I like when you underline and emphasize, but I do resent it when the underlining becomes shouting, not explaining, and yours sounds like shouting.
I didn't say that we are not to obey out of love, you misunderstand what I said. But we obey because we were created by God, because God gave us instructions so we live our life here in abundance and good, because God loves us and what comes to us from God is from His love, because God says we are least in the Kingdom when we disobey and greatest when we do and on and on. It isn't ONLY love, but for SO many reasons INCLUDING that we love Him.
The scriptures you posted are such a blessing for us, aren't they?
Sorry it looked that way, but I don't believe in SHOUTING in my posts, as I am way to old to be into that. In my experience it seems to be ONLY younger generations that use large letters and colored fonts to SHOUT. (I do like colors tho. I was into colored highlighters so much after I was saved in 1978, that I had to purchase a new study bible after only about 10 years of using my the first one. That was because it was so marked up with several different colors of highlighters, that it was getting hard to read.) I only use the colors and larger font sizes now to emphasize the part of a verse that is pertinent to validating my point.
My point was about
MOTIVES for KEEPING the LAW, and I absolutely believe with my whole heart that GOD only considers obedience done out of LOVE, to be the only pure motive, worthy of reward; and that attempting to manipulate GOD for personal reasons that contain NO LOVE is totally unworthy and unacceptable to GOD.
Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV)
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6 [/SUP] But we are all like an unclean
thing, And
all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
I also believe wholeheartedly in letting Scripture interpret Scripture, as the Bereans set the example for us.
Acts 17:11 (NIV)
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11 [/SUP] Now the Bereans were of
more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and
examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
THEY KNEW GOD DOES NOT CONTRADICT HIMSELF, thus Scripture interpreting Scripture is a FAR BETTER way to discern Truth than human opinions.
I sincerely believe GOD searches the hearts of all mankind for the motive of
all supposed good works and obedience. Therefore, those done out of LOVE will be rewarded, and those done for some other MOTIVE will be burned up and NOT rewarded. THUS, it is not that we obey, but rather WHY we obey, that GOD is rewarding.
1 Chronicles 28:9 (ESV)
9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for
the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
Revelation 2:23 (ESV)
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23 [/SUP]
and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am He who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.
Psalm 7:8-10 (NIV)
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8 [/SUP] let the LORD judge the peoples. Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.
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9 [/SUP]
O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.
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10 [/SUP] My shield is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (KJV)
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12 [/SUP] Now if any man build upon this foundation
gold, silver, precious stones,
wood, hay, stubble;
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13 [/SUP]
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because
it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
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14 [/SUP] If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
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15 [/SUP]
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Only those works done for the right motive, will be rewarded.
It may be possible to be saved even if none of that person's works are rewarded (such as a deathbed confession). But even if it is possible for a real Christian to somehow be deceived and do all of his works for the wrong motive; that would be a scary position to be in, because it would be such a very, very fine line from falling for FALSE GOSPEL or FALSE CHRIST. That I would think no Christian should ever want to be that close to being LOST FOREVER, as these will be:
Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV)
[SUP]21 [/SUP] "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
[SUP]22 [/SUP] Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
[SUP]23 [/SUP] And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
That "
I never knew you" is referring to the born again, inner personal LOVE relationship of receiving Him as LORD and Master. NOTICE those who HE is rejecting, think they are Christians,
and they did lots of works, but were missing that LOVE relationship. They are those who entered the broad gate, instead of the narrow gate of Receiving HIM as LORD, submitting out of Love to HIM as Master.