26 How to Recognize a Man of God

(2 Corinthians 10:7–18)

You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.” Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present. 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. 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. 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; 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, 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. But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends. (10:7–18)

Ever since he deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden, Satan has assaulted God’s truth with lies. He and the purveyors of his demon doctrines have lured multitudes onto the broad path that leads to eternal destruction. The leaders of God’s people must therefore vigilantly guard those entrusted to their care from those who would lead them astray. Throughout redemptive history, God’s watchmen have sounded the alarm, alerting God’s people to the ever-present danger posed by satanic false teachers. Moses cautioned Israel,

If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,” you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deut. 13:1–3; cf. 18:20)

The Old Testament prophets took up his alarm:

The prophets prophesied by Baal and walked after things that did not profit. (Jer. 2:8)

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so! (Jer. 5:31)

Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.” (Jer. 14:14)

“Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the Lord, “and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the Lord. (Jer. 23:32)

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you falsely in My name, “Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will slay them before your eyes.” (Jer. 29:21)

Your prophets have seen for you false and foolish visions; and they have not exposed your iniquity so as to restore you from captivity, but they have seen for you false and misleading oracles. (Lam. 2:14)

O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among ruins. You have not gone up into the breaches, nor did you build the wall around the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the day of the Lord. They see falsehood and lying divination who are saying, “The Lord declares,” when the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope for the fulfillment of their word. … along with the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace, declares the Lord God. (Ezek. 13:4–6, 16)

There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in the midst of her. … Her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, “Thus says the Lord God,” when the Lord has not spoken. (Ezek. 22:25, 28)

Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; when they have something to bite with their teeth, they cry, “Peace,” but against him who puts nothing in their mouths they declare holy war. Therefore it will be night for you—without vision, and darkness for you—without divination. The sun will go down on the prophets, and the day will become dark over them. The seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be embarrassed. Indeed, they will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God. (Mic. 3:5–7)

The Lord Jesus Christ solemnly warned,

Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matt. 7:15; cf. Zech. 13:4)

See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will mislead many. … Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. … For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. (Matt. 24:4–5, 11, 24)

Following the Lord’s lead, the apostles also cautioned believers to beware of false teachers:

I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. (Acts 20:29)

Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. (Rom. 16:17–18)

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (Gal. 1:6–9)

For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. (Phil. 3:18–19)

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. (1 Tim. 4:1)

Evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Tim. 3:13)

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. (2 Peter 2:1)

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts. (2 Peter 3:3)

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. (1 John 2:18)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. (2 John 7)

No church has ever been exempt from the Enemy’s attack on the truth, and the assembly at Corinth certainly was no exception. Satan’s emissaries, claiming to be apostles of Christ, had arrived in Corinth, seeking to lead the church “astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). They knew that to do that they had to destroy Paul’s credibility in the eyes of the Corinthians. Their savage attacks on the apostle did lead many in the Corinthian church to mutiny against him. He then took drastic action, writing a severely worded letter (2:3–4) that brought most of the congregation to repentance. The apostle was wise enough to realize, however, that the rebellion had not been totally put down; the false teachers were still there, waiting to seize the initiative again when the opportunity presented itself. Therefore, he wrote this epistle to defend himself against their attacks.

Paul did not specify the exact nature of the damning heresy which the false apostles concocted to seduce the Corinthians. In a sense, its identity really does not matter. Satan and his demons do not care what people believe, as long as they do not believe the truth. However several characteristics of the false teachers and the heresy designed to seduce the Corinthians can be gleaned from this epistle.

First, the false teachers came from outside the church (11:4; cf. 10:14—Paul had been the first to preach the gospel in Corinth). Little was known of their background, and the grandiose claims they made about themselves, their qualifications, and their authority, therefore, could not be verified. As the saying goes, all experts are from out of town.

Second, they claimed superior apostolic authority to Paul. In 11:5 he alluded to those claims, sarcastically referring to them as “the most eminent apostles.” They attempted to support their claims with phony letters of commendation, supposedly from the Jerusalem church (3:1; cf. Acts 15:24).

Third, they were Jews (2 Cor. 11:22) who claimed to truly represent the religion of the Messiah. They sought to impose Jewish customs on the Gentiles in the Corinthian assembly. In reality, however, they were guilty of preaching “another Jesus” and “a different gospel” (11:4).

