Compared to What? 2 Corinthians 10:7-18

There was a man and his family that began attending Britton Christian Church about 20 years ago. I didn’t know much about them when they first arrived, but I found out later that he had lived quite a life. In his younger years he had traveled the world on the TransAm racing circuit. He came from a prominent, wealthy Oklahoma City family, lived a playboy life, and had sown his wild oats by the truckload when he was young. That was when he was young. I never knew that man. The man I knew had committed his life to Christ. He loved his wife and kids. He attended Bible study and seemed to deeply care about people. There was another man who had been attending BCC for a couple of years. He came to Bible study and was involved in my Sunday school class. He came to see me one day. He wanted me to read an article from The Daily Oklahoman. The article was about a teenager from Nichols Hills who had gotten into a fight, and with his buddies, had beaten up another kid. When the dust settled, the kid got off. He didn’t go to jail. The “kid” was the man who had come with his family to BCC forty years later. After I read the article, the man who gave it to me asked me, “What are you going to do about it?” I said, “That was forty years ago. He’s not the same man he was when he was a teenager. The article shows me that Jesus has changed his life.” The man was livid! He wanted me to kick the man out of the church that day. He ranted and raved, called me names, and said the man was a fraud as he left my office.It didn’t take long before I heard he was calling people in the church and saying all kinds of horrible things about me. I was stealing from the church, I was visiting prostitutes, I was… Fill in the blank and he was telling people from BCC that I was guilty of it. Whenever I heard that he had called someone I got on the phone as fast as I could and called them myself to reassure them that I was not doing those things.Then one day I heard he called Arlene Meier. When Connie and I first moved to Oklahoma City we lived across the street from Arlene and her husband Rob. Arlene is one of the sweetest, most godly women on the planet. She’s almost 90 now. When I called Arlene I started my defense and Arlene interrupted me. Arlene said, “Mike, you didn’t need to call me. I listened to what he had to say and knew none of it was true. I know you. You don’t need to call anyone. Those of us who know you, know you, and we don’t need a phone call. And those who don’t know you, a phone call isn’t going to make any difference. You need to stop making phone calls and go back to doing what the Lord has given you to do.” I never made another phone call. It was a horrible time in my life. It went on for months and I didn’t think he would ever stop what he was doing. I’ve thought about that horrible experience this past week as I’ve been reading our Scripture for this morning. There were those in Corinth who were trying to do to Paul what the enemy was trying to do to me except what Paul went through was so much worse. The situation, which was ongoing in Corinth, was so intense that the final four chapters of Paul’s letter to the church are focused on Paul seeking to wake the church up to see the truth. Let’s read our Scripture for this morning and then we will see what we can learn. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 10:7-18.

7 You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. 8 So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it. 9 I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present. 12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. 14 We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. 15 Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else's territory. 17 But, "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord." 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. (2 Corinthians 10:7-18 NIV)

We have talked on more than one occasion about how the people of Corinth were surrounded by professional public speakers who were able to wow their audience with their polished presentations and emotion stirring speeches. Those Paul had in mind weren’t simply trying to gain new followers like modern-day social media influencers. They were trying to turn people away from the truth of the Gospel. They claimed to have a special “revelation” from Jesus, inside information that others lacked. I’m sure we all know people who are more than happy to follow anyone who has a “special” relationship with the Lord, a relationship that is outside the reach of the rest of us. In verse 7, Paul writes,

7 You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. (2 Corinthians 10:7 NIV)

“If anyone” is not just anyone, but they are those who are up to no good. Paul doesn’t come right out and call them what they are at this point, he simply says “we belong to Christ just as much as they do.” A little later, in 2 Corinthians 11:12-15, Paul will speak more clearly about the true nature and ambition of these folks. Listen to this.

12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. (2 Corinthians 11:12-15 NIV)

Those who “masquerade as servants of righteousness” are still with us today. They portray themselves as Jesus’ special servants who have inside information and experience an intimacy with Jesus that is not available to the rest of us. Because of their special relationship, Jesus empowers them to know and do things that nobody else can know or do. Over the past forty years I’ve seen this played out over and over again. I’ve witnessed men and women of all ages, who came to know Christ and were hungry to know Him more and more, get hoodwinked and bamboozled by these types of leaders. More times than not they ended up disillusioned and questioning their faith when the leader proved to be something other than he portrayed himself to be to the public.  Dr. Sam Storms was the pastor at Bridgeway Church just down the street from us here at BCC. Sam has been around longer than me. Sam Storms is my brother in Christ. We don’t agree on some things when it comes to the work of the Holy Spirit, but there is so much we do agree on. One thing we definitely agree on is the need to beware of the type of leaders Paul was facing in Corinth, and who are still among us today. Sam writes,

Let me say it as forcefully as I can: Beware of all such claims to a superior or ‘super’ spirituality! Beware of any suggestion that one has special knowledge or insights unavailable to others! Beware of those whose only credentials are the visions they have allegedly seen or the angels with whom they have allegedly conversed! [I say this as one who believes in the gift of prophecy, visions, and angelic encounters.] (Sam Storms. Super Spirituality and the Need for Discernment.) 

