1 Corinthians 13:1-3

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."

Thursday, October 12, 2017

A Christian’s Motivation for Living a Moral Lifestyle

Whether you are a professing Christian or not; I believe we can all agree that there are valid reasons for all mankind to set personal moral standards and strive to live by them.  However, the big question is: “Are there important motivating factors that are unique to Christianity?”

This article will hopefully help answer that question and also clarify for the reader:  1) the temporary benefits of morality for all mankind while living on this earth; 2) the motivating factors that both Christians and non-Christians have in common; and; 3) why it is so important that we understand these differences.

Let us begin by examining the outcome of living by moral standards that would be true for all peoples.  I don’t believe anyone can bring forth a good argument against the benefits of a life lived avoiding: lying, cheating, stealing, excessive drinking, promiscuity, self-centeredness, rage, gossip, and the like.  We all can admit that breaking certain rules can have negative effects.  Even violating the vehicle code section of the law, like breaking the speed limit or running a red light has the potential for profound negative consequences, i.e. receiving a hefty ticket or even being the cause of a head on collision which kills another person or ends one’s own life.  With that in mind, let us look at the list below.

Some Positive Outcomes of Living by Moral Standards which are true for ALL peoples:

  • ·               You are more likely to avoid negative consequences
  • ·               You will hurt less people
  • ·               You will make the world a safer place to live and raise children
  • ·               You will leave an honorable legacy to your children
  • ·               You will live with less regrets for bad choices
  • ·               You will have deeper and more meaningful relationships
  • ·               You will need to apologize less
  • ·              You may even save money by avoiding monetary penalties for violating the law of the land.


Pretty compelling reasons for a person to desire to set moral standards and to live by them, right? 

Now really examine the list.  What are the common threads running through it?  Well, there are two that we need to take special note of.  The first is that the good and positive outcomes are temporal in nature.  That is that they are of or relating to time as opposed to eternity.  In other words, they are related to life on earth.  The second thread is that they are all focused upon “You”.  Therefore, they are truths that can be used to promote and motivate both Christians and non-Christians to desire to live more morally upright lives so that they can experience the benefits for themselves, their families and their culture.

However, are they, in and of themselves, the primary factors that should help motivate a Christian to do so?  Why is this such an important question?

First, many people are confused about what true Christianity is.  Many people outside the church (and some inside the church) think that Christianity is a religion of do’s and don’ts.  They have no real concept that becoming a Christian is the result of a super natural act accomplished by God in the heart, soul and mind of a person that radically transforms everything about the person.  A true Christian, although still living in the world, is governed by a total different reality—a super natural reality, if you will.

And what does that mean.  It means that a true Christian’s reality is of or relating to an order of existence which is beyond the visible observable universe.  They are no longer strictly motivated by temporal things but they live with an eternal perspective and they have been given a higher reason for living a moral lifestyle—a reason that transcends the temporal benefits of doing so.

Therefore, a true Christian’s understanding of life is radically different from the world and the reasons they do, or do not do, certain things is radically different, as well.  This is where I feel much of the church is lacking in the attempts to promote morality to those inside the Church.

What should motivate a Christian to live by moral standards?

As followers of Christ, our motivation and desire for living and teaching other Christians to live moral lives should look very different from the world’s. The emphasis should not be what we have in common with the world, but those things that are unique to the reality of true Christianity. So, what are some of the Christian reasons or motivational truths for doing so?

Perhaps this table will help illustrate the motivating factors that we as Christians have in common with the world and those things that are unique to the Christians reality. This is, by no means, an exhaustive list—but I hope it helps us to think things through.

Motivation for a Moral Life
Non-Christians
Christian
The desire to bring honor to the family name.
X
X
Loyalty to self and family
X
X
The better good of Self, Family, and Culture.
X
X
The desire to not suffer the negative consequences associated with immoral behavior
X
X
To please self and others by making wise and good choices
X
X
Have less regrets
X
X
The reality that Christ is present at all times.  

X
Higher Loyalty to Christ than to family or self.

X
Does not want to bring dishonor to the name of Christ by the way they live

X
Belief that they are not living for themselves, but are representatives and ambassadors of Christ

X
The desire that Christ’s honor, power and reality be magnified by the way in which they live and the choices they make.

X
To personally experience the joy, happiness, and peace that comes with avoiding the things that would go against God’s moral standards for all of His creatures

X
The desire to please God.  Not out of fear of punishment or out of desire for personal temporal rewards but out love.

X
Understands the difference between temporal good and eternal value.

X


In the above, note the things that we have in common and the things that are unique to a Christian reality.  If you are a professing Christian, how many factors can you identify with as highly motivating factors for living a moral lifestyle?

The following came to mind as I was pondering this topic and I will share the results of that pondering with the reader..

First, I want to examine an often-used quote (which, by the way, is very similar to Bill Hybels book entitled, “Who You are When No One’s Looking”). The quote I am referring to is: “The true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching.” Here is the problem I see with this statement.

The truth is that there is not a single moment in our life where there is no one watching. Yes, I am aware that in that statement the term “no one” means no human being. However, when it is used inside the church as an attempt to promote and motivate Christians, it tends to eclipse what should be emphasized and that is that for the Christian we are never alone. A less confusing and a more motivating statement would be, “The true test of a Christian man is that whether he is being observed by people or in the privacy of his own room, he is always intimately aware of the presence of Christ.” Living in that reality should be all the motivation we need to adhere to a moral standard of living. My fear is that most professing Christians do not live in that reality and that is why they struggle so.

Secondly, as Christian’s (Followers of Christ) we represent Him. We are to be His ambassadors to a lost and dying world. We are not living for ourselves. We are living for Him. Our motivation for living by moral standards and principals should be born out of an overwhelming desire that our lives do not in any way bring dis-honor to His name. Christian, ask yourself—Do you care about that? Do you care about that more than you care about avoiding negative consequences or thinking of yourself as a man of character because you are moral even when “no-one” is watching?

Thirdly, loyalty is a powerful motivating factor which can even make people willing to die for their country. For Christians, loyalty (which is interwoven with love) for and towards our Savior and King should be one of the highest motivating factors for living a life of obedience to the moral standards outlined for us by Him.

In conclusion, if you are a professing Christian and are not motivated by the following:

· A deep, intimate, abiding relationship with Christ
· An unswerving loyalty and love for Him above everything else
· A desire to live a life that will NOT bring dis-honor to His name;
· An uncompromising preoccupation with His Glory;
· A genuine love for others, both inside and outside the church;
· and, an awareness of the reality of His presence every moment of your life;

Then, my friend, I believe that you have a much bigger issue to wrestle with than setting personal moral standards and living by them.


__________________________________________________________________________

Old Adam put in a better dress

(Thomas Watson, "A New Creature")

"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom
 of God unless he is born again." John 3:3

Natural honesty, moral virtue, prudence, justice, liberality,
temperance--these are not the new birth. These make a
glorious show in the eye of the world—but differ as much
from the new birth, as a stick differs from a star! Morality
indeed is commendable, and it would be well if there were
more of it. Yet morality is but nature at its best; it does not
amount to saving grace. There is nothing of Christ in morality.
That fruit is sour--which does not grow on the root of Christ!

Heat water to the highest degree--and you still cannot
make wine out of it; it is water still. Just so, let morality
be raised to the highest, it is nature still; it is but old
Adam put in a better dress
.

Moral virtue may exist with the hatred of godliness.
A moral man hates holiness--as much as he does vice!
"You must be born again." John 3:7

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