Category Archives: Motive

Appearance, Bible, Disguise, Heart, Motive, Scripture

OUTWARD APPEARANCE

ROMANS 2:28

“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.” 

I heard about a preacher who disguised himself one Sunday morning as a homeless person and sat by the front doors of the church. He purposely dressed in filthy clothes and put on a fake beard. No one recognized him as their pastor. Almost everyone just looked at him and walked away. The few who did speak asked him to move away from the door. One or two people did offer him coffee or water. Finally, someone invited him in. When he reached the sanctuary, he started taking off his disguise as he walked down the aisle to the podium. People were shocked and embarrassed. What was on the inside could not be seen because of the outward appearance.

Paul says in today’s verse that the Jews’ outward appearance did not make them Jewish. Their circumcision nor the way the wore their clothes meant they were in covenant with God and were keeping His commands. Some Jews went to extreme lengths to follow the law, while at the same time living like a pagan. How does this apply to us a followers of Christ?

APPLICATION

The Topical Lexicon says this verse “contrasts outward visibility with inward reality: ‘A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly.’ External badges may be manifest yet spiritually empty; inward authenticity will eventually be revealed.” I think about those who show up on Easter Sunday all dressed in their finest Easter outfit. They haven’t been seen since last Easter, but they look good. The outward appearance can mask the inward attitude.

Don’t get me wrong – I like to dress up on Sundays. I know it’s not required, but I feel it shows reverence for our Lord. However, my outward appearance does not imply a more spiritual attitude than the teen who shows up in shorts and a t-shirt. It’s the heart that matters. I have said this over and over in the last several blogs as Paul addresses the Gentiles and Jews in this passage.

Today, examine your inner being. Ask the Lord to reveal your motives for your spiritual journey. We should only have one true motive – to give glory to Him. Everything we do should point towards Jesus. Less of me and more of Him. Then it won’t matter what is on our bodies. Live holy and let others see your heart.

Father, let my inner motives be revealed to others as I serve you humbly and obediently.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Gospel, Motive, Rejoicing, Scripture, Truth

REJOICE IN CHRIST

PHILIPPIANS 1:18

“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. But not only that, I also will rejoice,”

Sometimes people’s motives for doing something is outweighed by the result they have. Case in point – today’s verse. We’ll get there in a second or two. “The end justifies the means” is NOT what Paul is saying here. That is an unbiblical statement. We can’t do anything we want any way we want as long as we point to God. I could name examples I know about, but I shall refrain from doing so. That in itself would do exactly what I am saying we should not do.

Many scholars say this about what Paul says here. “Of course, this rejoicing does not refer to the impure intention of the preachers, but to the objective result.” These Jewish believers in question were preaching Jesus but were holding the Gentiles to the Mosaic Laws regarding festivals and ordinances. They were attempting to “steal away” Paul’s followers and build their own. BUT they were preaching Jesus as the Messiah Who had come to save all mankind. For that, Paul is rejoicing.

APPLICATION

Matthew, Mark and Luke all use the word for “pretense” when they quoted Jesus as He taught against the Pharisees and Scribes. Luke 20:46-47 says, “46 ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love personal greetings in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 47 who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive all the more condemnation.’” (See also Matthew 23:14 and Mark 12:38-40)

Notice Jesus wasn’t condemning their prayers. He was condemning their motives for the prayers. Perhaps there were those in the synagogues who were moved by their prayers, the mentioning of the name of Yahweh or the recitation of God’s Word in their prayers. Jesus didn’t say they shouldn’t pray. He warned of their motives.

How can we apply this to our lives? Don’t judge the eternal results of someone’s ministry. That’s for God to decide. We should be careful whom we support to ensure they are not teaching false doctrine or anything that would lead someone away from Christ. We have way too many Christian denominations with way too many traditions and teachings. Not all line up with the Word. But if someone of another denomination leads someone to Jesus, let’s celebrate that. Let’s rejoice in Christ as Paul did.

Father, help me ensure that I focus on the eternal results of anything I teach about Jesus.

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Bible, Envy, Gospel, Motive, Scripture, Strife

THE RIGHT MOTIVE

PHILIPPIANS 1:15

“Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from goodwill;”

If you turn on the television, especially on Sundays, you can find some preachers who are, to say it politely, a little questionable. One may ask themselves what their motive is for preaching the Gospel. My paternal grandmother was hooked by a televangelist back in the 80’s. After she passed my dad found where she had sent him a good bit of money, hoping for some miracle. That has always made me check my ego at the door when I share the Word.

This issue isn’t anything new. Today’s verse has Paul discussing this very thing. While some were stepping up and preaching the Word boldly while Paul was imprisoned, others were taking advantage of that void in the early Christian world. They were pursuing all the wrong things in their preaching. Paul says they were “preaching Christ even from envy and strife.” That’s pretty bold, don’t you think? Some things never change.

APPLICATION

Our application today is pretty clear – check your motive. When you share the Gospel, when you witness to someone, check your motive. Make sure you are doing these “kingdom works” for His glory and not your own. Remember 1 Corinthians 3:12-13? “12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work.”

Many scholars believe these people in question were the Judaizers who were always opposing Paul. They taught that you had to keep the Mosaic Law even after receiving Christ. They even tried to force the Gentile believers to embrace this. They were all about building themselves up in front of the people, not Christ.

Now, your methodology may not be envious or strifeful, but if the motive is not purely to glorify Christ, you’ve got the wrong motive. Ask yourself If I receive no credit for this, would I still do it? Ask the Lord if your motive is pure. He will definitely tell you. Preach the Word. Share the Gospel. But do it for Jesus and no one else.

O Lord, keep my motives pure as I share the Gospel with others.

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