Fourth, they mingled elements of mysticism with Jewish legalism. They claimed to have a secret, higher knowledge, which in reality amounted to nothing but empty “speculations … raised up against the knowledge of God” (10:5).

Fifth, they adopted the popular sophistry and rhetoric so highly prized in Greek culture. Accordingly, they scorned Paul as being “unskilled in speech” (11:6).

Sixth, they were libertines, promoting an antinomian ideology that bore the evil fruit of “impurity, immorality and sensuality” (12:21) among the Corinthians.

Finally, like all false teachers, they were in the ministry for money. They mocked Paul’s teaching as worthless, since he did not charge for it. Contrasting his humility with their greed, Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you” (11:7–8).

In chapters 1–9, Paul poured out his heart to the repentant majority, pleading for their continued trust and loyalty. In chapters 10–13 he turned his attention to the false teachers, directly refuting their attacks on him. The last four chapters of this letter form a powerful defense of Paul’s apostleship, and verses 7–18 are a vital core of that defense. In this passage, Paul exhorted the Corinthians to make a sound judgment based on clear evidence. The translators of the New American Standard Bible understand Paul’s opening statement in verse 7, You are looking at things as they are outwardly, as a statement of fact. But blepete (you are looking) could be either an indicative or an imperative verb. It seems best to take it as an imperative (as it unquestionably is every other time Paul used it in this form), and translate the sentence (as several English versions do) as a command. Paul commanded the Corinthians to look at what was obvious; to consider the facts and evidence that was right in front of them. If they did, the obvious conclusion was that Paul was a true apostle (cf. 1 Cor. 9:1–2), and his adversaries were the deceivers.

The best way to avoid being taken in by a counterfeit is to study what is genuine. Thus Paul defended his authenticity in these verses by giving the marks of a true man of God. In our day, when Christianity is awash in a flood of deceitful false teachers, Paul provides desperately needed instruction in discernment. Believers must be able to pick out the voice of the Good Shepherd and His genuine undershepherds amidst the howls of Satan’s wolves (John 10:27). A true man of God can be recognized by his relationship to Jesus Christ, his impact on the church, his compassion for people, his disdain for fleshly methods, his integrity, and his humility.

A TRUE MAN OF GOD IS KNOWN BY HIS RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS CHRIST

If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. (10:7b)

As noted above, the false apostles asserted that they were emissaries of Jesus Christ. They made arrogant claims of being personally commissioned by Him, having superior knowledge of Him, and wielding greater authority from Him. Paul’s use of the singular if anyone may indicate that he was singling out the ringleader of the false apostles, who likely was the most vociferous in making such claims. The Greek text indicates a condition assumed to be true; Paul did not have a hypothetical situation in mind, but a real one. The false apostles were actually making these claims.

But such confidence was misplaced; anyone who had it was merely confident in himself. The false apostles’ claims to represent Christ were without objective evidence to back them up. They had no track record of sinners converted, churches founded, and saints built up. There was nothing but the empty boast.

By claiming to be Christ’s the false apostles were undoubtedly claiming more than just that they were Christians. They asserted that they had a unique devotion to Jesus, such as that claimed by the members of the “Christ party” (see 1 Cor. 1:12). They also meant that they were the true apostles of Christ. They likely also claimed a transcendent, higher knowledge of Him.

While claiming inflated credentials for themselves, the false apostles completely denied Paul’s authenticity. He was, according to them, a deceiver, hiding a secret life of shameful sin, a man who preached lies for money. As such, he could hardly even be considered a Christian, let alone have the true message from God that they allegedly possessed, or still less be an apostle. Their lies were designed to discredit Paul so they could replace him as the authoritative teachers at Corinth.

At this point Paul did not deny their claim; he would do that later in his argument (2 Cor. 11:13–15). Here he merely noted that he, too, had a valid claim to belong to Jesus Christ. The apostle challenged the one who would reject his apostleship to consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. Since it was only a claim on the part of the false teacher, he should know that Paul could make the same claim. The issue could not be decided on the subjective basis of personal convictions, either Paul’s or the false apostles’. For that reason Paul, as noted above, called on the Corinthians to examine the objective evidence. The facts of his life, conversion, and ministry were matters of public knowledge in the churches. His traveling companions and Ananias could verify the amazing story of his dramatic conversion on the Damascus Road. Barnabas, Silas, Luke, Timothy, and Paul’s other ministry partners could testify to his fearless preaching of the gospel in city after city, to the converts he won, and the churches he founded and built up. In contrast to the false apostles, Paul’s convictions were backed up by impressive, undeniable evidence (cf. 12:12).

