What Are Your Motives For Being A Christian?

So many people have motives and don’t realize it. As a Christian, we must analyze our motives daily! I’m going to talk about two of the main reasons people turn to Christianity so we can identify if we all have the correct motives for serving Jesus.

While reading this, I want you to check your heart. Ask yourself, what is your motive for being a Christian and be honest. If you were in a relationship with a person, and they gave you the same efforts that you give Jesus, would you continue the relationship? That should tell you where you are with God. Marinate on that and let’s dive in. 

Is Your Salvation Based On Not Going To Hell?

If someone asks you right now, why did you get saved? If the only answer that comes to mind is because I don’t want to go to hell. Your motive is so wrong! 

Now, I’m with you on not wanting to go to hell. However, not going to hell is a benefit of serving Jesus, not the main course. You don’t work your dream job just for the insurance. You do it because this is your passion. It’s something that motivates you! Plenty of people who do what they love will inform you they would do it for free. 

So many lukewarm Christians fall into this category! They will claim they are Christians, live like the world, and you cannot tell them they are not going to heaven. Everybody is a Christian until it gets biblical. 

You will ask them how do you know you are going to heaven, and their answer will be “because I’m a good person”. Haha! Tell me I’m lying! No sugar biscuit! Does your lifestyle line up with the word of God? What are your motives outside of going to heaven?

Do you have a relationship with God? Does He talk to you? When He instructs you to do something, are you obedient? Do you do what He instructs you to do immediately? 

Your fear of God has to be stronger than your fear of hell! Your respect and reverence for God has to be one of your main motives on your walk with God. Those that fall into this category do the bare minimum for God. Just enough to get by. 

Would you accept the bare minimum from someone you were in a relationship with? Why would the King and creator of the universe accept your leftovers? God wants more from you. He prefers you to serve Him because you choose Him and only Him. Don’t let your driving force be the fear of hell. Let it be because you want to put a smile on Jesus’ face.

Is Your Salvation Transactional?

Did you land in Christianity to get something from Jesus? A house, a car, or a job? Is that the only time He hears from you? Look at the way you do things for your children out of your love for them. Do you do things for Jesus with the same heart posture? 

You know your children cannot pay you back, right? So you do it because you prefer the best for them, and you wish to see them happy. Do you do things for Jesus because you would like to see Him happy, or do you do things for Him with your hand out?

Let’s say you are a pastor, and you realized for the rest of your life you could never get a dime from the congregation again, would you still be a pastor? 

If you are a member of the body of Christ, would you serve Jesus if you learned you would get nothing in return on this earth? Would you serve Him for a well done, my good and faithful servant? Would you serve him just because he died for you, so to return the favor, you will serve him with your life?

God will never have us out here lacking, however if you’re thinking you’ll serve God to receive from him, your motives are wrong. 

HOW TO KNOW IF YOU’RE ON THE RIGHT PATH

Your Will Lines Up With God’s Will

The most important thing to God is souls! So, guess what the most significant thing to you should be? What would you do to get a soul saved for God? Someone came and planted good seed on your ground and as a result your soul was saved. So return the favor to God by planting or watering a seed to get the harvest. Always align your motives and will with what God wants.

How Far Would You Go For Jesus? 

I saw a video on YouTube on the “Dear Future Wifey” channel, and the host had a woman name September Black as a guest. This woman’s testimony blew my mind. 

She was a millionaire and had everything she ever wanted. She is now homeless on purpose for the sole intent to getting more people saved that live on the street. Not only that, but she used to live in her car until it was towed and now lives in a tent. She ministers to the individuals in the street, and she doesn’t move to the next spot until God tells her. 

This is a perfect example of having the correct motives in your heart. It’s about being selfless and surrendering everything to Jesus. Will it be hard? ABSOLUTELY! However, it’s achievable with small steps.

How many people will give up their comfortable homes and cars to serve Jesus? Ask yourself how far would you go for Jesus? Her story made me check myself. She is a living testament of Jesus telling the rich man to go and sell all of his possessions and then come and follow me. Unlike the man in the Bible, she actually did it! 

Matthew 19:21-22

21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Think about the house and car you worked so hard for. If God told you to give it away, would you?

Answer this question in your heart and this will put your motives into perspective. You know Jesus died for you. Would you die for him? If you keep living long enough, there will be a day when that question is going to come up, and you will be tested to see what you will do. Take the mark or give your life. Which one will you choose?

Acts 21:10-14

10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

How To Correct Bad Motives!

We read about it, but in your heart of hearts, are you ready to live it? If you’ve read this and know that you are attached to your possessions and your earthly surroundings, it not too late to reposition your heart posture. It’s not too late to come out of religion and to step into a relationship with Jesus. There are some parents that will put their house up as collateral to get their children out of trouble. Would they do it if Jesus asked them to? 

To get to this place in your mind takes time, dedication, and consecration. If you are not there yet but strive to get there, the first thing you have to do is give up things that you love voluntarily. When you fast surrender your favorite items. This conditions you to live without it. Don’t cherish materials so much that you condition your mind to think that you can’t go without it. 

Next, is to make Jesus Lord over your life. Check in with Him about everything little thing. Start by asking Him what you should wear and eat for that day. If you start with small things, you will condition yourself to inquire about the significant things. The most prideful thing Christians do is ask God about the serious things in our lives, or events we can’t control. It’s almost like we got the little things, I’ll go to God about the things I can’t handle. 

Some Christians make all the decisions in their lives and only consult God when they want Him to get them out of the mess they made for themselves. Well, if you would’ve went to Him about the small details, which lead to bigger things, nothing would grow out of control in your life. God’s plans never crumble! So start out by allowing Him to decide the smaller task and this will be the start of making Him Lord over your life. 

The next thing to do is when God instructs you to do something, do it immediately. Unless He informs you the instructions are for another time, do it on the spot. Don’t let Him have to tell you twice. This will build God’s trust in you. If He sees a pattern of obedience in you, He will trust you to carry out more instructions for Him. Abraham was a good friend of Gods because of his immediate obedience. 

Consider this and keep these questions in your heart as you consistently check yourself. Ask yourself everyday If you were in a relationship with a person and they gave you the same efforts that you give Jesus, would you continue the relationship? If you ask yourself that it will definitely keep you humbled and motivated to do more for God. 

I pray this blessed you the way it blessed me! 

With Love,

Your Sister Tiffani!