Motivated by Reward - Yes/No ?

[Sudsy]

Some believe that love is fake if it is motivated by reward. In other words, we should always do things for Christ out of love because doing it motivated by a future reward is self-love. They would say, yes, there is future reward but you should not be thinking about that as it contaminates your motivation.

My question is - do you think Jesus used future reward as a motivator for us in doing good deeds ?

Here are 2 verses to suggest, to me, Jesus did and 1 to also think Paul did -

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. - Luke 6:35

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” - Acts 20:35

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing. - 1 Cor. 13:3

Seems to me, at times, some are saying that doing good deeds and being obedient are areas that either should just be done because God says so or the only motivator one should have is a love for Christ with no concern for self.

This thread is to challenge those as being the only possible motivators. Thoughts ?

[joshuabgood]

Personally I don't find myself that motivated by extrinsic rewards...FWIW.

[Sudsy]

Personally I don't find myself that motivated by extrinsic rewards...FWIW.

Do you have any thoughts about why Jesus and Paul referred to eternal rewards (i.e. laying up treasures in heaven) over temporary, earthly rewards ?

[Josh]

For starters one would have to believe the person offering the reward.

If you aren't already a Christian fundamentalist then chances are you don't believe these promises. Those of us from the outside chose to follow God for other reasons, and frankly, what keeps me following him is not some promise of heaven - it's a lot more than that.

If that was all that motivated me frankly I'd find a way to live an evangelical lifestyle where I could do the minimum to get by and surround myself with preaching to convince myself I'm still saved.

[Sudsy]

For starters one would have to believe the person offering the reward.

If you aren't already a Christian fundamentalist then chances are you don't believe these promises. Those of us from the outside chose to follow God for other reasons, and frankly, what keeps me following him is not some promise of heaven - it's a lot more than that.

If that was all that motivated me frankly I'd find a way to live an evangelical lifestyle where I could do the minimum to get by and surround myself with preaching to convince myself I'm still saved.

So, hopefully without any further slander of evangelicals, do you think your 'other reasons' are superior to those who follow Jesus to inherit eternal life or go to heaven when they die ? Seems to me John 3:16 is a major promise that the Gospel includes that the salvation from our sins includes the ultimate penalty of sin, perishing.

I, too, believe in additional reasons to being a Christ follower, along with millions of my brother and sister evangelicals, but this thread is primarily intended to probe the idea that Jesus and Paul and others talked about rewards (crowns, treasures in heaven, a prize to strive for) and these being a motivator in our following.

[Wayne in Maine]

In regards to following Jesus I am not motivated by rewards, temporal or eternal.

[Sudsy]

In regards to following Jesus I am not motivated by rewards, temporal or eternal.

And as I have asked others - what is your motivation and do you understand Jesus to have used rewards as a motivator in our following Him ?

[Wayne in Maine]

In regards to following Jesus I am not motivated by rewards, temporal or eternal.

And as I have asked others - what is your motivation and do you understand Jesus to have used rewards as a motivator in our following Him ?

I Love God, and the message of the Kingdom of God resonates with me.

I don't actually see Jesus using rewards as a motivator. In fact I don't see Him "motivating" people at all. Rather I see Him calling people, some of whom follow and some of whom do not.

[Sudsy]

In regards to following Jesus I am not motivated by rewards, temporal or eternal.

And as I have asked others - what is your motivation and do you understand Jesus to have used rewards as a motivator in our following Him ?

I Love God, and the message of the Kingdom of God resonates with me.

I don't actually see Jesus using rewards as a motivator. In fact I don't see Him "motivating" people at all. Rather I see Him calling people, some of whom follow and some of whom do not.

I agree He calls people to follow but those who do follow, I believe there are too many places where Jesus refers to rewards by how one follows. If it isn't a motivator then why did Jesus indicate we should focus on the results of obedience ?

More examples -

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Eternal reward is contrasted here to earthly reward and having our heart set on rewards in heaven should fill us with joy. Sounds like a motivator to me.

[haithabu]

The reward I look forward to is to be like Jesus - to have his work of transformation completed in me.

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

I John 3:2

The other rewards Jesus promises are legitimate, but they are not what motivates me.