Motive For Conversion

[Gilligan]

Don't let anyone tell you that getting saved in order to go to Heaven or to avoid Hell is a wrong or selfish motive. We all do things everyday in order to avoid negative consequences or to reap positive ones.

We obey the speed limit in order to avoid a ticket.

We obey the law to stay out of jail.

We show up for work on time and do a good job in order to retain our employment.

We make our mortgage payments to avoid foreclosure or pay rent to avoid eviction.

We make our car payments to avoid the repo man.

We pay our utility bills each month to keep electricty and water.

We pay the fare in order to ride the airplane.

We renew our driver's license so we can continue driving.


There are those who say we should love Jesus simply because He died for us. That is true, but He died in order to redeem us from Hell and provide our way into Heaven.

[episkopos]

It works both ways...we need to turn from our sins AND it is God who enables us to become a new creation in Him. So we are looking at the issue from 2 different angles.

Even in the OT we see the truth as 2 seemingly opposing ideas...

Deu_10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

and the seeming opposite...

Deu_30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.


One is on a righteousness..doing what is right...level and the other is a supernatural act of God. The first is good and the other is perfect. One should never argue one over the other.

[Slug1]

Don't let anyone tell you that getting saved in order to go to Heaven or to avoid Hell is a wrong or selfish motive. We all do things everyday in order to avoid negative consequences or to reap positive ones.

We obey the speed limit in order to avoid a ticket.

We obey the law to stay out of jail.

We show up for work on time and do a good job in order to retain our employment.

We make our mortgage payments to avoid foreclosure or pay rent to avoid eviction.

We make our car payments to avoid the repo man.

We pay our utility bills each month to keep electricty and water.

We pay the fare in order to ride the airplane.

We renew our driver's license so we can continue driving.


There are those who say we should love Jesus simply because He died for us. That is true, but He died in order to redeem us from Hell and provide our way into Heaven.

The only problem concerning this is IF the sole reason for a person to think they are getting out of hell is because they call themselves Christian due to acknowledging Jesus... may hear "I did not know you" phrase when they are judged by Who they acknowledge as the Son of God.

[Gilligan]

The only problem concerning this is IF the sole reason for a person to think they are getting out of hell is because they call themselves Christian due to acknowledging Jesus... may hear "I did not know you" phrase when they are judged by Who they acknowledge as the Son of God.

True, it needs to go deeper than "head" knowledge.

[Watchman]

We obey the speed limit in order to avoid a ticket...or because it is right, because we are being safe, because we respect the safety of others.

We obey the law to stay out of jail...or because we respect the laws God has allowed to be set in place.

We show up for work on time and do a good job in order to retain our employment...or because we are working as unto the Lord for His glory, because we love our work, because we've agreed to abide by our employer's rules.

We make our mortgage payments to avoid foreclosure or pay rent to avoid eviction...or because we've contractually given our word to pay our debt, because we love the houses God has blessed us with, because we love our families and desire to provide them with a good shelter/sanctuary.

We make our car payments to avoid the repo man...see all previous comments in red.

We pay our utility bills each month to keep electricty and water...because we gave our word that we would pay.

We pay the fare in order to ride the airplane...because they won't let us on the plane unless we've paid, and because driving may not be practical.

We renew our driver's license so we can continue driving...because we respect the laws set in place by the government God has allowed.

There are those who say we should love Jesus simply because He died for us. That is true, but He died in order to redeem us from Hell and provide our way into Heaven...but more importantly, He died so that we, too, might become sons of the Most High God...His family.

You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
1 Thessalonians 2:10-12

blessings,

Watchman

[Boo]

We obey the speed limit in order to avoid a ticket...or because it is right, because we are being safe, because we respect the safety of others.

We obey the law to stay out of jail...or because we respect the laws God has allowed to be set in place.

We show up for work on time and do a good job in order to retain our employment...or because we are working as unto the Lord for His glory, because we love our work, because we've agreed to abide by our employer's rules.

We make our mortgage payments to avoid foreclosure or pay rent to avoid eviction...or because we've contractually given our word to pay our debt, because we love the houses God has blessed us with, because we love our families and desire to provide them with a good shelter/sanctuary.

We make our car payments to avoid the repo man...see all previous comments in red.

We pay our utility bills each month to keep electricty and water...because we gave our word that we would pay.

We pay the fare in order to ride the airplane...because they won't let us on the plane unless we've paid, and because driving may not be practical.

We renew our driver's license so we can continue driving...because we respect the laws set in place by the government God has allowed.

There are those who say we should love Jesus simply because He died for us. That is true, but He died in order to redeem us from Hell and provide our way into Heaven...but more importantly, He died so that we, too, might become sons of the Most High God...His family.

You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
1 Thessalonians 2:10-12

blessings,

Watchman

True; your list shows motive. The first list shows results.

I'll go with motive.

[andrew_no_one]

Luke 3:7
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Would anyone fault the snake for running from the flame?

[Gilligan]

Luke 3:7
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Would anyone fault the snake for running from the flame?

Or if given a choice between spending one's vacation in Hawaii or kept alive in a burning building, I wouldn't fault them for choosing Hawaii.

[Dani H]

You will end up living a far richer life by pursuing the positive, rather than avoiding the negative.

Just saying.

Jesus didn't die to keep us out of hell. He died to reconcile us to God. Pursue reconciliation. Because it's the whole point.

[Indueseason]

Hell is the absence of God, some folks live that way before they die!! To know Jesus, is to know life! He's the only motivation I need!!

blessings to you

[IMINXTC]

Distinctly remember being highly motivated by the prospect of being cleaned of sin.

I was incapable of conceiving God's glory or any eternal destiny until that happened.

Different folks, different motives, I reckon.

[Indueseason]

I agree with that too!! To know that God saw my deepest sin, yet wanted a relationship with me, was well I can't express that Too know that He loved me enough to suffer and die to take that sin away, it's motivation beyond anything else!!

blessings to you

[andrew_no_one]

Hell is the absence of God, some folks live that way before they die!! To know Jesus, is to know life! He's the only motivation I need!!

blessings to you

I do not believe that Hell is the absence of God...I believe that it is His present wrath.

[Indueseason]

Oh I wasn't trying to deny the lake of fire brother, just that my motivation was a need for God, rather than a fear of hell.

blessings to you

[andrew_no_one]

Oh I wasn't trying to deny the lake of fire brother, just that my motivation was a need for God, rather than a fear of hell.

blessings to you

I need God too
I also fear Him.
Church time! Have a wonderful Sunday!