Overview
The true measure of a person is the measure of faith God has given in Christ, not an earthly identity, possession or status. Romans 12:3 says God dealt to every man the measure of faith, and Ephesians 4:7 says the measure of the gift of Christ was given to every one of us. Because Jesus Christ had the Spirit without restriction, the faith God gave us is not limited by our own ability. That is why the Apostle Paul would not accept the Corinthians’ judgment of his apostleship, and why comparison in the family of God ends: no one was given any more measure than anyone else.
Transcript
Judged by the Car You Drive
Please turn to John chapter 3. We’re going to be taking a look at the true measure. Have you ever had somebody evaluate your life based on the kind of car that you drove or by the way that you look? Or in some other way tried to tie your identity to an earthly possession? Measure you up and judge. Well, I was a young professional driving a rather old outdated car and my work colleagues they looked down on me because of this.
You know, it was subtle at first, but as the years went on it became a bit more obvious. At about the same time, I’ll never forget going to the airport to pick up a girl that I had just started dating. We were slowing down to pay a toll and I nonchalantly powered down the air conditioning followed by the radio.
You see my driver window would barely roll down only on special occasions and taking these measures for some reason seemed to help my odds. But this one crucial time none of this worked. I went to my very last resort of opening my car door to pay the toll and let me tell you there’s no better way to impress a girl than by going through all these charades to then have to open my car door to pay the toll.
But you see who I was as a person was never defined by the car that I drove. My ability and capacity came from no earthly possession. You know that sounds silly, but many times if we’re honest, that’s exactly what we do.
We judge somebody based on an earthly identity or possession. Our true measure has nothing to do with the things of this world or how we look or compare with the status of others. It has nothing to do with our earthly identity.
John 3:34: God Gives Not the Spirit by Measure
To understand our true measure, let’s begin in John chapter 3 and here we’ll see in John chapter 3 and verse 34. This is John the Baptist speaking of Jesus Christ. For he whom God has sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
That word giveth not the Spirit by measure. It means Jesus Christ had the Spirit without restriction. Let’s look at Romans chapter 12.
Having the Spirit without restriction, Jesus Christ took the believing of God beyond what any other person had ever done before. He was completely unrestrained. He had no sin.
Nothing was withheld from him and now this unparalleled unrestrained faith was given to you and me. This is what defines our identity and our self-importance. There’s no earthly credential that could even measure up next to the faith of Christ.
Our measure is tied to Christ. Romans 12:3. For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God had dealt to every man the measure of faith. God has given it to everyone.
Jesus Christ Believed God Like No Other
He’s given us the measure of faith. Our measure is tied to Christ. While on earth, Jesus Christ believed God like no other.
Previously, there were great men and women who believed God like Moses, Abraham, Sarah, Rahab, but all of these were limited by their own ability. Jesus Christ completely changed the landscape of believing. Jesus Christ’s ability to believe God was unrestricted and now Ephesians 4:7 says the measure of the gift of Christ was given to every one of us.
God took the believing the faith of Jesus Christ packaged it up and gave it to you and to me. Understanding that the faith of Jesus Christ was given by God will allow you to withstand any judgment. That means when we’re faced with the most difficult situation that we’ve ever been faced with, we have unlimited unrestricted access to God through the faith of Jesus Christ.
Here in Romans 12, it’s called the measure of faith. Our ability to believe God is no longer based on our own ability. It’s just like Christ.
When this really sits in your heart to the point that you’re convinced of who you are, there will be no judgment this world can levy against you that will sway your focus. Why? Because you will hone in on your spiritual identity that was given by God. Anything else to define who you are is only temporal and earthly.
What Kinds of Judgment Do We Face?
Well, what are some of these judgments? At times, others are going to judge you and at other times we do the judging ourselves. Let’s look at this. Others are going to judge you and at times you’re going to be compared to others and you’re going to be found better or lacking.
You won’t even be the one that’s doing the judging but they’re gonna put you there and we’ll see that was the predicament that the Apostle Paul was in. You will or probably have been in situations where somebody will clearly be comparing themselves with you and not even openly admit it. This is very subtle, but it happens all the time.
Other times, we’ll find ourselves doing the judging. Perhaps you’ve sat yourself right next to somebody else in your mind and done some evaluating on a particular aspect of your life and found yourself to be better or seemingly fall short. I know I’ve done this at times.
