Christian Mission Beyond Ulterior Motives: An Inspiration from Acts Chapter 8

Introduction

What you think was the motivation for Apostle Philip and other disciples in Acts chapter 2 and the entire book of Acts as they engaged in evangelism while facing adverse situations under Roman Empire? Did they receive any promises about material prosperity or any worldly blessing offered by their Master? 

Nothing motivated them for evangelism other than their absolute obedience to the great commission, their deep love for their Master, the leading of the Holy Spirit since the Pentecost experience and their burden and self realisation that they are debtors to all the unsaved people of the world. 

The writer always remembers a statementof a senior missionary from one of the northern states of India who told a group of Bible college students and challenged them from his decades of missionary life experiences of the need to “serve God for nothing”. Yes, he said we don’t serve him for anything of this world. The writer recalls another instance when a young Bible college graduateswas invited to teach in a small North Indian Bible college, his first question was, “How much will I be paid?” Yes,  material needs have become our major concern today whereas we forget that Abraham told his son Issac, ‘Yahweh-Yireh’!

Meaning of Ulterior Motive

According to Webster’s dictionary “motive” is defined as ‘the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behaviour’. “Motive” is something that causes a person to act in a certain way, do a certain thing, etc.The word ulterior literally means “beyond what is seen” or “that which is concealed.” An ulterior motive is a secret motive that nullifies the good words or deeds outwardly seen. So the ulterior motive can be hidden desire for material benefits, public acceptance, recognition, popularity, comfortable life etc.

Mission Motive of Apostle Philip in Acts 8

When persecution broke out in Jerusalem, Apostle Philip decided to go to a least preferred place for evangelism. A true Jew never wanted to have a close interaction with the Samaritans. 

Once the disciples including Philip were shocked by seeing Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman. There were no external factors motivated Apostle Philip to goto Samaria without knowing what will be the response of the Samaritan people when there was strong enmity between Jews and Samaritans existed. It was the leading of the Holy Spirit alone led him to Samaria in accordance with great commission in Acts 1:8. The burden in his heart was not only for his people alone rather it was for all the lost people of the earth which took him beyond the biological and geographical boundaries. The all inclusive nature of Jesus motivated him to reach the Samaritans. 

Philip was led by the Lord to reach one person the Ethiopian Eunuch, when the ministry in Samaria was prospering. Here also we see an Apostle with pure motives to reach anyone without any hesitance. Philip could have think differently and ask the Lord not to send him rather send someone because ministry in Samaria was prospering. But the growing church or the possible income from the church or other ministry opportunities there or his spreading fame there in Samaria or nothing motivated him. Rather his motive was completely controlled by the leading of the Lord in accordance with the will of God. Nothing of this world motivated Philip to take all the risks to be an adventurous missionary among the Samaritans or nothing of this world deviated him from leaving the prospering church in Samaria in order to reach the Ethiopian eunuch. 

Significance of Motives in the Bible

A motive is the underlying reason for any action. Proverbs 16:2 says,  “All a person’s ways seem pure to them,but motives are weighed by the LORD.”  A man can operate out of many motives but should not forget that God knows what the root reason behind each action is. Any sinful desire or desire for the pleasure of the flesh is not pleasing to God. ((Romans 8:8).  Motive behind our giving matters (2 Corinthians 9:7). More than how much we give, how we give and why we give matters God (Mark 12. 41- 44). 

Our motives behind our prayer matters according to James 4:3 “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” It is very clear that our selfish desires hinder the answer to our prayers.  Our offerings with wrong intentions can’t please God(Proverbs 21:27). Apostle Paul talks about preachers who were preaching with wrong intentions (Philippians 1:17). Anything we do for the Lord with wrong motives will not please God or it will not bring forth lasting results. 

In Christianity, we are serving a God who cares about why we do more than what we do? He is interested in our intentions more than in our actions. People around us see only our actions through which we may try to gain many things of this world. But the Lord looks into our heart and understands our motives behind it. 

The reason Jesus called the ‘so called’ pious Jewish leaders as hypocrites was he knew the motives behind their actions. Our Lord clearly instructed his disciples that“unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will not enter in the kingdom of heaven(Matt. 5:20) Jesus made it more clear when He talked about the giving of those who did for publicity and honour. It is very clear that any act of ministry with a hidden motive for personal glory is not accepted in the sight of God. 

Jesus very clearly exposed the Pharisees for their ulterior motives. He looked into their heart and by knowing their motives behind their actions and said “full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:23-30). Paul confessed that he gave up all his rights and earthly benefits as so called Jew in order to be a disciples of Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:4-7). 