True men of God have an intimate walk with Christ that is clearly seen in their lives. False teachers may give the outward appearance of orthodoxy but as Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? (Matt. 7:16; cf. v. 20). Despite their claims, false teachers’ aberrant doctrine will inevitably manifest itself in their sinful behavior and in the sinful lives of their followers.

A TRUE MAN OF GOD IS KNOWN BY HIS IMPACT ON THE CHURCH

For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, (10:8)

Though reluctant to boast any further about his authority, Paul did so because the circumstances compelled him to do so. Because of his unimpeachable life and impeccable apostolic credentials, he would not be put to shame in his boasting. He would never go too far and make empty boasts like the false apostles, because the Lord gave him his authority. Paul’s claims were limited only by his humility.

Unlike the abusive, destructive false apostles, Paul used his authority for building the Corinthians up and not for destroying them. A true man of God will inevitably have a positive impact on the church as he edifies, strengthens, and matures it. Paul had preached the gospel with power, seen many come to saving faith in Christ, established churches throughout much of the Greco-Roman world, trained leaders, and perfected the saints. His ministry as a true apostle had undeniably resulted in the spiritual progress and strength of the church (12:19; Eph. 4:11–12).

On the other hand, false teachers invariably bring discord, disunity, destruction, and even death to the church. Their confusing, divisive influence is at cross-purposes with the Head of the church, who promised to build it (Matt. 16:18). Paul had them in mind when he warned, “If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are” (1 Cor. 3:17). Paul wielded his apostolic authority (cf. 1 Cor. 3:10:5–6) to build the church, not to destroy it.

A TRUE MAN OF GOD IS KNOWN BY HIS COMPASSION FOR PEOPLE

for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. (10:9)

False teachers tend to be self-centered, grasping, and abusive. People usually mean nothing to them, except as means to their own selfish ends. They are often overbearing, self-absorbed, and callous to the needs of others.

The false apostles perversely tried to assign to Paul the very evils they themselves were both familiar with and guilty of. They charged that he was an abusive leader, who tried to intimidate the Corinthians into submission. The false apostles no doubt pointed to the severe letter (2:3–4) as a prime example of Paul’s purported abusive treatment of them. Paul replied to those false allegations by assuring the Corinthians, I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. He was not trying to terrify the Corinthians into obeying him. His goal was to bring them to repentance, so they would experience all the blessings that accompany salvation. He had been firm because the situation demanded it, and most of the Corinthians had responded positively to his correction (cf. 7:8–10).

Paul was a reluctant disciplinarian, as his agonizing over the severe letter reveals:

But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm. But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again. For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you. (1:23–2:4)

In 7:3 he added, “I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together.” The apostle much preferred the spirit of love and gentleness to the rod of correction (cf. 1 Cor. 4:21). “You are our letter,” he wrote earlier in this epistle, “written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Cor. 3:2–3). In 7:2 he begged the Corinthians, “Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one,” while in 11:11 and 12:15 he freely declared his love for them.

True men of God are marked by compassion. They care for their people with “the affection of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:8). But nothing is more characteristic of a false teacher than indifference or malice toward people. The difference between the two is the contrast between the good shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep, and the hireling, who is not concerned about the flock (cf. John 10:11–13).

A TRUE MAN OF GOD IS KNOWN BY HIS DISDAIN FOR FLESHLY METHODS

For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.” (10:10)

That the apostle’s letters were weighty and strong was obvious to all who read them. There was no denying the power of his inspired pen, the clarity, rationality, and spirituality of his writings. They resonated with fervor and conviction of the truth. To maintain otherwise would have been absurd, and the false apostles did not try to deny the obvious.

