What motivates you to serve the Lord?

[Darron Steele]

Lately, I have seen some pretty nasty stuff over "Once-Saved-Always-Saved"/Eternal Security/Perseverance of the Saints.

Some people seem to believe that if salvation was not subject to being lost, it somehow makes sin okay, and lives of wanton disobedience to the Lord will follow. They then revile Christians who believe any of the above as simply wanting to revel in wanton sin -- which is usually an inaccurate accusation.

Now, I understand and appreciate the sentiment of wanting to be sure that the Lord is served faithfully. In itself, this is a very honorable sentiment. I understand why some may be fearful of any such belief if it takes fear of `eternal barbecue' to motivate them. However, such people often start reviling servants of Jesus Christ on the assumption that this is the only motivation extant.

The assumption behind that is that it takes fear of being sent to Hell to keep Christians obedient. Implicitly, it is almost as if the only reason they can imagine to serve the Lord is to keep themselves out of `eternal barbecue.'

For me, I hope I never lose a genuine desire to serve the Lord for the purpose of making Him happy. I have decided years ago to follow Jesus Christ as His disciple/follower, and I hope I always please my Master -- besides, as His follower, I believe that His teachings should always be followed. Because of what He did for me, I owe Him my whole life anyway.

I am by no means perfect. I will disclaim right away being a `better' Christian than whomever. However, my motivations for serving the Lord are in the above paragraph.

I get my ideas for this mainly from such passages as

John 8:31b, where Jesus says “If you continue in my word, then you are truly disciples of Mine” (NASB). Jesus says that His true disciples will continue in His teachings.

Titus 2:14 says that Jesus Christ died “that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works” (ASV). Scripture suggests that we should have a zeal to do what is good -- we should want to.

Paul writes at Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s |mercies, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (TNIV|ESV). In light of God's mercy for me, I should gratefully serve the Lord.​

Now, whether or not you believe some variation of any of the religious tenets at top or not, I still propose that the Bible offers other motivations for Christian service than `Well, it beats eternal barbecue.'

What I want to see discussed is this idea of serving the Lord because we actually want to for HIM.

 

[James_Newman]

Brother, that is certainly a valid motivation. We should serve out of love for Him and what He did for us. But that is not the only motivation we are given in the bible. I know what God has delivered me from and the sins that He has forgiven, and even then sometimes I just don't feel like doing what I know I should. In light of the judgment seat of Christ, I'll take any motivation I can get.

 

[Darron Steele]

Brother Newman, I understand you, I think. If you mean "judgment seat of Christ" as many Baptists do, which is the reward assignments, I agree that this is quite helpful.

There is certainly more than one motivation to serve the Lord in Scripture. There is desire for the reward because we have made the Lord happy with us. There is also aversion to the painful Fatherly chastisement mentioned in Hebrews 13:5-10 because we make the Lord unhappy.

For the most part, however, these are out of desire to have a healthy family relationship with the Lord. They are alien to serving just to avoid `eternal barbecue' and assuming that as sole conceivable motivation.

 

[steaver]

(James)...We should serve out of love for Him and what He did for us.

What I don't understand James, is how you can know you are serving the Lord when you do not know if you even follow the Lord.

Jhn 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

God Bless! :thumbs:

 

[BobRyan]

Brother, that is certainly a valid motivation. We should serve out of love for Him and what He did for us. But that is not the only motivation we are given in the bible. I know what God has delivered me from and the sins that He has forgiven, and even then sometimes I just don't feel like doing what I know I should. In light of the judgment seat of Christ, I'll take any motivation I can get.

This is one of those times that I post along the lines as James is posting.

The ship of faith has TWO oars not just one. It is BOTH the carrot AND the stick -- both the STAFF and the ROD that keep us on the narrow road as Heb 12 points out.

Sure it is true that "LOVE for God CONSTRAINS us" and it is true that He gives us love for those around us who are perishing so "that we BEG them on behalf of Christ be RECONCILED to God" 2Cor 5.

But the WARNING texts of scripture can not simply be dismissed as "untrue fables" under the thin veneer of "we love God too much to take the warning scriptures seriously".

