“ ‘By This My Father Is Glorified’ ” (John 15:8, NKJV)
“ ‘By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples’ ” (John 15:8, NKJV). What does this text mean?
You have no doubt heard the saying, "It is possible to do the right thing for the wrong reason." If this is true, is it possible to attempt to abide in Jesus for the wrong reason? Abiding in Jesus is not a means to an end; rather, it is an end in itself. The result of abiding in Him will be that we bear fruit, not to glorify ourselves but to glorify God. In other words, the fruit of the Spirit is not to make us look good, but to make the Father look good.
Christ's ministry, which included many miracles and good works, had a definite driving force. What was that force, and how should this idea influence what our motives should be?(John 11:4, 12:28).
Perhaps your church is looking for ways to do things in the community that will enhance the image of the church. And that's good. At the same time, we need to be careful about what our motives and purposes are. What's our ultimate goal in these endeavors? Is it to glorify self or to glorify God? How can we learn to make a distinction between the two? In many ways, it can be easy to mix these things, covering even the most self-aggrandizing actions under the false veneer of "glorifying" God.
Read Matthew 5:16 and 1 Corinthians 10:31. How can we create good will and give the glory to our Father in heaven at the same time? Bear in mind that it is possible to create good will and leave the Father out, taking the credit for ourselves. Examine your own heart and ask yourself what really motivates some of your actions. How might you be fooling yourself?
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