The Kingdom Motivations (Graziano Crepaldi)
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Cor. 5:14-15)
What motivates us? Is it money? Is it a career? Is it a goal such as having a house or being able to marry? Is it a particular lifestyle? Is your goal to achieve a certain degree, or to buy a new car? Perhaps for some of us your motivation is more short-term—getting through the work week or planning an holiday. The psychologists define the concept of motivation to those factors that energise behaviour and give us direction. They generally agree that self-actualisation is the highest drive of all humanity, but before a person can turn to it, he or she must satisfy other, lower motivations like hunger, safety and belonging. A motivated person will engage in an activity more vigorously and more efficiently than an unmotivated one.
The Word of God is speaking a lot about motivation under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul wrote to us about his motivation for doing what he did, for being who he was and for serving Who he served. The motivations for his actions were so far above anything this world had ever known and men’s needs (2 Cor. 11:25-30). He denied his physiological needs as he often went without food and shelter, he denied his own safety needs, often being beaten and imprisoned, in the pursuit of that to which He was called, he became a social outcast and abandoned all recognition by those who the world around him deemed as important. His self-actualisation was found, not in finding himself, but in losing himself to Christ. In 2 Cor. 5:11-19 Paul is explaining about his real Kingdom motivations and gives us five things that moved him to the ministry God had given Him - five things that should motivate every believer in their service to God.
We are motivated by the fear of the Lord
In 2 Cor. 5:9-10 Paul is explaining that he did what he did because of who he served. He wanted to please the Lord because he was aware that we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. In 1 Cor. 3:13-14 says: "…their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward." In these verses is clear that we will we will receive the rewards of our service here on earth depending upon what it was built of and all of our works will become evident on that day, the truth of our lives and our motives for ministry will be revealed. Romans 14:12 says, "so then each one of us shall give account of himself to God." One day we will face God and we will have to tell Him how we lived the life He gave us, how we used the resources, the time, the knowledge, the education, everything we have received from His hand, we will have to give an account for. Paul had met Jesus on the road to Damascus and he knew the fear of being in the presence of the living God. Everyone in the scripture, who experienced the presence of God, knew this wonder, this sense of awe and fear. Moses had to take off his shoes, because he was on holy ground. Isaiah said, "Woe is me, for I am undone” (Isaiah 6:5) when he came into the holy presence of God. This a valuable motivation for ministry, knowing that our works are known to God, and we will someday be held accountable for them to God who is not a respecter of persons, a God who is a totally righteous God, who will not award us according to our intentions, but according to our actions. This should be also a reason for rejoicing. We give glory to God for all He did for us and for the joys that await us as a result of our service to Him.
We are motivated by the love of Christ
In 2 Cor. 5:14 Paul acknowledge that he did what he did because of what Christ has done for him. He was the love of Christ that motivated him. The love that Jesus demonstrated on the cross, compels us. The word "Compels" means to be gripped with an inner pressure. It is a word Paul uses to describe how the love of Christ, has moved him to live for Christ and not for himself. This verb is used in Luke 8:45, when the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus and He says, "who touched me?" The disciples said, "The multitudes are crowding and pressing upon you." The idea here is that Jesus was caught in the middle of a crowd and was being pushed, carried along by the crowd. Paul is saying that he is surrounded by the love of Christ and it pushes him, compels him to live for Christ and not himself. There is no motivation stronger than someone that loves me, but that He loves me enough to die for me. In Galatians 2:19-20 we read: "I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved men and gave Himself for me." This was a great motivating factor in Paul's life and ministry and helped him to die to self-centred living, to personal agendas and ambitions, but be alive for Jesus. It is easy today to lose the passion and perspective on what Jesus has done for us and allow the worldly love to replace our love for Christ. Paul kept his passion for Jesus that was so powerfully demonstrated on Calvary's cross and it was one of the motivations for ministry and evangelism in his life. It should be so in the life of every Kingdom believer.
