by A. A. Neale

Police won't say why they think Scott Peterson killed his wife and unborn child, but behind every good detective work is the exploration of why someone commits a crime.

Motives do matter (Jas. 4:3). The "why" word starts at an early age and takes in greater life questions as the decades roll by.

The legal courts consider that evidence can be gathered to establish the reason why a crime is committed. Based on evidence of a motive, a person can be convicted and punished severely.

Involuntary manslaughter, for example, carries a lesser punishment than murder, all because of the motive behind the taking of a person's life.

A Different Story, Spiritually

Perhaps that's fine and good for secular courts, but it's a dangerous thing for Christians to try, whether it's justifying my own motives or condemning my neighbor's. (Those seem to be the two tendencies.) The Bible says repeatedly that only God can read the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12). "All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the Lord weighs the motives" (Prov. 16.2, NASB).

I figure it this way. It's in the area of motives that separates (or fails to separate) the wheat from the tares (see Matt. 13:24-30). The Bible is clear that for sinful behavior the sinner must be excluded from the communion of the saints. But since we can't judge a person's heart, we have no business trying to remove those whom we think may be "doing church" (what a horrible phrase!) for a hypocritical or base reason. Now, eventually, such an inner evil will probably be found out by resulting in sinful behavior, and then it should be dealt with. But we might just imagine a person who is a saint with a capital "S" on the outside, but whose heart and soul are as rotten as Satan himself. God will take care of him.

People might even tell us what their motives are, but we still can't be 100% sure, since we don't know if they're telling the truth. And some folks might even think they're telling the truth about their motives, when they don't know themselves well enough to truthfully say what makes them tick.

Having said all of that, Jesus reminds us in his Mountain Sermon to judge a tree by its fruits. Most likely "fruits" here refer to teachings and behaviors, and we must pinpoint who's a "pig" before casting pearls of the gospel out into the world. Those things, doctrine and conduct, are objective enough to serve as indicators of faithfulness.

In the Meantime

So what do we do in the meantime, as we wait for God to reveal all our hearts' deepest secrets?

First, let's teach right motives, pointing out what the Lord finds acceptable and what he approves of.

Second, let's pray for better self-understanding and meditate on Scripture that we might identify where we need to shore up good motivations and change out bad ones.

Third, let's dwell upon the love and goodness of God, especially as we see them in Jesus Christ. Nothing will help good motives like the cross.

Fourth, let's be glad of right conduct, even if it springs from wrong motives. So says the magnaminous apostle Paul, "But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice" (Phil. 1:18).

Fifth, let's recognize that some sinful conduct shows bad motives. James said to mean-spirited Christians, "have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?" (Jas. 2:4). This doesn't diminish the admonition against judging of motives, but it does associate deliberate sinful behavior with evil motives.

Sixth, let's show ourselves as Christians of pure motives by our exemplary imitation of the Lord (2 Cor. 1:12; Thes. 2:3). People will be assured of our good motives by consistent, faithful, unselfish service.

I'll work on my motives, and leave yours to the Lord.

"Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God" (1 Cor. 4:5).