 

[Darron Steele]

BobRyan: Do you care to answer the question that is this thread's topic, or not?

You have been very vocal on the threads that I was thinking of when I created this thread. You have been `in tune' with the tone as well. However, I see no direct answer from you.

I need no warnings. Neither I nor anyone else need to be threatened to do what we do gladly and want to do forever.

 

[BobRyan]

BobRyan: Do you care to answer the question that is this thread's topic, or not?

You have been very vocal on the threads that I was thinking of when I created this thread. I need no warnings. Neither I nor anyone else need to be threatened to do what we do gladly and want to do forever.

Take it up with God - I am not the author that put those unpleasant texts in scripture. I just read it and accept it with all my heart.

AND BTW - what is it I did not address from the OP in my response about TWARS needed - not just one?

"They rod and thy staff they comfort me" Psalms 23. It is the Hebrews 12 principle that you seem to be complaining about.

in Christ,

Bob

 

[Darron Steele]

Well, BobRyan, I got a different sense when you wrote such things as these:

Praise God! Welcome to the light of scripture and the freedom to accept the Bible warnings that encourage the saints to persevere!

http://www.baptistboard.com/showpost.php?p=1056069&postcount=87

Now, in a thread you started with the express purpose of attacking "Once Saved Always Saved"

The false doctrine of OSAS is all too easily debunked when contrasted to the pure light of scripture --
...
So "what is in it for me" is to expose this false "Peace and Safety" Jeremiah 6:14 doctrine in the light of the obvious, blatant clear warnings of Christ against it.

http://www.baptistboard.com/showpost.php?p=1035480&postcount=58

Therefore, it seems clear that to you, if salvation is not potentially transitory, there is no reason to concern ourselves with obedience.

From this, I get the impression that avoiding `eternal barbecue' is the assumed motive in your mind. It seems that in your mind, if fear of `eternal barbecue' is removed, there is no reason to persevere or work hard for the Lord.

Of course, as I indicated, I believe that there are other, and better, motives for serving the Lord taught in Scripture, which are more about positives for the Lord, rather than avoiding negatives for ourselves.

 

[Jim1999]

What motivates me to serve my Lord? One drop of blood, as it were, in the garden.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

James Newman: sometimes I just don't feel like doing what I know I should. In light of the judgment seat of Christ, I'll take any motivation I can get.

HP: You are so right on with this post. God uses many motivations to help influence our wills to obedience. Love, chastisement, fear, etc. All are proper motivations under differing circumstances.

I believe that is why I have heard the prayers of the saints cry out to God, “Whatever it takes oh Lord!!”

 

[LeBuick]

What motivates me to serve my Lord? One drop of blood, as it were, in the garden.

Cheers,

Jim

I'm with him.

I never saw the assumption that all OSAS folks believe you can sin as you please. That is certianly not my view. I think we are victims of stereo typing...

 

[BobRyan]

4 point Calvinists and some Arminians who innexplicably take that same "solution" DO argue that sinning as much as you please after becoming saved - makes no difference at all.

It is the 3 and 5 point Calvinists who argue that Perseverance as taught in scripture must be accepted - in their form of OSAS.

This is not sterio typing but rather some who oppose OSAS do not clearly distinguish between those two OSAS camps. I think it is an honest mistake.

in Christ,

Bob

 

[BobRyan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darron Steele
BobRyan: Do you care to answer the question that is this thread's topic, or not?

You have been very vocal on the threads that I was thinking of when I created this thread. I need no warnings. Neither I nor anyone else need to be threatened to do what we do gladly and want to do forever.

Bob said

Take it up with God - I am not the author that put those unpleasant texts in scripture. I just read it and accept it with all my heart.

AND BTW - what is it I did not address from the OP in my response about TWARS needed - not just one?

"They rod and thy staff they comfort me" Psalms 23. It is the Hebrews 12 principle that you seem to be complaining about.