But after conceding the powerful impact of Paul’s writings, the false apostles derided his personal presence as unimpressive and his speech as contemptible. Though they were certainly not impressed with Paul’s physical appearance, what the false apostles really meant by his personal presence was his persona, aura, or demeanor. According to them, he lacked the kind of charisma and personal charm that commanded respect and loyalty. They no doubt reinforced that claim by depicting Paul’s departure from Corinth after the sorrowful visit (2:1) as an ignominious retreat. The apostle, they sneered, was a sniveling, cowering wimp who crawled out of town after being offended. In their mind, that demonstrated that he lacked the power of a great leader.

The false teachers intended by this cutting criticism to portray themselves as strong, decisive leaders and Paul as weak and wishy-washy. They claimed he was reluctant to deal with issues that they faced head-on. Such criticism reveals their unacceptable model of spiritual leadership, one of dominant dictatorship. “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,” Jesus declared of such leaders, “and their great men exercise authority over them” (Matt. 20:25). But that domineering view of leadership is the antithesis of the biblical view, which sees the leader as a servant:

It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matt. 20:26–28)

Not content with ridiculing Paul’s personal presence, the false apostles condemned his speech as being contemptible. By that they meant that he lacked the polished oratorical and rhetorical skills so highly prized in Greek culture. It is true that the apostle repudiated eloquent sophistry, though surely capable of it, preferring instead to preach the gospel in simplicity and power. In 1 Corinthians 2:1–5 he explained,

And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

The false apostles, on the other hand, used their polished oratory and slick manipulative skills to sway and seduce victims for their own prestige and power. The true man of God, however, refuses to use fleshly methods. Instead, he preaches the Word of God clearly and powerfully, so that people’s “faith [will] not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:5).

A TRUE MAN OF GOD IS KNOWN BY HIS INTEGRITY

Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present. (10:11)

Paul challenged any person who would accuse him of inconsistency to consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present. Later in this epistle Paul warned the rebels in Corinth not to underestimate his ability and willingness to deal sternly with them.

I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that if I come again I will not spare anyone, since you are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. (13:2–3)

The apostle’s life was totally consistent; he was the same person in deed when present as he was in the letters he wrote when absent. He was no hypocrite; his integrity was unimpeachable.

Paul’s life and ministry bore the stamp of divine approval. To the Thessalonians he wrote, “But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts” (1 Thess. 2:4). But in contrast to true men of God, false teachers are often quite different in private from the public image they project. The numerous scandals that have rocked their ministries over the years bear sad testimony to that reality.

A TRUE MAN OF GOD IS KNOWN BY HIS HUMILITY

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. 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. 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; 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, 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. But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends. (10:12–18)

There is no more noble Christian virtue than humility, the genuine conviction that one is utterly and completely unworthy of the goodness, mercy, and grace of God. The Bible paints a rich and diverse portrait of humility. Humble people recognize their spiritual bankruptcy (Matt. 5:3), refuse to think more highly of themselves than they should (Rom. 12:3), fall before their great and glorious God in lowliness and submission (Isa. 6:5; Luke 5:8), are eager to give God all the credit for everything good in their lives (1 Cor. 15:10), truly worship Him (Ps. 95:6; 1 Cor. 14:25), are convinced that no task is beneath them (John 13:3–15), and recognize that they are not yet what they should be (Phil. 3:12–14). Humble people are unwilling to boast, brag, or promote themselves (2 Cor. 11:30; cf. Gal. 6:14), in fact, they are somewhat embarrassed by commendation (Prov. 27:2). They do not hide their sins and shortcomings, or view themselves as superior to others (1 Tim. 1:15), they are willing to serve (Matt. 23:11), and are content to submit all their plans to the Lord’s will (Ps. 37:5; Prov. 16:3). Paul summed up the attitude of a humble person when he wrote, “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God” (2 Cor. 3:5).

Nothing more clearly marks a man of God than the attitude of humility that characterized the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 11:29; cf. 5:3; 18:4; Acts 20:19). No one except the Lord had a more profound impact on the church than Paul. Yet he described himself as a clay pot, such as those used for the most menial household tasks (2 Cor. 4:7), a wretched man (Rom. 7:24), the very least of all saints (Eph. 3:8), the least of the apostles (1 Cor. 15:9), and the foremost of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). That humility, contrasted with the blatant pride of the false apostles (cf. Jer. 23:32; Dan. 11:36; Luke 18:11–12; 2 Peter 2:18; Jude 16; 2 Thess. 2:3–4; Rev. 13:5–6), should have been conclusive proof to the Corinthians of Paul’s apostleship.

