A Healthy Christian Self-Image (Pt. 4)

In this series, we have been examining 1 Corinthians 4:1-4 to learn three insights from this text that provide Paul's thoughts as guides for our thoughts of self-identity. Today we come to the 3rd and last insight.

Third: Determine that Only God’s View of Me Matters - vs. 3-4

Paul starts out, “But to me …” This is personal. Who gets to decide if I am faithful or not? The Lord! But look at first what he blocks out of his mind! There are three evaluators Paul eliminates! And this is absolutely astounding. I think this truth will be life transforming for some of you if you accept this!

Notice, first what is not Paul’s evaluation of self? First, he writes, – not you! Not you Corinthians! What you think of me, the judgments you make concerning my ministry or my value to the church or my standing before God or my worth in this world -- your opinions don’t matter to me. He utterly demolished what the Corinthians thought of him. “It is a very small thing that I may be examined by you.”

This is a shocking statement! Do you know why? Because it is so unlike many of us. Because what your friends think of you is a very large matter to many of you! Especially those of you in middle school and high school and college. What others think of you probably consumes a lot of your thinking. The judgments of your friends or your peers is very important to you! It is a large thing, in some cases a very large thing, in many cases unfortunately the largest thing – what others think of you. But to Paul he calls it “elachistos” “a very small thing smallest, least, the tiniest, quite unimportant, insignificant, trivial, trifling. The word is used in Matthew 25:40 “The least of these my brothers…” Paul is communicating to them, “What you think doesn’t impact my self-image. I really don’t care what you think.” The implication is that they are not competent to make the right judgment anyway. Then he astoundingly adds “or by any human court.” No human court is insightful enough to judge who we are and our worth. Human beings don’t have the wisdom of an all-seeing and all-knowing Lord.

Do you see how Paul guarded his self-image? If a verdict does not carry weight with God, neither would it with him. It is not that Paul was dumb and didn’t know what people said. Down below he shows that he knows what the world thinks of him. Look at 1 Corinthians 4:13 “When we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.” But that did not matter to him. He would not let others rent space in his head. He knew there was a limitation both to the compliments and the criticisms he got from others.

He is not done. He takes it further, “In fact I do not even examine myself.” Everyone examines themselves! We even preach from the pulpit to do that. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves.” Yet Paul says there is a limitation to spiritual introspection as well. He goes on, “For I am conscious of nothing against myself yet I am not by this acquitted.”

Don’t misunderstand. Paul knew he was a sinner! In fact, he calls himself the chief of sinners in 1 Timothy 1:15. He also was aware in his conscience that he had been faithful to his heavenly calling and duty. Acts 20:26-27 "Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” But he knows even that self-examination isn’t good enough.

This is amazing because he lowers his self-image to whatever judgment Christ will make of him. His own assessment is not good enough for a final appraisal of his worth. That means that even a clear conscience can be the product of a faulty memory. That is why 2 Corinthians 10:17, 18 teaches, “For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.”

Pinning your own medal of honor to your chest means nothing. The only thing that counts is who the Lord commends. So esteeming self is foolish because the final examination is still coming!

Conclusion

This weekend you will once again be plunged into the daily grind running around taking care of responsibilities, one thing after another, busy, busy, busy! All around you, you will hear competing voices telling you what to believe about yourself. Block it out! Guard your self-image! If it is not teaching from the Bible, it is not God’s opinion.

I’m not saying to be stubborn when a teacher in church or a brother brings you advice from the word of God. That’s helpful, for it accurately prepares us for how God will evaluate us on that day. You want to know what the Bible says about you. Just don’t let man, even yourself, be your guide to a healthy self-image.

A healthy Christian self-image is centered on Christ and is sustained by faithfulness in serving Christ. It is guarded by awaiting the judgment of Christ, not anyone else’s, not even your own!

To please your Master and to enjoy your life, believe what God says in His word! Practice His will! Rely on His sanctifying grace! Then await His final assessment of your life. This is a healthy self-image.

Christian, you are who God says you are. Nothing more. Nothing less. But what God has made you to be is wonderful. Give Him and His Son the glory for your new life in Jesus. Thank Him that He has made you His child, and rest in that image of self. It is a good image, granted by His grace.