What Does the Bible Say About Doing Something For The Wrong Reason?

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 13:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Luke 6:27 ESV / 3 helpful votes

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

Isaiah 1:1-31 ESV / 3 helpful votes

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. ...

Revelation 22:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

1 John 1:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

James 4:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 1:2-4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Colossians 3:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Philippians 4:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Ephesians 6:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1-4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 4:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

1 Corinthians 12:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

1 Corinthians 6:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.

Romans 14:1-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ...

Romans 12:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Romans 1:26-28 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

Romans 1:26-27 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Romans 1:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

John 14:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

John 14:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

John 14:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Matthew 7:1-5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Matthew 5:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Isaiah 54:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes

No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

Proverbs 14:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Leviticus 20:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

Leviticus 18:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.

Exodus 20:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“You shall not murder.

Genesis 3:1-24 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ...

38 Bible Verses about Doing Something For The Wrong Reason

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 13:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 6:27 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 1:1-31 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 22:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 1:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 4:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 1:2-4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 3:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Philippians 4:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 6:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 6:1-4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 4:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 2:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 2:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 12:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 6:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 14:1-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 12:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 1:26-28 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 1:26-27 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 1:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 14:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 14:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 14:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 7:1-5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 54:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 14:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Leviticus 20:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Leviticus 18:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 20:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 3:1-24 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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