WHAT IS OUR MOTIVE IN PREACHING THE GOSPEL?

In every endeavor motive is the most important thing. Motive determines our course of action and the principles by which we work. This is especially true when we are talking about the work of the gospel ministry. OUR FIRST, PRIMARY MOTIVE IN PREACHING THE GOSPEL MUST BE THE GLORY OF GOD IN CHRIST. We have many secondary motives: the salvation of sinners, the edification of believers, the comfort of God's people, etc. But the one thing which must be our primary motive must be the glory of God. If the salvation of sinners (or any other thing) becomes our primary motive in preaching, we will be tempted to compromise the truth of God and tempted to compromise the principles by which we operate in order to get the results we desire. I know whereof I speak. In reading history and in my own life-time, I have seen individual preachers, missionaries, churches, mission boards, and entire denominations forsake the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ, because their motive was wrong. They were more interested in the results of their labors than they were in the glory of God. May God save us from this fatal error.