From time to time, it is good to reevaluate our motivation. Why are we doing what we are doing? What is it that makes us want to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? Sadly, for myself and many others, an honest evaluation sometimes boils down to a strong fear of being lost for eternity. Perhaps it is the result of too much focus on “hell, fire, and brimstone” and not enough focus “grace and love.” While there is a healthy balance between the two, leaning too far in one direction could be a bad thing.
Certainly, it is a “fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 11:31) but our fear of being lost for eternity should not be our primary motivation. Our motivation for being faithful should primarily be our love for God! Are there any earthly relationships we can think of that are healthy when they are based on fear and not love? Of course not! Neither is a relationship with God healthy when it is based on fear and not love. Consider John’s words.
1 John 4:17-19 “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.
The Bible is a beautiful love story. It demonstrates God’s sacrificial love for us and how that was displayed on the cross. The Son, Jesus, became a human just like you and me. He ate, drank, laughed, cried, became angry, and was even tempted with sin just like we are. Imagine the physical pain you would feel upon being tortured and crucified the way He did. He felt that. He was terrified. Yet, just as Jesus said, “greater love hath no man than this than to lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus did not do what He did for us so that we would be fearful of the day of judgement. He did what He did so that “we may have boldness in the day of judgement.”
1 John 4:9-10 - “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
God wants us to be bold and confident in the day of judgment. His perfect love should cast out the fear that we have!
-Caleb Westbrook
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