Approved by God

2 Corinthians  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Last week we looked at evidences of a true man of God. We continue with this list this week and add that these qualities show who is approved by God and who is not in Christ’s church.

1. He Belongs to Christ.

2. He Builds the Saints in Holy Faith.

3. He Is Compassionate

4. He Is Strong

5. He is Consistent

6. He Is Not His Own Standard

2 Corinthians 10:12 NASB95
12 For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.
Measure by each other -
compare - measure or estimate each other with each other
hold up a pen or even a book from the pew as close to your eyes as you can. Now, still holding that object up, look past it to the wall beyond it. From your perspective, the object your holding is as long as the back wall or pretty close. Now, find someone as far away from you as you can. Look at their pen compared to your pen. It is considerably smaller than your pen isn’t it?
That is what these false teachers were doing. They were spiritually measuring everyone, including the apostle Paul, by a spiritual standard that they had made up.
What if Jesus had planted the church in Corinth? I am sure the false teachers in Corinth would have found fault with Jesus. Jesus wouldn’t have been Jesusy enough for them. We know this because that is exactly what the scribes and pharisees said against Jesus during His ministry. They said to Jesus, you are breaking the Sabbath because you healed someone on the Sabbath and we consider that work. We are right, you are wrong therefore you are of Satan and cannot be the Messiah.
How does Paul respond to the false apostles of Corinth? He sarcastically says, “We dare not be so bold as put ourselves in the same class or category as those who have highly esteemed themselves.” In other words, we aren’t even going to play your game.
Jesus said…
Matthew 7:1–2 LSB
1 “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. 2 “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with what measure you measure, it will be measured to you.
We must be careful that we judge only according the standard of God which is in His Word. We cannot fall short of His standard and must not go beyond it.

7. He Sticks to His Calling

A. His Calling was Broad

2 Corinthians 10:13 NASB95
13 But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.
God had given Paul an assignment when Paul was on the road to Damascus…
Acts 9:15 NASB95
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
Later in Acts when Paul was recounting his conversion before Agrippa, he said,
Acts 26:16–18 NASB95
16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 17 rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’
The apostle Peter focused on the Jews at the start (though he was one of the first to preach to the gentiles) and the apostle Paul focused on the gentiles (though he always started by preaching to the Jews.)

B. His Calling Included Corinth

2 Corinthians 10:14 NASB95
14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ;

C. His Calling Did Not Conflict with Others

2 Corinthians 10:15 NASB95
15 not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors,
They on the other hand were intruding on Paul’s Calling. The only thing that they had to boast about was the fruit of the work that Paul had done.

D. His Calling Continued

2 Corinthians 10:15 NASB95
15 not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you,
2 Corinthians 10:16 NASB95
16 so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you,
These false apostles were were trying to usurp the ministry that God had given to the apostle Paul. The Corinthian church was Paul’s jurisdiction/sphere under the Holy Spirit.
Don’t miss part of what the apostle’s point here. Remember this Corinthian problem has caused a great deal of grief for the apostle. He was so distraught about it that he could not minister in Macedonia.
2 Corinthians 7:5–7 NASB95
5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more.
So he says, “If you Corinthians would quit entertaining these false apostles I would be more effective.” “I have to put my further plans on hold to deal with your problems.” “If your faith would grow rather than shrink, my ministry, and your influence for the kingdom of God would increase.” You are giving these dark apostles an argument against me.
Transition to start point 8 (Warren Weirsbe)
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: Ministerial Misunderstandings (2 Corinthians 10)

I once listened to a man give a lecture on how to build a large Sunday School. Everything in the lecture was correct and certainly had worked in some of the large ministries in the United States. The only problem was, the man had never built a large Sunday School himself! He had visited many of the large ministries, interviewed the pastors and staff members, and developed his lecture. After he finished his lecture, people flocked to his side to ask questions and get autographs. I happened to be standing next to a pastor who had built one of the finest churches—and one of the largest—in America.

“Those people ought to be talking to you,” I said to him. “You’ve done it and you know more about Sunday School work than he does!”

“Let him enjoy himself,” said my friend with a kind smile. “We’re all doing the same work, and all that counts is that God is glorified.”

8. He Glorifies God Alone

A. By not Boasting in Other’s Work

2 Corinthians 10:16 NASB95
16 so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.

B. By Recognizing God’s Power in His Work

2 Corinthians 10:17 NASB95
17 But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: Ministerial Misunderstandings (2 Corinthians 10)

But the final test is not when the reports are published for the annual meeting. The final test comes at the Judgment Seat of Christ, “and then shall every man have praise of

C. By Seeking Approval from God Alone

2 Corinthians 10:18 NASB95
18 For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.
Approve = tested
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