Well, what do you do when you’re faced with these situations? The next time that you’re faced with judging or comparison, whether you’re the one doing the judging or others are judging you, remind yourself of the measure of faith. That is your true measure. That is who you are and that is how we see others.
Equal Standing and No Difference in the Family of God
If we really only see the faith of Christ in each other, then go ahead and compare. What does the measure of faith look like next to the measure of faith? 2nd Peter 1:1 in the ESV calls it equal standing. Romans 3:22 and 27 calls it no difference.
It’s upon all that believe. Ephesians 4:7 calls it it’s given to every one of us and that is what we see in other people. Not what they look like or what they wear or the type of house that they live in or what kind of car they drive.
All these things are temporal. We don’t hold anyone to an earthly identity. Our identity is only to be seen as the faith of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 10: Measure and Judgment in Paul’s Ministry
Please turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 and we’ll see this word measure in association with judgment. But specifically in reference to Paul’s ministry as an apostle. Thus far we’ve seen how the measure of faith is the release from worldly judging and comparison.
It’s a release because we have been judged in Christ. The measure of faith is distributed by God Himself and not based on my works. We all have equal standing in the family of God.
Romans 3 details that we didn’t even work to get the faith of Jesus Christ. It was given to us by God. Understanding that it was given by God is so critical because it had nothing to do with any work of our own and it will allow you to withstand any judgment this world can levy against you.
Now we’ll see how the Apostle Paul was being compared and judged with another leader. This leader was in direct opposition. One who was convincing the Corinthians to question Paul’s ministry as an apostle.
Why the Corinthians Questioned Paul’s Apostleship
You see a movement was set in motion among the Corinthians that was questioning Paul’s Apostleship. They were undermining Paul’s ministry as an apostle. In order to make a convincing argument they were judging him by the standard of the flesh as you can see referenced at the beginning of this chapter and in the book of Corinthians.
Some references say that the charge was led by an individual who had brought letters of commendation from some members of the Church of Jerusalem who boasted of his pure Hebrew descent and his special connection with Christ himself. The Corinthians spoke of this individual’s commanding appearance and compared it to the insignificance of Paul’s physical presence. They were comparing Paul to another leader by senses standards and in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 let’s take a look at verse 10.
For his letters say they are weighty and powerful but his bodily presence is weak and his speech is contemptible. And that word contemptible just means that it was of no account. It was nothing to write home about.
That’s what they were saying. Isn’t this interesting that the adversary will always attempt to divide by comparing one person’s ministry with another. To change the focus of your capacity with how it looks with somebody else.
Here Paul was being compared to another leader. This leader Paul calls out as a false apostle. But he would not allow that judgment levied against him to sway his focus on his God-given ministry of an apostle.
Not Boasting Beyond the Measure of the Rule
Look at verse 13. This is what Paul says in opposition to this. But we will not boast of things beyond or without our measure but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us a measure to reach even unto you.
The word without can be better understood as beyond as I read it. He boldly states that he will not boast beyond the measure of the rule that was given to him by God. Something to note here is that this word distributed is the same as dealt in Romans chapter 12 verse 3. The Apostle Paul was so convinced that his ministry as an apostle was given by God just as the measure of faith was given by God as well.
The measure of the rule here is in reference to Paul’s ministry as an apostle that the Corinthians were questioning. Not only were they judging him by the senses, but they were also questioning his calling as an apostle. Paul was living a heavenly calling.
A Heavenly Calling, Not One Self-Made of Works
Not one self made of works. He was living a heavenly calling. Paul didn’t call himself to be an apostle.
It wasn’t self-proclaimed. It was distributed to him according to God’s rule. He was convinced that it came from God just as he was convinced of the measure of faith.
If it came from man, then he probably would have succumbed under scrutiny and judgment. But he knew in the very depth of his soul that God gave him his calling as an apostle and brought him here to Corinth. His measure, his ministry of an apostle reached them at Corinth.
You know what that also means? Paul didn’t live by the approval of man. He didn’t need man’s approval to perform his ministry. It wasn’t given by them.
His approval, his calling, his ministry as an apostle came from God. That was his focus. So the judgment of others didn’t matter.
It didn’t come from letters of commendation of men. Therefore their judging of his apostleship had no effect on him. He understood his true measure.