Oftentimes these types of leaders pray on people’s problems. We are most vulnerable to these types of leaders when we are most vulnerable. Those who have special knowledge or insights unavailable to others, as Sam says, say they can help us get out of the predicament we find ourselves in, and we are hoping, desperately hoping they can. This was true in Corinth and it is still true today. Paul was not one of those types of leaders. You and I are not to be that type of leader for those the Lord has given us to minister to in our daily lives. What type of leader should we strive to be? That’s a great question and Sam goes on to say,

On the other hand, genuine, godly leadership that warrants your allegiance is built on character, not charisma. It is grounded in virtue, not visions. Its appeal is the centrality of Christ, not displays of power or heightened states of ecstasy. And at the heart of such authentic authority is the faithful proclamation of a cross-centered, Christ-exalting gospel, which is to say, a preaching of ‘Jesus Christ as Lord’ and ‘ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.’ (Sam Storms. Super Spirituality and the Need for Discernment.)

This is the type of leader you and I should pray to become. This is the type of leader God calls us to be as we minister in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces. It’s not the miraculous or marvelous that people need, it is the hope and salvation that we find at the foot of the cross. How can God use us to draw people to Jesus? It will never happen by our superior spirituality, but by our becoming servants for the cause of Christ. Jesus said of Himself,

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45 NIV)

In our next section of Scripture, verses 8-11, Paul makes it known what is being said about him in Corinth while he is in Ephesus. His accusers, those who are trying to destroy his ministry, are saying that his letters are bold, but Paul is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing. Read these verses with me.

8 So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it. 9 I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present. (2 Corinthians 10:8-11 NIV)

In verse 8, Paul mentioned that unlike the destruction being unleashed by the false apostles, the Lord gave Paul the ministry of “building you up rather than tearing you down.” God calls all of us as “ambassadors of Christ” to have a positive impact on the lives of others both inside and outside of the church. Has the Lord been using you to edify, strengthen, and encourage those around you or have you been a source of contention, discord, and destruction?In verses 9-11, we are reminded that the critics have always been around and the critics have always been more than willing to have their say. Paul was highly educated, a student of one of the most famous rabbis in history, Rabbi Gamaliel. Anyone who has ever read Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome knows that Paul was a brilliant theologian, a teacher like few the Church has ever known. Anyone who has ever read Acts 17 about Paul’s encounter with the philosophers at Mars Hill understands just how well Paul understood the culture of his day and was able to present the Gospel to a skeptical, unbelieving audience in such a powerful way. Yet, his accusers in Corinth said “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.”  Paul was “unimpressive, the Greek word is “asthenes" and it means, “weak, sick, powerless.” Paul’s speaking ability amounted to nothing. In other translations of the New Testament, this Greek word, “exoutheneo," which means, “to have a low opinion of, scorn, or reject contemptuously,” is translated as “despicable, worthless, or of no account.” Among the professional philosophers, politicians, and public speakers in Corinth there was great competition. One of the ways to get ahead was to cut your competition down to size by criticizing them. David Garland writes,

In the cutthroat competition for (followers) and pupils, one had to advertise oneself publicly with audacious praise while impugning the qualities of other contenders for honor. People were constantly vying with others to attain elusive glory and engaged in a constant game of one-upmanship. …In a comparison, one would amplify one’s good deeds and another’s bad deeds to show superiority. Such topics as a person’s race, upbringing, education, status, physique, pursuits, and positions held were all fair game in sizing up their relative merits and standing. (David Garland.2 Corinthians. pg. 452.)

We have no idea what Paul looked like or how polished a speaker he was in his day, although Paul does say that his preaching in Corinth was not “with wise and persuasive words” in 1 Corinthians 2:4. People were amazed when they heard Jesus teach in Luke 4:32. We don’t read that people were amazed at Paul’s teaching, but amazing people was not Paul’s goal. I’m sure Paul was like every other preacher when it comes to preaching. There are some who loved his preaching, who were blessed and encouraged by his preaching, and others who were bored to tears listening to Paul. I do know that when Paul was preaching in Troas there was one young guy who fell asleep listening to Paul. That gives me great comfort and I look out and see some of you nodding off on Sunday morning. We can read about it in Acts 20:7-9.

