Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5760 Human attitudes and behaviour » 5908 motives » 5909 motives, importance of
God acts from the highest, purest motives and expects his people to do the same.
God's supreme motive is the honour of his name
Psalm 106:8 See also Exodus 9:16; Psalm 23:3; Isaiah 43:7; Ezekiel 36:20-23; Ephesians 1:11-14
God's glory is to be the highest motive of his people
1 Corinthians 10:31 See also Numbers 25:7-13; Isaiah 26:8; Colossians 3:17; 1 Peter 4:11
Purity of motive is essential for acceptable worship
Matthew 6:1-18 See also Psalm 51:6,10; Psalm 86:11; Matthew 5:8
Wrong motives hinder effective prayer
James 4:3 See also Psalm 66:18; 1 John 3:21-22
Motives for good moral behaviour
Wanting to please God
Colossians 3:22-25 See also Ephesians 6:5-8
Compassion for others
Deuteronomy 24:17-22 The experience of slavery and the exodus were to promote compassion for the poor and the alien. See also Exodus 22:21-27; Leviticus 25:35-42,54-55
Fear of punishment for sin
Hebrews 13:4 See also Colossians 3:5-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6
God judges the motives of the heart
Proverbs 16:2 See also 1 Chronicles 28:9; Proverbs 20:27
See also
1020 God, all-knowing 1310 God as judge 5012 heart 5761 attitudes 6185 imagination, desires 8242 ethics, personal 8324 purity 8477 self-examination
