Life | Love | Freedom

What's love got to do with it?

Part II of "hell as the stick, heaven as the carrot"

Change prompted by fear last only as long as the threat (i.e. hell) exist as a possiblity for that person. Once the threat is extinguished through "salvation" the motivating agent (i.e. fear of it) is as well. It seems this is where many folks are in Christiandom. They were scared into the kingdom and now sit like a brand new Mercedes without a drop of fuel in their tank. They have the capability of knowing God (i.e. eternal life - John 17:3) but they lack desire. Some are told/taught "to fear" losing God's favor or fellowship...but, for most, obtaining God's favor/fellowship just isn't compelling enough to motivate lasting change...and in the end neither was hell.

There are exceptions. I know folks who are so scared about losing/gaining their favor/fellowship with God that they have become ardent legalist. Others have given themselves so completely to some church/program/ministry that nothing else matters, only to be a hamster running at world class speed on a treadmill in a cage, which in the end leads not to God's favor/fellowship but rather to their exhaustion, disgust and disappointment. Both the former and the latter lend to my skepticism regarding fear as a motivator...it just doesn't produce the intended result...an intimate relationship with Jesus.

On the flip side those who are motivated by the invitation to "know God" have an continuing positive motivation at work within, "Christ love compells them" (2 Cor 5:14) and they know Christ love because they know Christ.

I'm thinking God wants us motivated by Christ love rather than fear. Doesn't it say "perfect love cast out fear"? (1 John 4:18)

posted by Rick @ 4:58 AM