Love or Obligation, which is it?

[Mike]

I was hoping to discuss an issue of the slant that different preachers have with regards to the motivation that they press for loving and serving God.

There are two motivations that might be looked at as being at opposite ends of the scale with regards to motivation. The first would be trying to motivate people to love God by teaching them God's love for them. And the second would be trying to motivate by pressing our obligation to Him. Both of those may be legitimate motivations.

Loving Him because He loved and loves us. 1 John 4:19 says "We love him, because he first loved us." So clearly that is a correct motivation for loving God. So preaching and teaching about how much God loves us without pressing the obligation would be a good thing.

And, 1 Corinthians 6:20 says "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Clearly we do have an obligation to glorify Him. So preaching and teaching about our obligation to Him would also seem to be correct.

But doesn't love and obligation seem to be completely different motivations? Some preachers slant in one direction more than the other. Which is correct? Is it even a valid argument to say that the two are opposite motivations?

[truthseeker815]

I was hoping to discuss an issue of the slant that different preachers have with regards to the motivation that they press for loving and serving God.

There are two motivations that might be looked at as being at opposite ends of the scale with regards to motivation. The first would be trying to motivate people to love God by teaching them God's love for them. And the second would be trying to motivate by pressing our obligation to Him. Both of those may be legitimate motivations.

Loving Him because He loved and loves us. 1 John 4:19 says "We love him, because he first loved us." So clearly that is a correct motivation for loving God. So preaching and teaching about how much God loves us without pressing the obligation would be a good thing.

And, 1 Corinthians 6:20 says "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Clearly we do have an obligation to glorify Him. So preaching and teaching about our obligation to Him would also seem to be correct.

But doesn't love and obligation seem to be completely different motivations? Some preachers slant in one direction more than the other. Which is correct? Is it even a valid argument to say that the two are opposite motivations?

I wouldn't say they're opposites,but are separate,although it seems we follow His commands(obligations or leadings) out of love for Him-now,was I totally confusing?:)

[Lynn]

I heard a wonderful sermon by Dr. John MacArthur on this very topic. He was talking about the difference between 'gracious' obedience and 'legalistic' obedience. It might be that you could find the sermon yourself on the web site www.gty.org possibly in their archives. It would be great if you could read the transcript or even hear the sermon in its entirety.

I took a few notes, which I will share here:
"Gracious obedience is a Christian's obedience out of love for God in response to His grace whereby He saved us."

"Legalistic obedience is an obedience motivated by fear and often goes beyond what Scripture calls for; Obedience to man-made rules and expectations."

[truthseeker815]

I think sometimes I have been guilty of thinking I was following commands in a different way,hoping for rewards at the Bema seat judgement,although Paul said to "run the race 'til the end"(my paraphrasing)....

[Tall Timbers]

I comprehend what He did for me. I love Him with all my heart and soul. That is enough for me. He is enough for me.

[goinghome]

In a way, all love is out of obligation. If we were capable of truly loving anybody then God wouldn't be necessary (it is He who gives us the capacity to love and even to be loved). When we say wedding vows we are not saying we'll promise to FEEL love for ever and ever, we're saying we promise to perform the actions of love forever toward our spouse even on the days (or years) we can't stand the sight of them. It's a covenant we make, a commitment we must honor regardless of how we feel or how the actions of the other person make us feel. We are never commanded in the Bible to FEEL love toward anybody including God (that's emotion which comes and goes and on earth is generally based on lust or need). But we are always commanded to perform the ACTIONS of love as described in the Bible.

As far as God loving us first, I guess I always took that as God loving us so much as to put into us a love/need/obligation back to Him so that we could follow Him - - like a part of His grace. Just like He gives us the ability to have faith in Him, He also gives us the ability to have love for Him.

But, my mind always runs on a different track than 95% of the human population so I could be WAAAAYYYY off :idunno

[Paidfor]

But, my mind always runs on a different track than 95% of the human population so I could be WAAAAYYYY off :idunno

Hi goinghome. Good post. I think you are right on track.

If we love God we obey Him. But the love that we express is not our love. It's God's love being expressed through us in our daily Christian walk.

1Jo 2:4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jo 2:5 But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:
1Jo 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

God's love is complete in us if we love one another. And you are right. This is not lip service love. This is real love that will perform the actions of love.

1Jo 4:11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1Jo 4:12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1Jo 4:13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

[harvest]

Jesus said if you love me then you will keep my commandments. Also, the greatest commandment was to love one another. If we love Him, then we should not feel obligated, but rather a desire to please and serve Him.

Obligation is what caused Cain to sin with his offering.

After Peter denied Jesus 3 times, Jesus asked him 3 times if he loved(agape) Him. Peter's reply all 3 times was yes I love(phileo) you. Peter didn't say "agape" because he learned his lesson and didn't want to make another mistake of saying "agape" if he couldn't be obedient. He was humbled and Jesus restored him.

Although an obligation, the motivation behind it should be out of love. :thumb