What is our true motive as Christians for spreading the gospel?

Question

Is it because of the great commission given by Christ at the end of the book of Matthew?

Or is it a selfish desire to be able to say to ourselves at the end of the day, "Hey.....look what I did"

Salvation belongs to the Lord, not us. We are supposed to be seed planters.

What do you think?

crocorieganduck....you're more than close....you're right on.

Answer 1

i would like to think it's because you are truly concerned for the afterlife of your fellow man. you want them to have what's been promised to you when you die.

am i close?

edit: yay me yay me!!! nobody else needs to answer now :P

edit: wow, no thumbs down for saying i'm pagan - that's a personal best WOOHOO!!!

Answer 2

That can be a tricky question.

There are many reasons.

We are commanded to do so (as in the Great Commission you mentioned and in many other places)

Jesus also tells us to "seek first the Kingdom of God." and He tells us to love others as ourself. If we love others, we obviously care about their salvation.



Also the more we get to know Jesus the more we get to know His heart and His heart and He wants everyone to come to Him and have life.

Going along with the last one, as we get close to Him, we share His heart and want that too. In other words we become more like Him, so that happens.

But here's where it gets tricky....
We get to where we want God to use us. We want to be "seed planters" (though He's also called us to be waterers and reapers. We are workers for His harvest. He said "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." The Bible also says one will plant, another will come by and water, and another will reap..). Then we pray and say "Lord use me for your glory....." then he does, but we want more and more........ So are we becomming selfish at this point? I don't think it's wrong to desire to be used by God, but what if we say that with the best intentions and then selfishness somehow creeps in? How do we even know if that's the case or not?

In the end, we know that yes, salvation does belong to the Lord, and we can't "possess" it or anything else. It is all God and not us.

So I'll answer your question with a question....we are supposed to passionately desire God and His kingdom and heavenly things, but how do we pursue that without it turning into sin? (I know there is a fine line...sometimes the answer looks close and sometimes it looks far).

Answer 3

Salvation belongs to us...not the Lord...He doesn't need to be saved. He came to die on a cross and issue US salvation, not himself. And everything He does is for us. That is the reason He came...to seek and save those that which were lost.
Now salvation is FROM God...but is a gift to US.
And the reason any true Christian would spread the Gospel is simply because God has asked us to.....and for no other reason but that. *Freely ye have received, freely give* To be a christian means to be a follower of Christ. We do things for him simply because we love him. That's why we do more than just spread the Gospel, but we live according to it. Honestly,
Who needs a motive?

Answer 4

Amen the glory goes to God No one EVER leads someone to the Lord that is the Holy Spirits job we are just the vessel that spreads the good news. I have been convicted to pray for peoples salvation can you pray for two relatives of mine who are in laws they really need to know the Lord but feel what they have is enough. They need Jesus.

I think you are 100% right on and I am proud of you that you realize this many christians don't.

Everyone has different gifts, talents and abilities and I think whatever we do should be for the glory of the Lord.

Jesus has helped me through so much I am forever greatful and thankful for what he did on the cross so I could be saved.

Be encouraged E4G

Answer 5

Ironically Jews DO NOT share their religion very readily. They were never instructed to do so, and to this day they don't go out of their way to convert anybody. So Jesus gave the great commission to His followers. Peter: Be ready always to give an answer to those who might ask, to give the reason for the hope that you have. Paul: By all means I might win some to the Lord. Prov: He that wins souls is WISE.

God is willing that none should perish, and hopefully, most all of us try to do what CorrieDuck? penned very well. I don't want to say goodbye to anybody- only Good Night, I'll see you on the other side.

Amen

Answer 6

Amen! Salvation belongs to the Lord, we do not know who He will draw to Him---but we out of LOVE for the Lord need to share with all--- not only because we know how awesome His salvation is, and because we know that He is the truth, we want everyone to know the truth! We do not hide our lights under a bush, NO WAY!
We want it to shine--- to show the world of the great love Christ has, and what He has done for those who will believe. God says that we as His children must share His truth, if we love others and and love Him!
If we love Him, we will live for Him--- if we love Him we will obey Him. If we love Him we will share His love with all! The gospel must not be kept hidden....we do not choose who will be saved, ONLY GOD DOES! And faith comes from hearing, and hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17) So we must be sharing HIS WORD! : )

Answer 7

Yes you are perfectly right. Our foremost aim should be the desire to see all saved, out of pure concern and love for our fellow man, and this alone should bring us satisfaction.

Yet we must agree that everyone great or small desires to have a pat on the back sometimes. I am often apt to wonder, " how many of us would still choose to live a Godly life, if we knew that at the end of the day, we receive the same reward as the unjust?"

I often say to my brethren, when you began to look beyond God's "bank account" and "see" Him as the wonderful being that He is, and love Him for this sole reason., then we can all truly say that we are true worshipers and lovers of God.

We have to agree that although we are all striving to be better persons, at the end of the day we all have our ulterior motives for doing things. How many of us serve Jesus because of the fear of hell? Shouldn't we serve God out of love, and wouldn't this mean that we serve Him in spite of the consequences at the end of the day?

Non of us is righteous of our own selves and that's why only Jesus could assure us righteousness through His blood. One day i said to my Savior, "father, if i don't make it to Heaven, at least give me the chance to see you so i can say thanks."

God bless you

Answer 8

When the Lord has made the kind of impact on the lives of those of us who have been saved we want others to feel the same joy we know. It has nothing to do with what we may have said.We don't do anything! All of the glory belongs to the Lord. We may plant the seeds but it is God who completely saves. None of it is our works.

Answer 9

Jesus commanded us to go and preach in all the world. Soul winning is the Lord's work. We are not here to bring glory to ourselves, for we are servants of the Lord! We seek to reflect on God's great love for mankind, and how He sent His son Jesus, to save us from sin and offer us eternal life! The focus is the Lord! What He did for us and the hope He offers us....a free gift! He desires to loose none of His precious children! Great joy fills my heart each time I learn of anyone accepting the sacrifice Christ made at the cross! this means one of God's children will come home to Him!

Answer 10

My true motive is a that people accept Jesus, I tell plenty of people who I don't if they make desicions or not...

I agree with your analysis here Salvation does belong to our Lord (I love that song by the way), and that helping others come to Christ is a job we are required to do, but it is God that actually saves them, not little old us.

Answer 11

the CROSS
Only Jesus can save ones soul from eternal damnation. We are the instrument which He the Holy Spirit uses to plant the seeds of salvation. He waters and harvests.

At the cross,
at the Cross,
where I first saw the light,
and the burden of my heart rolled away,
it was there by faith,
I received my sight,
and now I am happy all the day.

No One Else Cares For Me Like Jesus<><