Darren Steel said


Well, BobRyan, I got a different sense when you wrote such things as these:


Quote:
Praise God! Welcome to the light of scripture and the freedom to accept the Bible warnings that encourage the saints to persevere!
http://www.baptistboard.com/showpost...9&postcount=87

I did congratulate a poster that came around to fully accepting the warning texts of scripture - that is true. But that does not make me the author of those inconvenient texts of scripture.

Darren Steel said
Now, in a thread you started with the express purpose of attacking "Once Saved Always Saved"

Quote:
The false doctrine of OSAS is all too easily debunked when contrasted to the pure light of scripture --
...
So "what is in it for me" is to expose this false "Peace and Safety" Jeremiah 6:14 doctrine in the light of the obvious, blatant clear warnings of Christ against it.
http://www.baptistboard.com/showpost...0&postcount=58

Therefore, it seems clear that to you, if salvation is not potentially transitory, there is no reason to concern ourselves with obedience.

No - i would much prefer salvation to be "locked and loaded" never waivering. But scripture WARNS us that this is not the case. In scripture we see things like "Forgiveness Revoked" in Matt 18 and "Fallen From Grace...Severed from Christ" in Gal 5.

In 1Cor 9 Paul argues "I buffet my body and make it my slave LEST after preaching the gospel to others I MYSELF should be disqualified" from the very Gospel he is preaching!

Things that "should not exist" if we really can imagine that God does not allow such things. This is pretty "humiliating" for us poor sinful humans as you point out. I would far prefer to be "above Paul" and all saints to the point of "Godlike motives" of love-because-love-is right as being my ONLY driver - my ONLY motivator. But sadly -- scripture informs us that our infirmities prevent that from being the case - so God clearly uses BOTH positive AND negative motivators in scripture reaching EVEN as far as Paul himself.

From this, I get the impression that avoiding `eternal barbecue' is the assumed motive in your mind. It seems that in your mind, if fear of `eternal barbecue' is removed, there is no reason to persevere or work hard for the Lord.

Nope - I would much prefer that God had written scripture the other way around altogether.

I am reporting the news - not making it.

But as it is - God presents BOTH motivating drivers in scripture not just one and God shows us in Matt 10 AND in 1Cor 9 that even the HIGHEST of saints are benefited by BOTH weapons in the Gospel arsenal -- no one is "above them".

in Christ,

Bob

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

Jim1999: What motivates me to serve my Lord? One drop of blood, as it were, in the garden

HP: Now that we have two that agree, Jim 1999 and Le Buick, this thread promises to get very interesting.

The proof as to the effectiveness of any motivation is how it is working in ones life. What do you say Jim and Le Buick? What does this drop of blood motivate you to? Is it motivation that serves to free you from ‘all sin’ or does it work only on a specific list you have made up for yourselves?

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

Let us not forget another idea set forth as an apparent motivation mentioned in Scripture. Peter said, 1Pe 4:1 ¶ Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

"Ceased from sin?!" Who will be the first to call Peter a liar?

 

[billwald]

Habit, long term indoctrination.

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

Bill Wald: Habit, long term indoctrination.

HP: Excellent point. Before I ever knew what blood was I was learning Scripture and gaining influence on the knees of my parents……Sometimes being indoctrinated right side up,…….. and at other times upside down.

 

[Cutter]

1 John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

The more you know about Him, the more you love Him. Is not this the great commandment on which all the other commandments hang?

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
:38 This is the first and great commandment.
:39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

 

[James_Newman]

What I don't understand James, is how you can know you are serving the Lord when you do not know if you even follow the Lord.

Jhn 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

God Bless! :thumbs:

Do you hear His voice? Then why can't you hear Him when He says this?
Luke 12:43-48
43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

While Jim and Le Buick contemplate their responses, let me ask the rest of the posters the same basic question.

The proof as to the effectiveness of any motivation is how it is working or has worked in ones life. Several have mentioned differing motivations to serve the Lord. My question is, what ever you feel your motivation(s) is (are) to serve the Lord, has it (have they) freed you at any time in your relationship with the Lord from ‘all sin’ or does it work only on a specific list of sins you have made up for yourselves?