Divine Commendation

"For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends." (II Corinthians 10: 18 NIV)

To "commend" means "to represent as worthy, qualified, or desirable; recommend. To express approval of; praise."

Oftentimes, a commendation is a formal acknowledgement of achievement from pleased superiors.

When is it right to commend oneself to another? When is it wrong? What is it that makes something commendable? Obviously, whatever is good and virtuous is commendable, or at least ought to be.

To be commended by men is often a rewarding and uplifting experience. When an employee does a good job, he appreciates being recognized,and praised, and commended by his employer.

In the military, commendations are formalized and do much to enhance promotion and advancement.

But, above all these, is the importance of receiving divine commendation, to hear the Lord say to us - "well done! Good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your Lord." (See Matthew 25: 21-23 KJV)

Paul couples the word "commend" with the word "approved." If the Lord commend a person, it is because he approves that person, and what he is doing.

In thinking upon commendation, we may think upon one's spiritual, moral, or religious resume' before the Lord. For instance, some have said that every Christian ought to ask himself this question - "If I were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me?" Or perhaps we should say - "if I were accused of being a lazy Christian, would there be any evidence I could give to exonerate myself?"

"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." (II Corinthians 10: 12 KJV)

It is not always wrong for one to commend himself. Sometimes, however, one is forced to do so. As a general rule, one should allow others to commend and recommend him, at least verbally. The wise king said - "Let another man praise (or commend) thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." (Proverbs 27: 2 KJV)

When the apostle Paul was forced to give his spiritual resume', his qualifications in Christ's service, he wrote the following.

"Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation (resume's) to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle (of commendation) written in our hearts, known and read of all men." (II Corinthians 3: 1, 2 KJV)

"We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything." (II Corinthians 6: 3-10 NIV)

What a list of qualifications! What a spiritual resume'! What a worthy commendation! What church today would call a pastor who had such a resume' or such qualifications? Why does he not mention his education and religious schooling? Why does he not mention the number of weddings and funerals he has conducted or preached? Why does he not mention how many he has baptized or not mention how many poor he has fed, or not mention how many orphan's home or hospitals he has helped to establish, or other such things?

We ought not to be one who commends himself from absence of commendation and praise from others. If a person is truly doing what is good and commendatory, it will rarely go unnoticed and unrecognized, either by God or by man.

Each one of the items that Paul mentions, are worthy of a more focused study, when it comes to this idea of receiving divine commendation and recognition.

A man's work is his commendation. Look at his product, the work of his hands, the result of his creative labor and talents. Paul told the Corinthian Christians - "you are my work in the Lord." (I Corinthians 9: 1 KJV) They being his work, they were then also his letter of recommendation to any who might inquire about his work in the Lord.

"I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing." (II Corinthians 12: 11 KJV)

This confirms what has been said previously. Paul would not normally be praising himself, or listing his own qualifications, or nominating himself, as it were, for this is contrary to true humility. But, when one is compelled to list their experiences and qualifications, he must do so; And, done at such times, it is no act of pride.

Paul said, more or less, - "my commending myself is something you have forced upon me, for you ought to have done this for me." This clearly implies that Christians ought to be in the business of praising their brothers when they do well, of commending and recommending them, so that they are never forced to have do so on their own behalf.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for...By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God...These were all commended for their faith..." (Hebrews 11: 1, 2, 5, 39 NIV)

God commends faith! He recommends it too! Was this not the way Paul and all the early Christians commended themselves to God and to men? And not by mere mental belief, but by a living faith that is exhibited in good works and discipleship.

"For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God...But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God." (I Peter 2: 19, 20 NIV)

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." (I Peter 1: 7 KJV)

What a spiritual qualification to commend one to the Lord! Perseverence in the faith in spite of all! God takes notice of such faithfulness and loyalty and has promised greater advancement in his kingdom to those who are such.

"And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?" (Luke 16: 1-12 KJV)

There are lots of hard things for Christians to comprehend in such teachings of Christ. Paul had his "hard things" to comprehend, things which he preached and taught (II Peter 3: 15 KJV), and surely the above is one of the "hard sayings" of Christ. Solomon said - "A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised." (Proverbs 12: 8 KJV)

The Lord commends, not the sin and injustice of the embezzling and pilfering servant, but commends his craftiness, his worldly wisdom, his quick thinking, his ability to persevere and survive, "hook or crook," and says that Christians ought to emulate such craftiness in their lives, in their secular affairs, learning how to make use of things without abusing them. Jesus said to his disciples - "be yourselves wise (cunning and crafty) as serpents, yet harmless as doves." (Matthew 10: 16 KJV)

"Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.." (I Corinthians 8: 8 English Standard Version)

Oh how many professing Christians, like so many non-Christian religionists, err in this regard! How many think that diet has something to do with their spirituality and salvation!

"But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." (Romans 2: 29 KJV)

The circumcised heart, the truly spiritual heart and mind, is the heart that seeks the praise of God, his commendation and approval, and not that of men. Here is one way the disciple may discern between the true and the false.

"But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." (II Corinthians 4: 2 KJV)

"And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." (Acts 14: 23 KJV)

"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." (Acts 20: 32 KJV)