For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Approval is not gained by praising oneself but only when the Lord gives His approval, so all glorying is to be in the Lord with all honor given to God and none kept for self. Praise from oneself or from others settles nothing of a person's standing before God, for human beings are fallible and must not be exalted or leaned on as unfailing sources of wisdom. The one God approves is found true and faithful with inward religion of the heart, which comes by humbling self, crucifying self, and submitting to the Holy Spirit in living faith rather than trusting inherited traits or personal deeds. All talent, wisdom and success come from God and the glory belongs to Him, so self-exaltation and taking credit for results foster pride and self-righteousness and grieve the Holy Spirit, while beholding Christ and His righteousness leaves no room for boasting. In gospel labor this means giving God all the glory for conversions and for wisdom and achievement, and refusing to measure self by self or compare self with others to claim honor or gain.
True Approval Defined
Not self-commendation but the Lord's commendation is what makes a person approved. No one is truly approved by praising himself or by seeking praise from men, but only the one whom the Lord commends. All glorying must therefore be in the Lord, with all glory given to God and not to self or to glorying in self. Human talent, wisdom and success come from God, so the glory belongs to Him rather than to the human agent. In carrying the gospel forward and seeing people converted, all the glory is to be given to God and not to the workers.
Approval belongs to humble labor within the measure of the rule which God has distributed. It forbids measuring self by self and comparing self among selves. It forbids boasting of things without measure and boasting in other men's labors or in work prepared by others and done by others. True work hopes instead to be enlarged to preach in regions beyond established fields as faith increases.
Human praise, whether from oneself or from others, does not determine standing before God. People must therefore not be praised and exalted or relied on as though dependable sources of wisdom, since human beings are fallible. Trust placed in them can prove to be reliance on a broken reed. Paul's authority and ministry were given by God, so his humility in doing manual work did not discredit his calling or credentials. A person's own praise does not establish approval; approval comes from the Lord.
Living for God's Commendation
Approval is being found true and faithful as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God, with inward religion of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter. This requires a personal connection with God, especially for publishing house workers, because all glorying must be in the Lord and not in commending self or seeking praise from men. When the Lord comes He will bring hidden things of darkness to light and make manifest the counsels of the heart, and then God Himself will give praise. It requires humbling self before God, crucifying self, and submitting to the Holy Spirit in living faith by which imperfect man is linked to God through Jesus Christ. Trust is not to be placed in inherited qualities or personal doings, as seen in the ministry of Elias, for no one is approved by commending himself or glorying in himself. When self is crucified and the heart is broken, the Holy Spirit works with transforming power and makes such ones vessels unto honor like clay in the hands of the potter. To them are given superior mental, physical, and moral power, solidity of character by the graces of the Spirit, and a good influence because Christ abides in the soul.
Human talent, wisdom, and success come from God, so workers must give God the glory rather than exalt themselves or claim credit for the increase. Self-exaltation fosters pride and self-righteousness and grieves and quenches the Holy Spirit, while those who glory are to glory in the Lord. There is no room for self-righteousness, for boasting, or for glorifying self, since a person is approved only when the Lord commends him, never by commending himself. Contemplating Christ and His righteousness leaves no place for self-exaltation, and on this the testimony of prophets and apostles agrees together that all glorying is to be in the Lord our God. In carrying the gospel forward and seeing people converted, all the glory is to be given to God and not to the workers. Honor for wisdom and achievement belongs to God, not to the human agent, for a person is not approved merely by praising or commending himself.
Workers in schools, institutions, and churches must not measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves among themselves in order to claim higher wages, sell themselves to the highest bidder, or take for themselves what they think they deserve. Such self-commendation is the evil leaven of selfishness and covetousness, bringing an atmosphere of unbelief and leading to double-dealing and being wise above what is written. It is robbery of the treasury which God regards as the sin of Achan, and God sees it and will pass judgment on it. God is not with such a man, he cannot be safely retained even as editor or manager, he cannot give the right mold to the work nor supply the necessities of laborers in hard fields. Self-comparison and self-exaltation are rejected as measures of worth, which applies to criticizing and comparing fellow believers, since their standing belongs to the Lord who claims and honors them. The lesson applies to everyone not to think too highly of self but to think soberly and depend on the Lord rather than on own judgment. A person enslaved to alcohol or stimulating drinks must therefore stop thinking highly of self and indulging self, present the body a living holy sacrifice to God, be transformed by renewal of mind, and cooperate fully by total abstinence, aroused moral powers, and looking to Jesus for grace to overcome unnatural craving and regain self-control.
