Articles
Divine Incentives
Our mailbox is littered with all different types of mail. We are bombarded with junk mail that promises greener grass, clean gutters, and more sustainable energy. Weekly coupons arrive from local fast-food establishments, luring us with the promise of cheaper family meals. The Courier Journal provides a glimpse into the happenings around the Shoals. And then there are the credit card companies, promising low interest rates, cash back, and other enticing incentives. Incentives designed to capture our attention and our wallets!
Incentives are simply tools that motivate or encourage participation. They drive our daily activities, from hitting the gym for a healthier life, to watching a movie at the theater, or eating at a specific restaurant. Incentives pique our interest and entice us to spend our money. But what about our spiritual lives? If our lives are generally motivated by incentives, does that apply to our spiritual journey?
In the second chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul gently reminds his audience of the divine incentives to serve God. These incentives are not promises of a gentler or more accommodating life, but rather a call to discipleship and obedience. It is not the one who possesses knowledge of the law that will be saved, but rather the one who understands and follows it that pleases God. In this regard, both Jews and Gentiles were equally guilty of sin and fell short of the glory of God.
The goodness of God is the first divine incentive. In a world plagued by sin and its repercussions, God, being rich in mercy, sent His Son as our Savior. The goodness of God was manifested as a call to repentance, not further depravity. Throughout the Bible, our Father’s tolerance and patience toward us have been evident. When every thought and intent of man was evil, God could have “reset” the situation, but instead, He found Noah (Genesis 6:5-8). Similarly, when Israel abandoned God at Mount Sinai for the golden calf, God could have started over, but instead, Moses interceded, and God demonstrated His patience (Exodus 32:7-14). This pattern of goodness was repeated throughout Israel’s history, culminating in the gift of their Savior, Jesus! Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s grace and goodness toward mankind.
The wrath of God serves as the second divine incentive. God’s judgment will be impartial, based on truth, and final. This impartiality should motivate us because God doesn’t judge us based on our social status or acceptance, but rather on our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). The impartiality of God should instill a sense of fear within our hearts. We will all stand before Him in judgment for every deed we have done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). No one can escape His judgment! If we have chosen to obey unrighteousness, our fate has been clearly laid out by Paul: tribulation, distress, and God’s wrath. The thought of enduring God’s wrath for eternity is beyond comprehension. We must heed the warning of God’s judgment!
The final divine incentive is eternal life. Through Jesus, God’s goodness has made the impossible possible. We cannot escape God’s wrath through our own merit, but only through His grace. Praise God for granting us salvation through His Son, Jesus. The apostle Paul did not want his audience to merely acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God; instead, he urged them to obey, persevere in doing good, and seek Him! This life may not always be easy, but it is undoubtedly the most rewarding. Our riches will not be measured in the gold and silver of this world, but rather, we are accumulating treasure in heaven. The divine incentive calls for us to empty ourselves in service to our God and others. We are called to shine our lights so that our good deeds may glorify our Father in heaven. May we discover the rewards of serving and obeying Him to be both satisfying and sufficient.