7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. (Acts 20:7-9 NIV)

I don’t think we should use Eutychus as evidence that Paul was a poor preacher. Paul’s critics in Corinth were no fair judge of his speaking abilities, but here’s the thing, even if Paul was not a good speaker, his subject matter was unparalleled in its power and truth. That was the key to Paul’s effectiveness as a servant of Jesus and a proclaimer of the Gospel. This is key for you and me as well. I’ve known so many people through the years who struggled with stumbling over their words, not saying what they wanted to say, etc. Our power is not in our delivery, but it is in the content we share when the content is the saving power of Jesus to reach down to the lowest, the most wayward, and even to all of those without hope.  Don’t wait until you get your certificate from Toastmasters or finish up your degree in Mastering the Art of Public Speaking before being willing to share the hope you’ve found in Jesus. Let’s move on and take a look at verse 12.

12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. (2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV)

Those who were opposing Paul had a high estimation of themselves because they were comparing themselves with the standards they had set in place. This is still one of our big problems today. We all know what our society tells us about how we can determine if we are successful in life. I would encourage you to reject what society has to say. Paul’s accusers are using the standards of Corinthian society to say he’s a flop, a nobody, not even worth your time!The sad thing is that we who are living in this time in history have allowed the measuring stick of success, used by the world, to gauge whether or not we are successful in our own ministry. I didn’t say, “My ministry, but our ministry.” If you are a follower of Jesus then you have a ministry. What is the measure of a successful ministry? How can you, those of you who are followers of Jesus, calculate if you’ve been successful so far this year in your ministry? How many people have you led to Christ? Is one acceptable, ten better, and one hundred cause for a write-up in Christianity Today? Have you given your time to help the people at BritVil or the King’s Klinic or working with the kids in Study Buddies? How much time are you giving each week? Are you growing as a disciple of Jesus? How so? Do you have a Quiet Time in the morning? Are you hiding God’s Word in your heart? Do you attend Bible study each week? How about Sunday school and worship on Sunday morning? Now, don’t get me wrong, sharing our faith, serving, and growing as a disciple of Jesus are vitally important, but if we aren’t careful all of these can become a source of self-righteousness. I will never forget going to a pastor’s meeting with Dr. Darnell one time while I was in Plano. Before the speaker got to the stage the ministers were huddled up in their little groups talking about their churches. “How many are you ‘running’ this year? We’re way ahead of where we were last year on baptisms! We’re in a capital campaign to build a new sanctuary.” And on and on they went. When we were driving back to Plano, David told me he hated going to those meetings. He said, “You know, preachers are like cow manure. If you spread them all out they can do alot of good, but when you bring them all together in one place they stink.” Paul said, “I’m not comparing myself with others.” In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul had told them,

3 As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don't even trust my own judgment on this point. 4 My conscience is clear, but that doesn't prove I'm right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. (1 Corinthians 4:3-4 NLT)

Paul sought the approval of the Lord and not the approval of people. We would be wise to follow in Paul’s steps. Back in the Scripture we are studying this morning, in verses 17-18, Paul says that if he is going to boast, he will boast in the Lord, in those things God has done and is doing. He writes,

17 But, "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord." 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. (2 Corinthians 10:17-18 NIV)

If we will seek to identify and recognize all that God has done and is presently doing then our attention will be on Him and not on us. This is one of the tools that has been most helpful to me in trying to avoid the comparison game. When my thoughts and my eyes are on me, they tend to also be on others. When my thoughts and my eyes are on the Lord, and I’m recalling all that He is doing, praising Him for His faithfulness and goodness, the crowd seems to fade into the background. We are never going to win the comparison game, even if we think we’ve won by comparing ourselves to those that make us look better than we really are. Our model, our motivation is not some other person who can inspire us or make us look good, but it is Jesus. He is the One who has given us life. He is the One who has rescued us from the darkness, turned us around, and given us a new purpose with new meaning in life, and at the end of our lives, your life and my life, there is no other voice and no other words that we will cherish so much as to hear Him say, “Well done my good and faithful servant!” Someone here this morning needs to hear this: We must stop living for the applause of the crowd, the approval of our peers, and begin to live for an audience of One. There’s always going to be those who are better or worse than you and me at whatever it is we do. There will always be those who have more or less than we do. Always be those who are taller, better looking, smarter, with more personality and charisma…and those with less. Paul was able to avoid the comparison game because he had his eyes on Jesus. In Philippians, Paul wrote,

10 I want to know Christ-- yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:10-14 NIV)

That’s it! Have you taken hold of Jesus’ hand? He’s reaching out to you this very morning. Won’t you stop resisting and take hold of His hand? He will give you new eyes to see and a new heart of understanding. Won’t you take hold of His hand?Mike HaysSeptember 10, 2023