What Motivates You?

     Two individuals doing the same "good work." One is motivated by a desire to please God. The other person is motivated by some other reason. So, are both individuals pleasing to God? Is He merely pleased because a good thing was done, or are our motives important? Read the following excerpt and then examine what motivates you to do the things that you do!

     Why do non-Christians restrain themselves from committing certain sins? It is because they fear adverse consequences. This principle has been proven repeatedly throughout human history during times when the usual moral restraints, such as governmental law or public opinion, have been removed. When brutality becomes acceptable, brutality prevails. The piles of human skulls in Cambodian killing fields and crumbling incinerators of Nazi concentration camps stand as mute testimony to the true nature of unregenerate human nature. What happens when murder is legalized, when the law of the State or public opinion says it’s OK to exterminate Jews or rip the unborn to pieces in their mothers’ wombs? No one has to speculate on the answer to that question. How many professing Christians are motivated, in their limited morality and holiness, not by love for God and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, but by ever-changing public sentiment, the continually-revised law of the land, or peer-pressure of their fellow church members? Only God knows for certain. But through honest self-examination, each one of us can determine what truly motivates us. If every professing Christian would do that, many would be shocked to discover that all their goodness is really wickedness, motivated by nothing higher than self-interest. Is it really possible to do good things, yet be motivated by pure selfishness? Absolutely. As I’ve already pointed out, most of the “virtuous” deeds done by non-Christians spring from selfish motivations. Consider the words of Paul in this regard: If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing (1 Cor. 13:3).

Servant, David (2013-03-05). The Great Gospel Deception (Kindle Locations 436-448). Ethnos Press. Kindle Edition. 

     There are many professing Christians who have "good morals." They do certain good things and have a "form of godliness." They avoid certain sins and behaviors that they deem as wrong. Sadly, many individuals are only motivated by selfish reasons. They fear getting caught in a scandalous situation. Others are "legalists," they do what they do out of an obligation; they fear the wrath of God, and are merely avoiding punishment. Others, like the Pharisees, are motivated by the desire to impress others with their good deeds and morals. Others, would do certain things if they thought they could get away with it. Obviously these kinds of individuals cannot be pleasing to God with their shallow, selfish motives. The individual who lives to please God is the individual who is pleasing to God. Such an individual is moved by the desire to honor God, and to bring glory to Him. The true Christian is one who acts out of love towards God and his fellow man. This according to the scriptures is the fulfilling of the law. Paul states that the only thing that counts in Christ Jesus, is faith working by love (Gal 5:6). 
     What motivates you to do the things you do?