We are motivated by being a new creation in Christ
In 2 Cor. 5:17 Paul made us aware that we no longer are living according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit and "…if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Therefore the apostle did what he did because of what He's made him to be. The effects of being a new Creation in Christ are that everything about me has changed. The person I was used to be is dead, crucified with Christ; all things have been made transformed by God! In my everyday life I think differently – I don't think like the rest of the world, now I think like Jesus. My thoughts, my desires, my ambitions, all has changed. Paul tells in Romans 12:2 to "…be transformed by the renewing of their minds." New creations think differently than old creations. You can't have a transformed mind without your actions following. When someone claims to have a transformed mind, but their actions don't match their claim, we call that person a hypocrite. As it written in 1 John 2:6 "Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." The real transformation, when Jesus makes us a new creation is that everything about us changes, and that includes our actions. In the same way my perception of my home is different. The focus is not on this world but on the Kingdom of Heaven. My destination is different and I'm not looking to this world and all it has to offer because my desires and affections are set upon things above not on things below. "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Cor. 4:18). In this process my character, my nature, my very soul has been changed. I am a new person, not only on the outside, but on the inside. Therefore, since I am a new creation, my heart is different and I cannot live a life that is out of keeping with who He has made me to be.
We are motivated by the call of Christ
Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:18, that "God gave us the Ministry of Reconciliation." We are new creation, and we have been called to carry on the ministry of Jesus Christ. Instead of pursing our own goals, we now pursue His goals. Instead of living our lives, He now lives His life through us and the ministry we have been called to is the ministry of reconciliation. The word Reconciliation literally means – restoration to favor, it is restoring man to a position of favor with God. It describes salvation in terms of relationship. In vs. 20 Paul goes on to tell us that we are now ambassadors for Christ. This is the call to ministry that every follower of Jesus receives as a result of being a new creation. You cannot separate your Salvation from your ministry.
Motivated by stewardship of the Gospel
The final incentive and catalyst for Paul ministry as we read in 2 Cor. 5:19 was the stewardship of the gospel of the Kingdom. He understood that he did what he did because of what Christ has entrusted to him to do. In a world filled with lies, with doctrines of demons and the wisdom of fools, we alone have been entrusted with a supernatural truth. We have been given the task to manage this truth and as a steward of an house that has been entrusted to our care. In Galatians 2:7 Paul tells us that he has been entrusted with the gospel and in Ephesians 3:2 Paul calls this the stewardship of God's grace. In Colossians 1:25 He defines his preaching as a stewardship. In 1 Thessalonians 2:4 Paul says, we have been entrusted with the gospel. Are we aware of what God has entrusted to us? This is not a simple message on how to be good and live a nice life and make people happy or wealthy. This is a message that will save dying souls from an eternity in separation from God. A message that will change their eternal destiny. The importance of the message should determine the passion with which we preach it. This message has not being given only to evangelists or missionaries, but to all citizens of the kingdom of God. These scriptures made it clear that we are all ambassadors of Christ. God is concerned about our motives. The end does not justify the means in God's economy. According to God's Word, He understands our motives; He weighs our motives; He will expose, judge and test our motives and He will not answer our prayers if they are prayed with the wrong motivation (James 4:3). God does love us and He wants only the best for us, but He knows that some things which motivate us can be very damaging to us. He want us to be motivated by the tools He has provided, and so bring glory to Him and bring much fruit. He is challenging us to wake up and do what Jesus created us to do; to become the person He created us to be. Let Him reignite the passion in our soul and make His word like a fire within our bones in our reverence for God, in His love for us, in what He has made us to be, in what He has called us to do and in what He has entrusted to us.
We suggest 3 simple questions and practical applications to help you putting this message into practice in your own life:
- Evaluate your motivation for ministry – Why do you serve the Lord? Are you motivated by the same things that motivated Paul? If not, why not?
- Ask God to reignite your passion for lost souls – Paul was motivated by a love for God and a love for the lost. Every believer should have those two loves. Do you have them? If not, will you ask God to return them to you?
- Begin to practice God's call on your life – Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit your activities to the Lord and your plans will be achieved." If we begin to practice what we know God wants us to do, He will turn our hearts around.