Word of the Week: Motive

We’re continuing our way through the Sermon on the Mount, which brought us to Matthew 5:17-20 last Sunday. Here Jesus corrected the misunderstanding that he had come to abolish the law. No, he came to fulfill it and call us to obedience. If Jesus didn’t throw the law away, neither should his people.

Raising the word “obedience” quickly brings another word to our mind: “legalism.” How do we obey Jesus without falling into the trap of legalism? It all comes down to our motive.

Legalism is like a bribe. It says, “If I give this to God, then he’ll finally love me and give me what I want.” The motivation behind legalism is manipulation. It’s an attempt to get God in our debt. If I do something for God, then has to do something for me.

Obedience, on the other hand, is like a thank you gift. Instead of trying to get God to do something, obedience responds to what he has already done. Obedience says, “Because God loves me and has accepted me in Christ, I want to do what pleases him.” Obedience acknowledges that we’re in God’s debt and seeks to bring glory to our Father in heaven.

Everyone falls into the legalism trap at some point. If I pray enough or read my Bible enough, then I expect a more personal experience of God. If I serve others and give generously, God should reward me. We might not put it so starkly, but it’s easy to mislead ourselves and think that God owes us one. So, where do you think God owes you? Are there ways that you see yourself trying to bribe him with the law?

Jesus invites us into something better. Instead of living for transactions that seek to manipulate God, Jesus welcomes us into the family of God. Rather than living to gain acceptance, we live as those who have already been accepted. That’s the obedience that God’s looking for.