Yesterday we looked at how Paul warned against boasting in our own accomplishments. He reminded his readers that “…the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.” [2 Corinthians 10:17 HCSB]
The verse that follows is one of my favorite replies when people throw up those old, tired responses that all of us have heard. (Such as the college professor who told me that she could never be a Christian because the KKK was a “Christian organization.”)
My response for such things is 2 Corinthians 10:18, “For it is not the one commending himself -who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.”
Anyone can call themselves “Christian,” but that does not make them one.
The Greek word for “approved” is dokimos, and it means approved, acceptable, tried. It means it has passed the necessary test or scrutiny and been validated and verified. Paul reminds us that we cannot validate ourselves. It is the LORD who validates.
It is Christ Jesus who commends us. Commend is sunistemi and it means to place together, prove, stand near, establish. It comes from a word that means union, together with. Christ Jesus stands in union with those He approves.
I remind people of the virtues and character of Christ Jesus and ask them if they really think Jesus would stand in union with those who “call themselves Christians but do not exhibit Christ-like words or actions.”
It means nothing to commend ourselves. It means everything to pass the inspection of our LORD Christ Jesus and have Him stand in union with us. We need to make sure our thoughts, words and deeds pass His scrutiny.
