Resources/Articles
Five of Many Great Reasons for Serving God
2 Corinthians 5.10-20 is a wonderful lesson for those who might ponder over why they should serve God. Some “serve” God out of necessity. Others will serve because they love God with all their heart. Serving God will move your heart to humbly obey or cause you to rebel at the thought of being submissive.
Our appearance at the judgment of Christ is one great reason for serving God (2 Corinthians 5.10). We will all be there someday. “As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God so then each one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14.11-12). There will be several judges sitting in courts today whom you may never meet, but this Judge is one all will meet, whether we have done good or bad. Review your life. Are you serving? Is your service consistent? Are you ready to see the Judge?
The terror of the Lord should move someone to serve God (2 Corinthians 5.11). The surprising thing is there is no “fear factor” in the way some people live their lives. They live as though tomorrow works in their favor: “I will someday.” “Later.” “Tomorrow.” “I’m not worried.” People tune out terror, focus on something else, or believe those kinds of things are make-believe. Terror is not a made-up philosophy or scare tactic to make people feel unease. God is good and severe (Romans 11.22). He blesses. He curses. He rewards. He punishes. He redeems. He casts aside. God is consistent and fair in His terror because He is right, true, and pure. Plans are made by God to execute wrath against all ungodliness (Romans 2.4-90. Do not be one of those who has lost a sense of fear and urgency.
The love of Christ for us is a supreme reason for serving God (2 Corinthians 5.14). What Jesus did in dying for us is reason enough to be a Christian and live faithfully. Romans 5.6-8 says it would be hard to find someone to die for a righteous person, but Christ died for sinners. For this reason, we ought to serve God for the gift He gave which brought us hope, peace, joy, and life we could not find in things or ourselves (Jeremiah 10.23; 1 Timothy 6.6-7).
A new life should bring us to serve God (2 Corinthians 5.17). So many people are asked, “If you had to do it over again, what would you do differently?” Others wake up every morning wishing they could “do it all over.” They do not want to talk about it to others. God does not want to talk about it. He wants to give us a new life: A life “renewed in the spirit of your mind…that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth” (Ephesians 4.23-24). That is a life anyone should want to live.
Being an ambassador for Christ is a wonderful motive for serving God (2 Corinthians 5.20). Not many people will represent Nike, Wheaties, Apple, or Microsoft, but we can represent Christ before the world. Whether it is our family, neighbor, coworker, teammate, or friend, we can “show forth the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2.9). Christ has no one else to do His work for Him. Will you not be a member of His kingdom and represent His name before others who also need to give their lives to Him and serve Him? That would be a great reason to serve God.
