How can Acts 26:10 challenge us to examine our motives in serving God? Scripture Focus “And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With the authority of the chief priests, I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.” — Acts 26:10 Context Snapshot • Paul stands before King Agrippa recounting his past. • He had been convinced he was honoring God by persecuting Christians. • His own words expose how sincere zeal can collide with wrong motives when not anchored in God’s revealed truth. Key Observations • Paul acted “with the authority of the chief priests,” not with the authority of Christ. • He “cast [his] vote” against believers, showing personal initiative, not mere passive complicity. • His certainty did not make him correct; truth, not passion, determines righteousness. Heart Check: Examining Our Motives • Zeal alone is insufficient. Compare Romans 10:2 — “They are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.” • Motives can be clouded by desire for approval, power, or tradition (Galatians 1:14). • Proverbs 16:2 reminds, “All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the motives.” • Hebrews 4:12 assures that God’s Word “judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Cross-Reference Insights • Matthew 7:21 — “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” Right words without right motives fall short. • 1 Corinthians 13:3 — “Though I give all I possess… but have not love, I gain nothing.” Service without love is empty. • Psalm 139:23-24 — “Search me, O God… see if there is any offensive way in me.” Invitation for divine inspection. Steps Toward Pure Motives • Submit every plan to Scripture’s authority before pursuing it. • Ask the Spirit to reveal any hidden pride or self-promotion. • Seek counsel from mature believers who will speak truth in love. • Measure success by faithfulness to Christ, not by external acclaim. • Keep the gospel central; let gratitude for grace fuel service, not the need to earn standing. Encouragement to Serve in Truth and Love Paul’s testimony in Acts 26:10 shows the peril of misplaced zeal and the power of God’s correction. When motives are surrendered to Christ, passion becomes a channel of genuine service rather than misguided harm. Let His Word continually refine the “why” behind everything we do for His name. |
    |