Do Your Own Work

Romans 15:17-29

Several years ago, in Temple Baptist Church, a well known “evangelist” told the church that they should send their tithes to him because he won more people to Christ than any church he knew of. Bro. Goldman, the pastor, confronted him about his comments and did not have him back for any more revivals. After all, the Bible teaches that the tithe is to be brought to the church.

More importantly, the evangelist did not win all those souls. People in the church witnessed to them, lived a godly example before them and brought them to the church. In effect, they plowed the ground, planted the seed, watered it, and pulled the weeds. He just harvested the crop when it was ready. The souls that were saved were the result of the church’s labors, not of his. They would have probably been saved whether he came or not.

In I Corinthians 3:6-8 Paul talks about recognizing where the rightly belongs. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.”

It was this confidence that God was aware of what he’d done that enabled Paul to endure his tribulation without quitting, as he explained in II Timothy 1:12. “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” He was also very aware that no matter how much effort he put forth, the only results of any value came from God.

“I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” (Romans 15:17-19)

Paul doesn’t consider even his own accomplishments as of particular importance, though others might well be impressed by them. Even they are the result of God’s enabling. He is especially concerned that he not take credit for some one else’s efforts. Because he has gone where there was no one else to take responsibility, he has not been free to go to other areas. The ministry he had took precedence over any personal desires or benefit, and he would not neglect it even to preach in the church at Rome. We need that same commitment to the job God has given us.

“Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand. For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.” (Romans 15:20-22)

Both Mark 9:33-42 and Mark 10:35-45 record a competitive spirit between the apostles as to who would be the greatest. Jesus made it very clear both times that the competitive spirit was carnal. It is that same carnal spirit that leads us to compare each other’s ministries. As a result, Christians often exaggerate their successes and minimize their failures.

Working with the Navajo Indians, I was troubled by the missionaries who would have notify each other of special events so they could bring their churches and make a good show when they had visiting preachers, or claim each other’s works while on deputation. It was especially frustrating to read a missionary letter claiming the church I was pastoring as the work of a man I’d never met. In at least two cases where similar claims were made, support to the missionaries who were actually doing the work was dropped because the one making the claims was such a great missionary that he would never lie. Paul was concerned that he never get caught up in this carnal attitude. He goes into even more detail in II Corinthians.


“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.

But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” (II Corinthians 10:12-18)

If we look at Jeremiah’s ministry by most modern standards, he was total failure. He preached for nearly thirty years and no one acted on his preaching. They came to listen and then did the opposite. John Maxwell says that if no one follows you are not a leader. Romans 14:4 asks, “Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth.” When we read Jeremiah 7:27, we find that this is exactly what God said would happen. “Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.” Jeremiah did exactly as he was told, and had exactly the results God expected. It wasn’t his fault no one listened. He did what he was supposed to.

Understanding that any judgment by others is based on a carnal idea of what we should do, Paul chose to ignore man’s approval or censure. The only valid judgment is by God. I Corinthians 4:3-5 states’ “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

We are not even qualified to judge ourselves, and thus should not beat ourselves up when we don’t measure up to what we think should have been done, except when we haven’t done what we knew we should. If others think we are failures or forget, we can depend on God to remember, and to make a valid judgment. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Hebrews 6:10) Galatians 6:7 warns, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” God isn’t fooled by lies.