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Our Sunday school lesson at church covered 1 Kings 17 the other week, and the passage prompted a lot of discussion.  1 Kings 17 is the chapter in which Elijah goes to the widow in Zarephath during the famine, finds her getting ready to make her last flour and oil into a cake for herself and her son, then proceeds to command her to make him a cake first. With the command went a promise – “Make me a cake first, and your flour and oil shall not run out until the Lord sends rain again.” (my paraphrase)
The widow complies, whether out of an obligation of hospitality, because she was a God-fearer and wanted to do right, or because she believed the promise of God through Elijah, we don’t know. What we do know is that God promised the widow that He would provide for her needs if she put Elijah’s needs before her own, and she complied and was blessed.
Thinking about the widow’s possible motives for obeying got me to thinking about my own life and my own motives for giving. This actually ties into salvation as well.
We have it easy today, don’t we? Like the widow, we are given the promise that we will be blessed abundantly when we give of ourselves. We have the greatest promise of all right here at our fingertips: the promise of salvation and eternal life if we submit to God. It only makes sense that we would cash in on such a promise. It only makes sense that we would do what God commands and give of ourselves when we know that we will be blessed because of it.
But should getting something back be my motive for giving – either giving my time/money/possessions to someone else or giving up my will to God (which is essentially salvation)?
Why do you give? Why do you submit?
Do you give because you will receive something back? Do you submit to God because you’ll get Heaven?
That’s humanism.
I first heard this concept several years ago, and it blew my mind. When I serve God because of what I will receive out of the deal, that is humanism.  The motive is self-centered, and therefore it is humanistic.
In the sermon I heard regarding this subject, the question was asked, “Would you still serve God even if you got Hell?”
Your answer should be yes. Why? Because God deserves your worship because of Who He is. You should be serving God because He deserves it, not because of what you will get out of it.
This goes for giving, too. You should make a habit of giving of yourself to others because God deserves to be served in this way, not because you will be blessed accordingly.
Why are you serving God?
Sue says
So, a lot of “evangelism” in our culture is really humanism. “Come to Jesus and you’ll GET …” Thanks for putting God in His place, where He belongs – ON THE THRONE, way beyond selfish human ambitions.
However, once we’re in relationship with God and submitting to Him, there’s a two-way, win-win situation going on. Without Him we cannot do anything of eternal worth. But without us (our obedience) He cannot accomplish what He wills for His glory. Only the Holy Spirit can enable a person to submit to God and serve Him with a right attitude throughout life.
Didn’t Jesus say there are a lot of people ‘serving God’ who will not be received into Heaven because they never knew Him in a real and intimate way ? Matthew 7:21-23. A lot to think over, for sure. Thanks again, Briana.
Briana Thomas says
Absolutely, Sue. Although I would say that God can accomplish whatever He needs to accomplish without us. We are not necessary to His plan, but God, because of the kind and loving God He is, loves to use us as a blessing to us. When we refuse to go along with that, we’re really just cutting ourselves short of all the blessings involved!
As to your last paragraph, we can do all the acts of service we want, but they are dead and empty without a heart of true submission to God.
Kate @KateMovingForward says
Interesting that you bring this up because it is something my husband and I have talked about before, but in a little different way. Our question was would you still worship and serve God if there was no heaven or hell. To me, the point of God creating us was was so we could be in relationship with Him and enjoy Him for who He is and I guess when you take heaven out of that it changes who God is. He’s not kind and good and loving–the Rescuer, Redeemer that I love so in this hypothetical question I would say no. I think the core of this is are we worshipping God for who He is or the gifts He gives us–which is a good thing to think about. 🙂
Briana Thomas says
The premise at the basis of my hypothetical question is that God retains His God qualities. 🙂 Hence why I answer the way I do.
I’m afraid I have to disagree with your statement, “The point of God creating us was was so we could be in relationship with Him and enjoy Him for who He is.” To me, that still retains a humanistic flair. I believe that God created us to glorify/worship Him. Do we receive residual benefits from that, and did God intend things to work that way? Absolutely. He’s a good God, and He loves His creation. It might be a nit-picky detail, but I think how we view our purpose in life affects our entire worldview.
As for your last statement – that is exactly what my purpose in writing this was meant to promote. Good to hear from you!
Nila Diebold says
Thank you so much for your articles, they make me stop and think about how I try to do things to serve God and why. It’s always good to read something from another Christian. God Bless, Nila