Why Do You?

It’s not elementary…in fact, it’s downright advanced stuff…at least to most people. It’s a legitimate question that weaves its way through the heads of the multitudes. Preachers even get it wrong; but it should be so easy.Believe it or not, I heard a TV preacher say something in an interview that shocked me. He said something that many of us actually feel but would rather not say; so he said it for you. And it has huge implications. He said, “I serve God because I fear Him; I don’t want to go to hell, and that’s why I serve Him faithfully.”

Wow! Really? I serve God because I fear Him…His wrath, His repercussions? Is that sort of talk foreign to you or not? When was the last time you asked yourself the question, “Why Do I Serve Jesus Christ?”

There are plenty of feelings about the pros and cons of this concept; so allow me to simply offer up something that the Bible says that can put this sort of thing to rest for all concerned.

We see this in 2 Corinthians 5:14: “For I am controlled by the love of Christ.” Noticed it didn’t say, “The fear of Christ” or “The wrath of Christ,” but rather, “The love of Christ.” His love for and toward me and my love back to Him is what controls me. The original language, Koine Greek, spells it out even clearer. It actually means that His love drives me, motivates me, and compels me…but it further means that His love steers me, maneuvers me, directs me, and decides for me.

It’s clear then that God’s will is that we serve Him and follow Him out of a sense of reciprocating love, not fear. Finally, to nail this idea of “I serve God because I fear Him; I don’t want to go to hell, and that’s why I serve Him faithfully” shut forever in your life, we can turn to scripture again when it says, “Where God's love is, there is no fear, because God's perfect love drives out fear. It is punishment that makes a person fear, so love is not made perfect in the person who fears.” 1 John 4:18 (NCV) Hey, there are few things more freeing this.

As followers of an amazing God, we must choose to believe this just like we believe Genesis 1:1 or John 3:16. And when we do; when we learn to serve Jesus out of a response to His deep love for us, our whole outlook on the character of God will change for the better and bring us true freedom.

Agree? Disagree? Mad? Glad? I’d love to read your thoughts!!


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