But, unfortunately, many of them still did not get the point. Therefore Paul closed this section describing the marks of a true man of God with an extensive discussion of humility in verses 12–18. In a passage full of irony and sarcasm, Paul deflated the pompous claims of the false apostles, and offered his humility as proof of his genuineness. Verses 12–18 unfold five characteristics of a humble messenger whom God has changed and called.

A HUMBLE MESSENGER OF GOD IS UNWILLING TO COMPARE HIMSELF WITH OTHERS

The Pharisee who proudly and arrogantly prayed, “God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector” (Luke 18:11) typified the attitude of false teachers. In their zeal to elevate themselves, they will tear down anyone who gets in their way. The proud, vain false apostles at Corinth sought to make themselves appear superior by attacking Paul.

But Paul refused to play their childish game of ego-building self-congratulation. He would not defend himself using their criteria. Instead, he wrote, We are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. The phrase we are not bold has the sense of “I do not dare.” The apostle had no intention of replying to those who commend themselves by commending himself; he would not dishonor God by stooping to their level (cf. Prov. 26:5).

The false apostles’ standard of comparison was subjective, based on such superficial, external factors as personality, charisma, and oratorical skills. They invented their own personal standards for greatness, met them, and then proudly proclaimed their superiority. But those who measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves … are without understanding; they are foolish and irrational. The self-centered and self-satisfied are always self-deceived.

In contrast, Paul measured himself against a divine standard. Earlier he wrote to the Corinthians, “To me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord” (1 Cor. 4:3–4). When Paul listed his apostolic credentials, he listed the things he had suffered (11:22–33), and his weakness (11:30; 12:5, 9; Acts 20:19). Humble people are keenly aware of how far short they fall of the perfect standard, the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 11:1).

A HUMBLE MESSENGER OF GOD IS WILLING TO MINISTER WITHIN LIMITS

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. (10:13)

False teachers tend to be megalomaniacs, who become enraged at those who would limit their grandiose designs. They continually seek to widen their influence and gain greater prestige, fame, and wealth. To that end, they often overstate or even falsify their qualifications and gifts. The false apostles presented the Corinthians with a rather amazing resumé. They claimed greater power, erudition, oratorical skills, and influence than Paul. They then used those phony credentials to gain influence in the Corinthian assembly.

But Paul refused to boast beyond his measure; he would not say anything about himself or his ministry that was not true. He refused to trade lies and exaggerations with the false apostles; his assessment of his ministry was honest and accurate. In contrast to their ambitious pretensions, he was content to remain within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to him. To use the analogy of a race, Paul stayed in his lane. He had a sovereignly granted field of service, which he described in Romans 1:5: “We have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake” (cf. Rom. 15:18; Acts 22:21; 26:15–18). He did not chafe under his God-ordained limits; he did not want to have a bigger or more important ministry than God intended for him. Paul was perfectly content with the sphere of ministry God had marked out for him. He focused on excellence rather than success; on the quality of his ministry rather than its size; on the depth of his ministry rather than its breadth.

Even Jesus ministered within strictly defined limits set by the Father. His ministry was limited by the Father’s will (John 5:30; 6:38), timing (John 2:4; 7:30; 8:20), people (the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” [Matt. 15:24]), message (“the gospel of the kingdom” [Matt. 4:23; 9:35; Luke 4:18]), and priorities (the twelve apostles, not the wealthy and influential).

The false apostles’ claims that Paul had overstepped his bounds were without foundation, since God had ordained his sphere of ministry to reach even as far as Corinth. For the Corinthians to argue otherwise was to saw off the very branch on which they were sitting. Paul was their spiritual father (1 Cor. 4:15), and their church owed its existence to his ministry. To deny Paul’s legitimacy as an apostle was to deny the legitimacy of their salvation and their church.

A HUMBLE MESSENGER OF GOD IS UNWILLING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR OTHERS’ LABORS

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; 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, 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. (10:14–16)

Paul was not guilty of overextending himself when he claimed that his sphere of ministry reached to Corinth. As noted above, he was the first to come to them with the gospel of Christ. He was not boasting beyond his measure, because of the indisputable fact that he had founded the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 3:6, 10; 4:15). He had not intruded on the false apostles’ territory; it was the other way around. They were the interlopers, not Paul.

