One of the main, and perhaps the only reasons we ever do anything, is because we are going to receive something for doing it.
We work to receive money, if you volunteer your time, your receipt, your payment, is a feeling of satisfaction, if you borrow money to someone, interest is your payment, if you give with no hope or desire to receive anything in return, an uplifting emotional response within yourself is what you receive.
“Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate:” (Amos 5:15a)
We do not always receive love in kind when we offer it, instead what we get, no matter the negative reply, is a negative response within ourselves. Our actions of kindness are not always received with enthusiasm, and so again, what we get is a negative emotional response within ourselves, yet still, everything we do, every action we take, every deed we do, every word we speak we will receive something, either positive or negative in our minds.
“But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” (Matt. 5:37)
The point of all this is what do you want, for if you only want to have positive, uplifting emotions on a regular basis, then do all you can to please everyone you meet. Never correct them, definitely never reprove or rebuke them, never judge in any fashion whatsoever, be a people pleaser and you will get exactly what you want.
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Gal. 1:10)
If you desire to be ostracized from people, even those who say they love you, correct them when they are wrong, speak to those you meet who do not serve the Risen Savior about their sins, about their need to repent, reprove those in error of the Scriptures, rebuke those who profess false doctrines, and you will receive not only harsh criticism from them, but you will feel poorly about yourself, at least for a while.
Here is a truth about myself, for the majority of my life I have rarely ever cared what anyone thinks about me, it is my life, if you do not like it, do not hang around me. And since the Lord called me to Himself, if I am speaking the truths from His words in context and relative to the topic at hand, and you do not like that, too bad.
And nearly every person reading this just thought, “That is so unloving!”
Tell me then, the truths of the Scriptures, do they hold within them a positive or negative connotation, is there emotions in truth, or is the emotional response within you?
I think you know the answer to that question.
We all do all that we do in hope of receiving something in return, but I offer you this truth, when the truths of the Scriptures are offered to you, me or anyone else, if there is any emotional context within them, it comes from you.
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer. 31:3)
A stated fact that makes you feel good, has evoked a positive response within you, you received an uplifting emotional response from that verse.
Here then is the question for you who profess to serve the Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God, your works, your deeds, your actions and words, all that you do for Him, why are you doing them, if what is stated here is the truth, that we do all we do in the hope of receiving something, why do you do all you do for His glory?
What do you hope to get? Eternal life, heaven and all its pleasures forevermore? Crowns, rewards, inexpressible joy? Or is this enough for you?
“After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” (Gen. 15:1)
Everything beyond God Himself is an extra.
