1 Beloved, believe not every spirit; but prove the spirits, whether they are from God: for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Bible verses about "motives" | Anderson
1 John 4:1
Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
1 John 3:12
12 Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and slew his brother: and for what reason did he slay him? because his own works were evil, and his brother s, righteous.
James 4:1-17
1 Whence come wars and strifes among you? Come they not hence, even of your passions, which war in your members?
2 You desire, and you have not; you kill, and are earnestly desirous of having, and yet you can not obtain; you fight and war, and yet you have not, because you ask not.
3 You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your passions.
4 Adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friend ship of the world is enmity to God? Whoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world, is an enemy of God.
5 Do you suppose that the scripture speaks to no purpose? Does the Spirit that dwells in us incline to envy? No.
6 But he gives more grace. "Wherefore he says: God sets himself against the proud, but gives grace to the lowly.
7 Submit yourselves, therefore, to God; resist the devil, and he will flee from you;
8 draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded men.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to sorrow.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.
11 Do not speak evil one of another, brethren. He that speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law, and judges the law: but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12 There is one law-giver that is able to save, and to destroy: who are you that judge an other?
13 Come, now, you that say, Let us go to-day, or to-morrow, into this city, and remain there a year, and trade, and make gain;
14 and yet you know not what will take place to-morrow. For what is your life? Is it not, indeed, a vapor, that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away?
15 Instead of that, you ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now you glory in your boastings: all such glorying is evil.
17 Therefore, to him that knows how to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.
1 Corinthians 4:5
5 So, then, judge nothing be fore the time, till the Lord comes, who will bring to light the secret works of darkness, and will also make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall each have his praise from God.
1 Timothy 1:5
5 (Now the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and out of a good conscience, and out of faith unfeigned:
Matthew 6:1
1 Beware of doing your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
Philippians 2:3
Galatians 1:10
10 For, do I now seek the favor of men, or of God? or do I strive to please men? If, indeed, I would still please men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
Matthew 6:1-18
1 Beware of doing your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
2 When, therefore, you do a charitable deed, do not cause a trumpet to be sounded before you, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be glorified by men. Verily, I say to you, They have their reward.
3 But when you do a charitable deed, let not your left hand know what your right hand does;
4 that your charitable deeds may be in secret; and. your Father, who sees in secret, himself will reward you openly.
5 And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Verily, I say to you, They have their reward.
6 But do you, when you pray, go into your closet, and when you have closed the door, pray to your Father who is in secret: and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
7 But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 Be not, there fore, like them; for your Father knows what things you need before you ask him.
9 In this manner, therefore, pray you: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven.
11 Give us this day the bread for our support.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.
14 For if you forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you forgive not men their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses.
16 And when you fast, do not put on a sad countenance, as the hypocrites do; for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to be fasting. Verily, I say to you, They have their reward.
17 But do you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face;
18 that you may not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.