The false apostles invented a fanciful litany of their supposed achievements. Unlike Paul, they were not hesitant to boast in other men’s labors. Having no legitimate accomplishments of their own, they were eager to take credit for those of others. But in reality, they had made no contribution to the Corinthians’ spiritual growth, because they were not true servants of God. By preaching a false gospel and another Jesus (2 Cor. 11:3–4), they were interfering with the work Paul had accomplished. They were nothing but parasites, sucking the spiritual life out of the church in contrast to the true apostle, who edified it (cf. Eph. 2:20).

Paul’s plan and hope was that as the Corinthians’ faith grew, he would be, within his sphere, enlarged even more by them. His goal was, with their assistance, to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond Corinth. That was not possible at the time, however, because of the Corinthians’ sin, immaturity, and rebellion. It would have to wait until they completely rejected the false apostles and returned to sound doctrine and holy living.

Paul was never one to rest on his laurels. His restless spirit drove him ever onward to preach the gospel where it had never been proclaimed. In Acts 19:21 he expressed his desire to preach the gospel in Rome, but he did not mean to stop there. He planned, with the Roman believers’ aid, to reach Spain (Rom. 15:24, 28). When the Corinthians became strong enough in their faith, the apostle wanted them to launch him to the next mission field. But no matter where he went, Paul always wanted to stay within the sphere of ministry God had sovereignly designed for him. He humbly refused to follow in the footsteps of other men of God and take credit for their labors.

A HUMBLE MESSENGER OF GOD IS WILLING TO SEEK ONLY THE LORD’S GLORY

But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. (10:17)

This essential truth, found throughout Scripture, is a stinging rebuke to all self-glorying false teachers. In Psalm 20:7 David wrote, “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God,” while in Psalm 34:2 he added, “My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear it and rejoice.” Through the prophet Jeremiah God declared,

Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. (Jer. 9:23–24)

Paul had the above passage in mind when he wrote this verse, and also when he wrote earlier to the Corinthians, “Just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord’” (1 Cor. 1:31). To the Romans he wrote, “Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed” (Rom. 15:17–18). He vowed in Galatians 6:14, “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

After Martin Luther’s death, his friends found a scrap of paper in his pocket on which the great Reformer had written, “We are all beggars.” Humble men of God realize that they have nothing to boast about. If they preach the gospel, it is because God’s Word is a fire in their bones (Jer. 20:9) and they are compelled to preach (1 Cor. 9:16). They serve the church only because Christ puts them into service (1 Tim. 1:12), and any success they have is attributable solely to the grace of God at work in them (1 Cor. 15:10). They cry out with the psalmist, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory” (Ps. 115:1).

A HUMBLE MESSENGER OF GOD IS UNWILLING TO PURSUE ANYTHING BUT ETERNAL GLORY

For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends. (10:18)

False teachers are totally focused on the here and now, as they pursue fame, accolades, notoriety, prestige, wealth, and power. But true servants of Christ look toward their heavenly reward (Matt. 5:12; Luke 6:23; Col. 3:24; Heb. 11:26). They understand that worldly self-commendation is meaningless, for it is not he who commends himself that is approved. They are not men pleasers; whether the world condemns or commends them is of no particular significance in the long run. What matters is whom the Lord commends; to whom He says, “Well done, good and faithful slave. … Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:21). That is the only evaluation that counts, as Paul wrote in his earlier inspired letter to the Corinthians:

But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. (1 Cor. 4:3–5)

The church today faces the same challenge that it always has, to sort out the true preachers from the false deceivers. The sad story of the Corinthian church’s gullibility has been repeated throughout history, as undiscerning believers have fallen for the lies of false teachers. As a result, churches, educational institutions, and denominations throughout the world have abandoned biblical truth. The Corinthians should have been able to tell the difference between true and false spiritual leaders, and so should today’s church. True men of God are not showmen; they do not intimidate people; they do not seek to promote themselves; they value truth enough not to tolerate error; they seek to imitate the meekness of Jesus Christ; they have a high view of Scripture and preach the pure, unadulterated gospel; they are content to minister within the sphere in which God has placed them; they lead lives consistent with their teaching; they do not take credit for others’ work; and they seek God’s eternal glory, not temporal acclaim. The man “who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men” (Rom. 14:18).