Two Words for Judging in 2 Corinthians 10:12
With this understanding, let’s take a look at verse 12. And we’ll see how this word measure is used with two different words that mean to judge. One is to judge among and the other is to compare with.
Sometimes others judge us and throw us into the mix and other times we do the judging. For we dare not make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise. The phrase we dare not is a figure of speech irony, which is an expression of thought in the form that naturally conveys its opposite.
It’s not something that’s to make the meaning of this hard to understand, but it’s for the purpose of adding a greater force behind it. So what the Apostle Paul is saying here is that he was far beyond those who thought themselves to be somebodies. Why? Because he understood the measure of his calling in Christ.
His calling of an apostle came from God. He says we dare not make ourselves of the number. There’s one of our words to judge.
To make ourselves of the number, to judge or reckon among is what that means. It means that you don’t even put yourself in that arena. The Apostle Paul is saying I’m so far beyond this to even put myself in where the judging is taking place.
Thrown Into the Arena to Be Judged
At times people will try to throw you in the arena to be judged and other times we’ll be the ones doing the judging. So we dare not make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves. And here’s our other word to judge.
It means to separate distinct things and bring them together and then judge. It comes by placing two distinct separate things next to each other to evaluate. In this case, it’s in reference to comparing two people, two leaders, Paul and this false apostle.
Isn’t this interesting that this is exactly what the Corinthian church was doing with the Apostle Paul and this other leader? They were comparing him, but they were measuring themselves by themselves. So what’s their standard for measuring? Themselves. Well, there’s the five senses approach.
Judging according to an earthly identity and using that as their standard. They compare themselves among themselves. They are judging to evaluate.
Measuring Themselves by Themselves
Two things are happening here. They were measuring and they were comparing with each other and I always thought that these two were synonymous until I recently understood the context of this chapter. What was being measured was Paul’s ministry of an apostle.
Paul says those who do these things are without understanding. Paul says they measure themselves by human self-established measures. By the measure of the rule which God has given me.
Understanding the context we see that this measure is specifically in reference to Paul’s ministry as an apostle. Look at Galatians chapter 2. You know, Paul was so strong in who he was in Christ and his calling as an apostle that making himself of the number was beyond the measure. It made absolutely no sense.
Paul didn’t allow others judgment in comparison to another leader to affect or change his focus on performing his God-given ministry as an apostle. Here in Galatians, we’ll see that we’ve already been judged in Christ and acquitted of any wrongdoing. That’s what it means to be justified and here we’re going to see that we’ve been justified by the faith of Christ.
Galatians 2:16: Justified by the Faith of Jesus Christ
In Galatians chapter 2 and verse 16, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have been, even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ. We’ve been justified by the faith of Jesus Christ.
We have been judged in Christ and acquitted and as we read in Romans chapter 12 and verse 3 that measure of faith was given to you and me. It is interesting as we saw in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 that this word measure is used with this word to judge and it’s also used in the Gospels. These two words are used together.
We have been judged in Christ. That was the final judgment. The measure of who we are is only to be seen in Christ.
So what’s your reaction when you’re judged? How do you respond? It can get personal real quick. But when your heart is firmly fixed in the measure of faith, you will find that the aftershock of emotions subside. They just dissipate.
1 Corinthians 4:3: Paul Would Not Judge His Own Self
Why? Because others judgment of you doesn’t determine your identity. We aren’t to overrule God’s judgment in Christ. Look at 1st Corinthians chapter 4. The Apostle Paul didn’t allow senses judgment to have an effect on him.
This is Paul talking to the Corinthian church who is only walking by their five senses in verse 3. But with me is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man’s judgment. Yea, I judge not mine own self. Paul says I don’t even judge my own self.
Paul would not allow himself to be judged of the Christians in Corinth who are walking by their five senses. If I were to judge you based on what you do for a living or how much money you make, the kind of car that you drive, the kind of house that you live in, your education, how you look, what you eat, the list goes on. All of that is judging by our five senses and is a distraction from seeing people for who they truly are in Christ.
A Heavenly Identity Instead of Earthly Possessions
The world will always endeavor to form and mold your identity to earthly possessions and societal status. But we to a heavenly identity in Christ. You see we’ve already been judged in Christ.
That is what Paul, that’s why Paul would not subject himself to their judgment. He understood that he had the measure of faith. Their senses judging was based on the temporal things of this world.
