Bible Study: How Can Believers Make Sure Their Motives Are Pure?

By MARK RATHEL, The Baptist Paper

Motives in life are important. As followers of Christ, we must evaluate our motives for serving. Do we serve to gain glory? How should our motives differ from those of unbelievers? For example, are we motivated by the potential for recognition? Are we motivated by Scripture? Are Christian leaders motivated by money when deciding where to serve? As a new Christian in high school, I chose a life verse to motivate me in my service to the Lord. “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17).

God’s power (11–12)

God’s power helps us evaluate our motives. Are we serving in Christ’s Kingdom to glorify Him, or are we trying to build our own religious empire or kingdom?

God performed mighty miracles through Paul during his ministry in Ephesus. The verb “perform” in the standard Christian Bible suggests that God gave Paul the power on a regular basis to perform these extraordinary miracles of healing and exorcisms. The resources were also extraordinary.

Even washcloths or aprons that touched Paul’s skin healed the sick and caused the departure of evil spirits. When have you seen God at work, healing physically or spiritually?

False motives (13–16)

Ephesus had the reputation of being a center of magical and occult practices. Traveling Jewish exorcists attempted a ministry of exorcism. Jewish exorcists were famous in ancient times for their ability to manipulate demonic beings. Were their motives pure? Maybe not. Were they trying to oppose Paul’s ministry? The Jewish exorcists attempted to gain power over demon-possessed people by commanding the spirits to leave in the name of the Lord Jesus that Paul preached. We see that even the spirits knew Jesus and the nature of Paul’s ministry.

In one of the most humorous stories in the Bible, not only were the Jewish exorcisms ineffective, but the demons also attacked the seven sons of Sceva, who was a Jewish high priest. The seven sons ran out of the house, wounded and naked. Nudity was considered shameful in Jewish culture.

How can believers ensure that their motives are pure? How can we judge the motives of others without becoming judgmental?

God’s authority (17–20)

With the exception of Catholics and some Pentecostals, the church in America generally does not discuss exorcisms, but the same is not true in other places on earth, especially in developing countries.

The exorcism in Ephesus caused fear among Jews and Greeks. Is Luke describing the negative fear resulting from the recent exorcisms, or does the fear the Jews and Greeks had refer to the “fear of the Lord”?

Perhaps Luke is communicating that the response included both human fear and divine fear. Regardless, Jesus was highly regarded and the miracle brought about change as some believers confessed their sins and revealed their occult practices. Jesus and the occult cannot both exist in the heart of a believer.

Public repentance resulted in the message of the Lord Jesus gaining the upper hand over the demonic. How should we respond to God’s authority in our lives?

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This lesson was written by Mark Rathel, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, and originally published by The Baptist paper. This research is based on the Discover the Bible curriculum from Lifeway Christian Resources. The Sunday School lesson outlines are provided by Lifeway.