Persistent Commitment To God

Various aspects of Christian life are certainly not easy for every individual Christian to consistently handle, and thus there is sometimes the need to reflect on one's motives for remaining a Christian.  From a rationalistic standpoint, if Christianity is true, then people should be Christians for that reason alone, as the veracity of Christianity would necessitate that humans have an obligation to be Christians.  This logical truth aside, additional, personal motivations for staying committed to Christian life might facilitate that commitment.  It is not that personal desires are equal in significance to logical facts, but that the former can drive people to seek out the latter.

As a Christian maintains his or her commitment to living for God across extended periods of time, the motivations for doing so might naturally evolve.  A person's relationship with God might be initially sustained by fear of hell, which otherwise equates (in accurate eschatology) to the fear of eventual annihilation [1].  This fear might always serve as a deterrent of sorts, but it should never be the only reason why an experienced Christian wants to preserve a thriving relationship with God. 

Some people might not find annihilation unsettling, while others might find the thought of their own nonexistence terrifying.  Each response is purely subjective.  However, while fear of annihilation (this is the ultimate outcome the Bible describes as awaiting unsaved humans [1]) can be a legitimate motivator, there is something far more significant than should drive genuine Christians to maintain their allegiances to God: the desire to enjoy eternal life coupled with a restored relationship with him.

The most severe consequence of annihilation is not merely death itself, but the fact that the permanent death of the soul destroys any possibility of both the possession of eternal life and the restoration of one's relationship with God.  This dual loss is significant even without taking into consideration any possible torment that might be endured prior to annihilation.  Persistent commitment to God should be aroused by the thought of being excluded from existence by virtue of being banished from God's presence, which thereby deprives a person of the chance to enjoy the pleasures of redemption.

Fear and love can certainly coexist, even if directed towards the same object or being, but all Christians should strive for righteousness, at least in part, simply out of love for God.  When a person harbors intense love for another person, they are inclined to remain persistently committed to that person without being primarily motivated by a fear of what might occur if the relationship is terminated.  The same is true of human relationships with God.


[1].  See here:
  A.  https://thechristianrationalist.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-truth-of-annihilationism.html
  B.  https://thechristianrationalist.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-second-death.html.html