing? "for if ye dothese things, ye shall never fall" (vs. 10). The argument, "it does not say onewill fall if one does not grow" is really unworthy of comment. Unless theChristians wants to fall away from Christ, the Christian will grow, this ispowerful stimulus! (2 Pet. 2: 20-22.) The circumstance of perseverance. Many commence the walk of the Christianbut soon fall away. The Parable of the Sower seems to have as one object theteaching of the fact of apostasy (Matt. 13: 1-8, 18-23). Consider the teachingof the scriptures: "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, ifwe faint not" (Gal. 6: 9).

The action is not giving up or becoming faint hearted. Notice the reason

for not giving up: "for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Thislife is short, when fully considered. The pain, heartache, and disappointmentare really short lived. However, eternality is indescribably long. Not only areChristians facing eternality, but eternity with God in the blissful paradise ofheaven (Rev. 20-22). Jesus said, "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great isyour reward in heaven" (Matt. 5: 12).

The privilege of loving God. God's love for mankind is incapable of beingfully demonstrated or explained (Jn. 3: 16). Love, true love, is an intelligentemotion that is hard to produce on the part of man. Biblical love entailsappreciation and the desire to seek the best for the one thus loved. Considerthe scripture: "18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; becausefear hath torment, he that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him,

because he first loved us" (I Jn. 4: 18, 19).The command and action is love of God. The impetus is, "we love him,

because he first loved us." How can we fail to love a God who has done so muchfor us, even to the giving of his only begotten son (Jn. 3: 16)? Moreover, thisgiving was done when man was so undeserving (Rom. 5: 6-8).

The situation of spiritual alertness. It appears many walk about totallyincognizant to their surroundings. The word says: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaringlion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (I Pet. 5: 8).

The enjoined action is clarity of mind and watchfulness. How is the

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spiritually alert mind to be accomplished? The Christian is to be spirituallyaware "becausethe devilwalketh about, seeking whom he may devour." The devilis here presented as the most ferocious of beasts, a roaring lion. The devilwants to devour and destroy and he will, if the Christian is not alert. Thisknowledge of the devil and the desire to avoid spiritual destruction can andshould serve as the motivation to avoid the devil.

Beloved, we could continue to notice instances of a command and thesupplied motivation (cp. Eph. 5: 16; Heb. 12: 28, 29). However, the point isthat while God manifestly requires certain things, he has also supplied thedrive for man effecting what God has required. It should also be noticed andappreciated that God's commandments are not burdensome, providing we love God (IJn. 5: 3). Also, the motivation that God has supplied is not cheap and tawdry.For instance, instead of using food to attract and keep people, Jesus rebukedthem for following him out of physical motivation (Jn. 6: 26, 27). Alas, thedesire of many today is physical and even carnal. Churches and preachers, unlikeJesus, have sought to capitalize on this propensity of man to be actuated by thephysical by offering all kinds of secular appeals. "Come ride our church bus andperhaps under your seat will be the five dollar bill," we hear. Such "offers"as, "Make plans to attend church with us, especially in view of the fellowshipmeal we shall have" should be viewed as repulsive to any spiritually minded

person! God's motivation is not only spiritual, but it is also substantive andresults in quality and enduring serve to him, not just whimsical and momentaryshallow service.

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