What is our “Measure”?

Beloved of God, consider Like 6:38–

“Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold. The MEASURE you use for others is the one that God will use for you.”

Often we quote a particular and very famous Bible verse to highlight the importance of giving. But we tend to ignore the depth of the word “measure” as well as the verses that come after these words of Christ which give them their context. Recall Proverbs 1 where we see the purpose of the Book of Proverbs? One of these is—

“That people may understand a proverb and a figure of speech or an enigma with its interpretation, and the words of the wise and their dark sayings or riddles.” Proverbs‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭

“Give and it shall be given unto you….” — these are the words of Jesus Christ our Wisdom from God. He is the Wise. His words in that passage are a riddle; an enigma, not to be taken at face value alone. Before we address this verse on giving, let’s keep in mind three important questions to ask ourselves concerning these words of the WISE and His dark sayings, bearing in mind that His ways and thoughts are not man’s—

— Who is an evil man? 

— Who is a good man?

— What is the MEASURE with which we are doing our giving? 

Now let’s see Luke 6:38 in its context—

"38 Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold. The MEASURE you use for others is the one that God will use for you.”

"39 And Jesus told them this parable: “One blind man cannot lead another one; if he does, both will fall into a ditch.... 43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

First, let us address the word “measure.” It is very important for us to know what it is because the MEASURE you use for others, God will also use for you. We often think of this word of Christ ONLY in terms of size or quantity. Not so. The word "measure" used by Christ in the passage above is translated from the Greek word "métron" ("standard, measure") which has the following outline of biblical usage as its principal definition—

“measure, an instrument for measuring

1. a vessel for receiving and determining the quantity of things, whether dry or liquid”

HELPS Word Studies describes “measure” as:

"...the controlling basis by which something is determined as acceptable or unacceptable – preeminently rooting to the Lord Himself as His being is the only ultimate measure of truth."

In essence, your “measure” is the container or vessel that determines whether what you give is acceptable or unacceptable. For instance, if you want to give a bowl of home-cooked food to your pastor and your container is dirty and laced with menstruation/sanitary pads, no matter how plentiful your rice is and no matter how often you give it, it is unacceptable; abominable, even. 

Likewise, if your container is clean/good but your rice is plenty or small, it is acceptable. If one expects to receive from God a measure of GOOD for his giving, then his own "measure" had better be GOOD aka acceptable and at the level of the Lord Himself! But Christ says- 

"There is none good but God." 

In fact, His word goes further to tell us that whatever righteous deeds we think we can produce by human effort is like a menstruation rag in His sight—

“We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight." Isaiah 64:6.

If one can boast about the good that he did and expects God to bless him based on his human striving at being good (like God) or obedient, he is merely offering a disgusting and abominable sacrifice. 

Only God is good. There is none righteous like Him. All of mankind have the sin nature by default aka “no good.” Because of Adam’s sin, the measure (container) of every single one of Adam’s descendants was corrupted by the sin nature— 

“By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:19.

From the above, we see that committing acts of sin is not what makes a person a sinner. Adam's sin took care of that for all of his descendants. The sin nature is like HIV. Based on the vagaries of Time and Chance as well as Satan’s sifting, sinners will produce sins just as carriers of HIV will produce symptoms of their infection under adverse conditions. Of ourselves, no one is good; not even Nicodemus at the scene of John 3– even the “holiest” church daddy today cannot match Nicodemus when it comes to obedience and good works but Nicodemus was still “the world” at that point. 

The sin nature is like HIV. Some carriers of the virus look healthier than non-carriers, but their “container” is tainted with the virus. Whatever comes from their “measure” is unacceptable, no matter how good it looks to man. 

Who has the sin nature and thus a corrupted measure that can only produce righteous deeds that are like a menstrual rag in God’s sight? It is the one who does not believe that his righteous deeds done to get into God’s good graces are an abomination to God; the one who does not believe Romans 5:9– 

“And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God." 

The one with the sin nature does not believe that Christ’s shed blood is the only difference between “the righteous” and “the wicked.” He believes that he can be righteous or good (be like God) by his human striving at obedience and via dependence on his knowledge of good and evil— he follows the same seemingly good but deathly doctrine that Satan used to deceive in Eden. This brings to mind the question asked by God Himself in Amos 3–

“Can two walk together unless they are agreed?” 

The one with the sin nature does not agree with God’s word—- “There is none righteous…” He does not agree with Christ who is saying “There is none good but God” and who gave His life to be our Good; our Righteousness. Trusting in the arm of flesh/human effort to become godly (be like God,) often extremely religious and always preaching about the need for man to be godly (be like God) through human striving just as Satan deceived Eve in Eden, church leaders and their followers who carry the sin nature reject God’s gift of righteousness that Christ died for us to freely have and run after their securing their own righteousness by obeying the law and doing “menstrual rag” righteous deeds — refusing to accept God’s Way—- 

“Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in Him are made right with God.” Romans‬ ‭10:1-4‬. 

Beloved of God, the definition of “sinner” or “the wicked” or “the world” whose MEASURE is evil is found in the above passage, beloved— 

“Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.” 

But this is to hard for the prideful who think they can produce an atom of good by themselves to swallow, especially as antichrist pastors present God’s abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ as something that will make believers go on sinning sprees. Some churchgoers are falling for their deceit because, according to human logic, "being saved by God's grace (undeserved, unearned,unmerited favour)" seems like it is too good to be true. Little wonder—

"For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

Beloved, that trust in self for the attainment of good is what opens the door for Satan to sift a person like wheat for the good that he claims to possess when Christ is saying—

“There is none good but God.” 

But for God’s mercy which is still propping such self-righteous up and making many think that they are or can produce as much as an inch of good (be like God) by human effort )as pre-denials Peter before his sifting) when Christ says differently, sinners who have the sin nature will EFFORTLESSLY produce sins based on the vagaries of Time and Chance as well as Satan’s sifting as Peter found out after his copious denials. It is the same way a person with genotype SS will EFFORTLESSLY experience the crisis associated with the condition under adverse conditions. He does not have to force himself or try to experience crises. It is his default mode.

By default or of himself, man’s MEASURE is EVIL, destined to produce only evil and so receive a full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over of EVIL for any work. 

No matter how good or righteous a person thinks he is because of his "good" behaviour, this is how God sees his good works, including giving in order to get God (who gives us all things freely with Christ) to bless:

"We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight." Isaiah 64:6.

That right there is the "measure" of man in God's estimation. As it is with the rest His teaching in the gospels, Christ gives us Luke 6 where He says —

“Give and it shall be given unto you.....The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.”

— He gives us these words to show us the futility of trusting in the measure of human effort/arm of flesh in a bid to get God to bless and to cause us to see our utter need for His saving Grace- undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour. Always, man falls short. No matter how "good" a man's measure seems to be, there is none good but God. And only from good can good proceed. 

Man's measure is evil by default, quite worthless and even dangerous, since "The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.” This is why a seemingly kind boss could reward a hardworking employee with a new vehicle yet the employee crashes the car and even kills himself with his entire family after taking it for dedication in his church. 

This is why phrases such as "Mo ti şe ore dá ràn" aka Yorùbá for "I did good and got into trouble for the good that I did" exist. This is why bad things seem to happen to "good" people.

This is why some who indulge in that horrid "trade-by-barter" and "menstrual rag" abomination of "giving" in order to get from God who gives us all things FREELY with Christ (Romans 8:32); this is why such can donate money so that God can give them a job and then, the stress and "opportunities" available at that job contributes to almost taking their life. This happened to yours truly. