The realization of our motives...

[SavedByGrace3]

You're basically agreeing with the process..."Examine your motives". By closely examining our motives in our thoughts, words and actions, our prayers to God become much more specific allowing God to work in our lives more powerfully. This is part of Seeking the Kingdom of God "First".

Even though this passage is focused on communion, examining our motives is an expectation of God.

1 Corinthians 11:28-34​

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King James Version​

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28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Today's Challenge: Today, really focus on the motives of your thoughts, words, and actions. Let us know what effect this has on your relationship with God.

Zippy thanks for your input...Let me know what you think.

Let me suggest that this passage is not talking about sin and judgement for sin, rather faith, and failure to discern His provision.
When these verses say we eat and drink unworthily, and that we fail to discern the Lord's body, he is simply pointing out that they do not see and understand what the wine and bread represent. Specifically the bread represents the Lord's body which was offered, in part, for the healing and health of our bodies. If we fail to see and believe that, then we miss out on that aspect of our salvation and therefore "many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." You can eat all the communion bread until you are stuffed, and it will do you no good if you do not know and believe that "by His stripes ye were healed." Many of our denominations include the teaching that "healing is included in the atonement." Rightly so.
There is no new judgement on believers for "eating unworthily." It is just the standing judgement is retained. The curse of the Law remains for those who eat of the bread, but do not believe that His body was offered for our healing and heal. Similar wording exists in the epistle to the Hebrews regarding the blood of the Lord. The logic is that they treat the blood as a common thing. They cast it out to be tread under foot. They fail to see the significance of the blood and because of that, they have no faith for salvation and they fall aside. It is the same logic here in that people were taking the body of the Lord as if it were a common thing. Just bread to be gobbled down. It was their lack of knowledge about this bread/body that caused the standing judgement to fall upon them. They were sick, weak, and died young.

 

[Soul_Tsunami]

Let me suggest that this passage is not talking about sin and judgement for sin, rather faith, and failure to discern His provision.
When these verses say we eat and drink unworthily, and that we fail to discern the Lord's body, he is simply pointing out that they do not see and understand what the wine and bread represent. Specifically the bread represents the Lord's body which was offered, in part, for the healing and health of our bodies. If we fail to see and believe that, then we miss out on that aspect of our salvation and therefore "many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." You can eat all the communion bread until you are stuffed, and it will do you no good if you do not know and believe that "by His stripes ye were healed." Many of our denominations include the teaching that "healing is included in the atonement." Rightly so.
There is no new judgement on believers for "eating unworthily." It is just the standing judgement is retained. The curse of the Law remains for those who eat of the bread, but do not believe that His body was offered for our healing and heal. Similar wording exists in the epistle to the Hebrews regarding the blood of the Lord. The logic is that they treat the blood as a common thing. They cast it out to be tread under foot. They fail to see the significance of the blood and because of that, they have no faith for salvation and they fall aside. It is the same logic here in that people were taking the body of the Lord as if it were a common thing. Just bread to be gobbled down. It was their lack of knowledge about this bread/body that caused the standing judgement to fall upon them. They were sick, weak, and died young.

Thanks Saved...This was specifically about communion as I mentioned. However, Godly discernment, in all things is still an expectation of God...Based on my understanding...I'm I wrong?

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Hello everyone I am new to the forums but not new to Christian discussions and debate. It seems as though most sin today has a motive behind it. We hear about it in court cases, we see it at work, and we see it in our relationships. It's no wonder there's so much suspicion or lack of trust in all that we do. It seems everyone has an angle. Denying it is of no use since all are guilty in one-way shape or form be it positive or negative.

Proverbs 16:2 says, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.” Because the human heart is very deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), we can easily fool ourselves about our own motives.

I'd love to get your thoughts on how you look at your own motives and how and if you tried to tackle them. I've personally been focusing most of my energy, prayers, and devotion on conquering my own motives I realize I have in my thoughts, words, and actions.

Believe me, it has been very eye-opening, to say the least. What say you?

Allow me to approach the issue of "motives" once again.
Since we have a two part nature (Spirit and Flesh) determining the motive for our actions can be tough. How many times have I backed out of a situation to ask myself "why did I say/do that?" Did that come from a true and pure desire of the spirit, or was it just a lust of the flesh dressed up to look religious and holy?
The first verses that comes to my mind is Hebrews 4:12-13

Hebrews 4:12-13 Weymouth
12. For God's Message is full of life and power, and is keener than the sharpest two-edged sword.
It pierces even to the severance of soul from spirit, and penetrates between the joints and the marrow,
and it can discern the secret thoughts and purposes of the heart.
13. And no created thing is able to escape its scrutiny; but everything lies bare and completely exposed
before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

So in short the living Word can discern and make evident the difference.
Peace

 

[Soul_Tsunami]

Are you suggesting that man is not capable of thinking before he speaks or acts? We are urged to mature in our Christian walk, how would that be possible without actual effort before and after committing a sin? At some point in hindsight, we should progress to examine our motives before we speak or act, with the goal of not sinning, if that were possible.

P.S. You left out the work of the Holy Spirit. I think together we are both right!

 

[zippy2006]

You're basically agreeing with the process..."Examine your motives". By closely examining our motives in our thoughts, words and actions, our prayers to God become much more specific allowing God to work in our lives more powerfully. This is part of Seeking the Kingdom of God "First".

Even though this passage is focused on communion, examining our motives is an expectation of God.

1 Corinthians 11:28-34​

​

King James Version​

​

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Today's Challenge: Today, really focus on the motives of your thoughts, words, and actions. Let us know what effect this has on your relationship with God.

Zippy thanks for your input...Let me know what you think.

For me the first question is, "Why should we examine our motives?" In 1 Corinthians 11 Paul is advising us to examine ourselves before consuming what is holy, so that we do not incur God's wrath.

But why should we examine our motives generally? Maybe you would say that there are some bad motives and some good motives, and we need to make sure we aren't acting on bad motives? Or maybe you would say that any ulterior motivation is itself bad?

I am suggesting that we should focus on one thing at a time, so to speak. So my advice in post #17 pertains to lying. If we wish to avoid lying then we must both come to understand the nature of a truth and a lie, and we must also be able to observe our own behavior to see whether we are in fact lying. The advice I gave pertains to those two aspects.

 

[Soul_Tsunami]

For me the first question is, "Why should we examine our motives?" In 1 Corinthians 11 Paul is advising us to examine ourselves before consuming what is holy, so that we do not incur God's wrath.

But why should we examine our motives generally? Maybe you would say that there are some bad motives and some good motives, and we need to make sure we aren't acting on bad motives? Or maybe you would say that any ulterior motivation is itself bad?

I am suggesting that we should focus on one thing at a time, so to speak. So my advice in post #17 pertains to lying. If we wish to avoid lying then we must both come to understand the nature of a truth and a lie, and we must also be able to observe our own behavior to see whether we are in fact lying. The advice I gave pertains to those two aspects.

Makes perfect sense...Examining our motives: Proverbs 4:23 says "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." This is the best reference I can think of that describes how important it is to pay attention to our thoughts, words, and actions of the motives of the heart. I believe this is one of the best ways to grow as a Christian. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can be more than conquerors in all aspects of our life on earth.

​

 

[Soul_Tsunami]

Another perfect example why we should examine our motives...Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

 

[Astrid]

Hello everyone I am new to the forums but not new to Christian discussions and debate. It seems as though most sin today has a motive behind it. We hear about it in court cases, we see it at work, and we see it in our relationships. It's no wonder there's so much suspicion or lack of trust in all that we do. It seems everyone has an angle. Denying it is of no use since all are guilty in one-way shape or form be it positive or negative.

Proverbs 16:2 says, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.” Because the human heart is very deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), we can easily fool ourselves about our own motives.

I'd love to get your thoughts on how you look at your own motives and how and if you tried to tackle them. I've personally been focusing most of my energy, prayers, and devotion on conquering my own motives I realize I have in my thoughts, words, and actions.

Believe me, it has been very eye-opening, to say the least. What say you?

Motives for what? " Sin"? What a person
believes? For denial?

Of course nobocy just does things. There's always
reasons conscious or otherwise.

"Conquring motives" surely involves first determining
what they are, and what's wrong with them.


For me / us. It's about self indulgence.
Which with translating language and culture comes
down to an understanding of right and wrong.

Self indulgence is doing what you happen to
feel like doing regardless of it being morally
or ethically wrong.

 

[Astrid]

Makes perfect sense...Examining our motives: Proverbs 4:23 says "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." This is the best reference I can think of that describes how important it is to pay attention to our thoughts, words, and actions of the motives of the heart. I believe this is one of the best ways to grow as a Christian

As a Christian? It doesn't have that effect on me.

You sure those are Christian matters, or values
universal in humankind?

 

[Hans Blaster]

As a Christian? It doesn't have that effect on me.

You sure those are Christian matters, or values
universal in humankind?

This thread, as best I can tell, has never really been about ethics or morality, but rather "sin" and its "theology". It would seem to be misplaced from a more appropriate sub-forum.

 

[Astrid]

This thread, as best I can tell, has never really been about ethics or morality, but rather "sin" and its "theology". It would seem to be misplaced from a more appropriate sub-forum.

I guess.
Morality and ethics is as close as I can get to
"sin" talk, as the concept has no reality, to me.

If the topic is just ' sin" then it should be moved to
some other forum, yes.

 

[timothyu]

Sin is putting our will ahead of the will of God.
Morals and ethics is a sub and falls under our own self determination of good and evil what best suits us individually or as a society

 

[Astrid]

Sin is putting our will ahead of the will of God.
Morals and ethics is a sub and falls under our own self determination of good and evil what best suits us individually or as a society

People who ndulgrec in the belief that they know the " will of god" gave us the crusades, the inquisition, 911 and ountless other atrocitoes.

 

[timothyu]

People who ndulgrec in the belief that they know the " will of god" gave us the crusades, the inquisition, 911 and ountless other atrocitoes.

True but God made it rather plain Himself in saying don't do this or that like with the tree or 10 Commandment's ( the rules, not the movie) and more importantly love all as self. What man comes up with is of no consequence as there hasn't been a prophet since the days of kings in Israel and of course John the B and Jesus