Legacy Leadership: Wisdom Of The Apostle PaulSýnishorn

Pure Motives - Part 2

In yesterday’s study we looked at the content of the accusations hurled at Paul. Today we will focus on his response to those attacks. He draws a sharp contrast between himself and those his accusers were comparing him with. His message could not have come from error because God entrusted him with the gospel message. He was not impure; he had been selected, tested, and approved by God, who examines the heart, not merely external appearances (1 Samuel 16:7).  He was not a trickster; he sought to please God, not men. Paul was not engaging in a superficial effort to impress others. His motives were pure.

Paul counters his critics with three strong rebuttals in 1 Thessalonians 2:5–6. First, he says that he “never came with flattering speech.” Flattery is the use of insincerity to persuade another to do what you want them to. Paul was not a smooth-talking preacher trying to make a favorable impression to obtain some personal advantage.

The second disclaimer is aimed at the accusation that he had come “with a pretext for greed.” This is an attack on Paul’s sincerity. Pretext refers to a mask that conceals the real motive. This is the idea of putting forth something that is plausible, that may in fact be true in itself, but is not the real reason for performing an act.  Paul denies that his ministry is just a cover for an underlying motive of greed. He addressed the same criticism when he told the Corinthians that he was not “like many, peddling the word of God.” Instead he was ministering from “sincerity, but as from God, we speak Christ in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 2:17).

Finally, Paul addresses the idea that he was pursuing the approval and esteem of people. Reiterating his statement in verse 4, he says he and his fellow apostles did not pursue goals that would meet with the approval of people. In verse 6, he claims that he did not seek praise for himself. Although he and the other apostles may have deserved and received praise, that was not their motive. As he explicitly told the Corinthians, he was “not seeking his own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:33).

Underlying each of these criticisms is the malicious accusation that Paul was preaching the gospel with selfish motives. His opponents tried to frame him as a self-exalting preacher who was was seeking personal power, prestige, and prominence.  He responded by saying that, “we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5). Far from being selfish, Paul said he would “most gladly spend and be expended for your souls” (2 Corinthians 12:15).

Reflect and Act on these questions:

• Have you ever questioned the motives of a leader? How do you feel when you suspect that a leader is operating from less than “pure motives”?
• Think of a time when your own motives have been questioned. How did that make you feel?
• One of the most important questions for a leader is “What’s your motive?” As leaders we need to cultivate the habit of examining our motives. Take time to examine why you are doing what you are doing. Ask yourself, “What is my motive?”

This motive checklist is a good tool for evaluating your motives:

Motive Check List

• What is my motive for doing the things I like to do?
• Am I only involved in those activities so I can tell others?
• Am I just in it for the bragging rights?
• Examine what your gain will be from what you do. It is not a bad thing to gain something from your actions. But, you need to be aware of what you will gain and how that potential gain may be influencing your actions.
• Determine whose approval is most important. Are you seeking the approval of God or of people?