Motivated by the glory of His name

From children to seniors, people avoid the topic of motivation. When asked why we do something, the answer is often a shrug of the shoulders, or a blurry, “Because I wanted to.” God isn’t like that. His reasons are clear.

Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power. (Psalm 106:8)

When the Bible says God saves sinners for his name’s sake, it means that His name is His motivation. He grants grace, forgiveness and mercy because He is who He is, and for no other reason.

We tend to think that God saves because of something we do, or something He sees in us, or even that He foresees what good people we could be, but the Bible says otherwise. God loves sinners because He loves them. His sovereign mercy is the only cause behind His showing of mercy.

For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” (Romans 9:15)

Not only is His name the reason why He saves, it is also the means of salvation. If we look to Him and call on His name, we are saved. When elderly Simon saw the infant Jesus, he said, “My eyes have seen your salvation,” (Luke 2:30).

Jesus affirmed this later by saying, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Peter preached the same good news, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

His name is the measure of our salvation, bringing salvation as far as His name and honor to His name is heard and exercised. His name is also the goal. He grants us salvation that we might praise His excellencies.

… even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace… (Ephesians 1:4–6)

Jesus’ great prayer of John 17 puts emphasis on glory to His name. Salvation is not about me, not about us. It is about the glory of God and the wonder of His great name.