A variety of ulterior motives drive our actions, our religious life even our ministry life. A wife may pray for her husband’s salvation because of her safety more than the salvation husband’s soul. A pastor or church leader may use different tactics to add people to the congregation because he wants to impress his leaders and the public. A young man or lady may attend church regularly not because of commitment Christ rather in order to find a life partner. An individual may live by a rigid list of do’s and don’ts believing that he may earn favor with God. We can add more into this list from our observation and from our own self evaluation. Let us  always remember Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

Motives for Fruitful Evangelism

When the young John G Patton was getting ready to leave to the Pacific Islands to reach the Cannibals with the gospel, an old Christian warned him that “ you will be eaten by the cannibals”. John G Patton replied “it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my resurrection body will raise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.” God used this great man of God to sow the seed of the gospel in those Islands even though he had to lay down his life for the transformation of the cannibals to become real human beings. It was the love of God which gave his only begotten son for the redemption of humanity motivated this man of God. The later history of these Islands proves that his efforts didn’t go in vain. 

Another missionary who gave to his life to evangelise the Aucas tribe of Ecuador said “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”.  Yes there was no ulterior motive to gain anything rather they were only concerned about what they can given even their own life to evangelise the unknown, unreached and uncivilized people groups.

Apostles including Philip had ulterior motives in the beginning of their journey with Jesus. Their raised the question “Behold, we have left everything and followed you; what then will there be for us?” (Matt. 19:27). But we see totally transformed disciples in the book of Acts who considered everything of this world as rubbish even laid down their own life for the Lord. The process of formation under Jesus brought great transformation in their attitude towards ministry and in their understanding about the mission of God. Later their ulterior motive of ‘what shall we get’ was replaced by what we can give. We see an amazing transformation happened in their motives. What motivated these men of God to serve God without any ulterior motive? Let me high light some of the major motivation behind their fruitful ministry life;

1. The Power of the Holy Spirit– The power of God and the purposes of God always co-exist. It was the power of the Holy Spirit filled them on the day of Pentecost festival made them so bold and powerful in their words and deeds. Holy spirit as a comforter (John 16:14), teacher, reminder (John 16:26), convictor(John 16:8) and guide (John 16:13) was the major motivating power source in their fruitful evangelistic work. They knew the promised power they received is to witness for the Lord wherever the spirit leads them.

2. The Great Commission of the Lord- Disciples knew the obedience to the great commission of the Lord is the greatest expectation of their master from them. Also they knew that this obedience is not optional rather it is mandatory. Their obedience without expecting anything and by expecting any kinds of challenges made them fruitful evangelists.

3. The Burden of God- We sees the burden in God’s heart for the fallen humanity from the Garden of Eden onwards. God took the initiative t search for Adam and Eve. Before evangelism becomes the burden of our heart it begins in the heart of God. He send his only begotten son to save the world. God initiates his mission of saving the lost humanity because love he love his people. Disciples got an invitation to participate in the mission of God by demonstrating God’s love for humanity. They accepted that invitation to share the burden of God.

4. The Responsibility of a Christian- Being a disciple of Christ is a great privilege. But this privileged life carries out a great responsibly of showing the way to this privileged and joyful life to those who live in darkness. E. Stanly Jones called it one of the sevendeadly sins. Disciples had a very strong realisation about their responsibility (Act 4:20; Rom.1:14; I Cor. 1:17, 18; II Cor. 5:14).

5. The need of the Hour- Apostle Peter made it very clear to the Sanhedrin “'There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”(Acts. 4:!2). Thus salvation and hope of the entire humanity lies in Jesus Christ. Unless we proclaim this to the world, how can the people know the way and get saved (Acts 8:31; Rom. 10:14)? It is the responsibility of the church to understand the need of the hour and respond to that by doing evangelism. 

Conclusion

Someone correctly said ‘if it is not a wing, it’s a weight’. A wing is something helps us to progress in our faith race, but the weight is anything that hinders us from obeying our call to do God’s mission. Any ulterior motive can be a weight in the long run of Christian race. 

Let us examine and evaluate our motives behind our actions by pondering on these questions;

Am I serving the Lord for anything of this world? Would I do what I am doing now for the Lord now if anyone ever knows it? Am I really obedient to the great commission of the Lord? Do I really understand the heart of God? 

When we are captured by the love of God we don’t seek for anything of this world to share His love to the world.