Approval is not gained by praising oneself but only when the Lord gives His approval, so all glorying is to be in the Lord with all honor given to God and none kept for self. Praise from oneself or from others settles nothing of a person's standing before God, for human beings are fallible and must not be exalted or leaned on as unfailing sources of wisdom. The one God approves is found true and faithful with inward religion of the heart, which comes by humbling self, crucifying self, and submitting to the Holy Spirit in living faith rather than trusting inherited traits or personal deeds. All talent, wisdom and success come from God and the glory belongs to Him, so self-exaltation and taking credit for results foster pride and self-righteousness and grieve the Holy Spirit, while beholding Christ and His righteousness leaves no room for boasting. In gospel labor this means giving God all the glory for conversions and for wisdom and achievement, and refusing to measure self by self or compare self with others to claim honor or gain.
True Approval Defined
Not self-commendation but the Lord's commendation is what makes a person approved. No one is truly approved by praising himself or by seeking praise from men, but only the one whom the Lord commends. All glorying must therefore be in the Lord, with all glory given to God and not to self or to glorying in self. Human talent, wisdom and success come from God, so the glory belongs to Him rather than to the human agent. In carrying the gospel forward and seeing people converted, all the glory is to be given to God and not to the workers.
Approval belongs to humble labor within the measure of the rule which God has distributed. It forbids measuring self by self and comparing self among selves. It forbids boasting of things without measure and boasting in other men's labors or in work prepared by others and done by others. True work hopes instead to be enlarged to preach in regions beyond established fields as faith increases.
Human praise, whether from oneself or from others, does not determine standing before God. People must therefore not be praised and exalted or relied on as though dependable sources of wisdom, since human beings are fallible. Trust placed in them can prove to be reliance on a broken reed. Paul's authority and ministry were given by God, so his humility in doing manual work did not discredit his calling or credentials. A person's own praise does not establish approval; approval comes from the Lord.
Living for God's Commendation
Approval is being found true and faithful as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God, with inward religion of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter. This requires a personal connection with God, especially for publishing house workers, because all glorying must be in the Lord and not in commending self or seeking praise from men. When the Lord comes He will bring hidden things of darkness to light and make manifest the counsels of the heart, and then God Himself will give praise. It requires humbling self before God, crucifying self, and submitting to the Holy Spirit in living faith by which imperfect man is linked to God through Jesus Christ. Trust is not to be placed in inherited qualities or personal doings, as seen in the ministry of Elias, for no one is approved by commending himself or glorying in himself. When self is crucified and the heart is broken, the Holy Spirit works with transforming power and makes such ones vessels unto honor like clay in the hands of the potter. To them are given superior mental, physical, and moral power, solidity of character by the graces of the Spirit, and a good influence because Christ abides in the soul.
Human talent, wisdom, and success come from God, so workers must give God the glory rather than exalt themselves or claim credit for the increase. Self-exaltation fosters pride and self-righteousness and grieves and quenches the Holy Spirit, while those who glory are to glory in the Lord. There is no room for self-righteousness, for boasting, or for glorifying self, since a person is approved only when the Lord commends him, never by commending himself. Contemplating Christ and His righteousness leaves no place for self-exaltation, and on this the testimony of prophets and apostles agrees together that all glorying is to be in the Lord our God. In carrying the gospel forward and seeing people converted, all the glory is to be given to God and not to the workers. Honor for wisdom and achievement belongs to God, not to the human agent, for a person is not approved merely by praising or commending himself.
Workers in schools, institutions, and churches must not measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves among themselves in order to claim higher wages, sell themselves to the highest bidder, or take for themselves what they think they deserve. Such self-commendation is the evil leaven of selfishness and covetousness, bringing an atmosphere of unbelief and leading to double-dealing and being wise above what is written. It is robbery of the treasury which God regards as the sin of Achan, and God sees it and will pass judgment on it. God is not with such a man, he cannot be safely retained even as editor or manager, he cannot give the right mold to the work nor supply the necessities of laborers in hard fields. Self-comparison and self-exaltation are rejected as measures of worth, which applies to criticizing and comparing fellow believers, since their standing belongs to the Lord who claims and honors them. The lesson applies to everyone not to think too highly of self but to think soberly and depend on the Lord rather than on own judgment. A person enslaved to alcohol or stimulating drinks must therefore stop thinking highly of self and indulging self, present the body a living holy sacrifice to God, be transformed by renewal of mind, and cooperate fully by total abstinence, aroused moral powers, and looking to Jesus for grace to overcome unnatural craving and regain self-control.