You know, Paul was so convinced of his ministry of an apostle that he would not allow the judgment, man’s judgment to affect how he could perform his ministry. Paul says that he didn’t even judge himself. Literally, this word means to judge again.
Paul understood that his release from judgment was finished in Christ. Why would he judge again? Oh, and by the way, in case you were wondering, I did eventually get a nice car. So my value as a person went up in the eyes of my colleagues, literally overnight.
The New Car and the Toll Booth Window
The world, as you know, is driven by the senses. Not that we should find that surprising. I kid you not that I was on my way back from picking up that same girl from the airport in my nice new car.
And yes, I was quite confident in my new driver window. And as we approached that toll booth, would you believe it, my window would not roll down. So yes, I was already well-versed in opening my car door and tossing in the coins.
You know, it’s a good thing that I didn’t tie my identity to my car. And she did become my wife. So at the end of the day, she didn’t tie my value to the car either.
You know, that’s a it’s a very simple illustration. But the world will magnify things and possessions to define you. Be alert and watch for it.
Living Judgment-Free in the Family of God
What ought to define us is what we’ve been given by God, the measure of faith. Understanding your measure in Christ will allow you to live judgment-free. Why? Because in the family of God, we are all equal.
And yes, we are all necessary. No one was given any more measure than anyone else. Needless comparisons end when we realize that what God has given us, what God has given us in the faith of Christ.
The point is the foundation of who we truly are is only to be seen in Christ. That’s the true measure of a person. And I don’t care what kind of car you drive, and I do like cars.
But it doesn’t matter. We’ve been given the measure to end all measuring with others. Our ability to believe God is no longer based on our own ability.
The True Measure of a Person
It’s just like Christ. When you realize that the judgment in Christ was the end of all judging, you will start to see the toils of your heart unravel. All the burdens of judging and comparing will become insignificant.
There is simply no need to judge others or compare yourself with them, for we all have the measure of faith. The Apostle Paul wouldn’t accept others’ judgment of him. He understood the measure of faith and the measure of his calling as an Apostle, both of which were given by God.
He wouldn’t even consider being thrown into that arena where people were placing him right next to another leader. It was so far below him to even go there. We too live in the realm of God’s calling and nothing beyond that.
Our true measure is not tied to any earthly identity or anyone’s perception of who we are. Our true measure is only to be seen in Christ.
Key Takeaways
- John 3:34 says God gave Jesus Christ the Spirit without measure, meaning without restriction.
- Romans 12:3 says God dealt to every man the measure of faith, so our ability to believe God is no longer based on our own ability.
- Ephesians 4:7 says the measure of the gift of Christ was given to every one of us, which is why 2 Peter 1:1 calls it equal standing.
- In 2 Corinthians 10 Paul refuses to boast beyond the measure of the rule God distributed to him, or to be judged by the senses.
- Galatians 2:16 shows we have already been judged in Christ and justified by the faith of Jesus Christ.
- Understanding your measure in Christ ends needless comparison, because no one was given any more measure than anyone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the true measure of a person?
It is not an earthly identity, possession or status, but the measure of faith God has given. Romans 12:3 says God dealt to every man the measure of faith, and Ephesians 4:7 says the measure of the gift of Christ was given to every one of us. The foundation of who we truly are is only to be seen in Christ, and that is the true measure of a person.
What does the measure of faith in Romans 12:3 mean?
It means our ability to believe God is no longer based on our own ability. Jesus Christ had the Spirit without restriction, and God took the faith of Jesus Christ, packaged it up and gave it to you and to me. Because it was given by God rather than earned by any work of our own, it will allow you to withstand any judgment this world can levy against you.
How did the Apostle Paul respond when the Corinthians judged him?
He would not put himself into the comparison at all. In 2 Corinthians 10:13 he says he will not boast beyond the measure of the rule which God distributed to him, and in 1 Corinthians 4:3 he says it is a very small thing that he should be judged of man’s judgment. His calling as an apostle came from God and not from letters of commendation of men, so their judging of his apostleship had no effect on him.
Scripture References
John 3:34; Romans 12:3; Ephesians 4:7; 2 Peter 1:1; Romans 3:22; Romans 3:27; 2 Corinthians 10:10; 2 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 10:12; Galatians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 4:3
This text was prepared from the teaching audio. Please verify scripture references against your own Bible.
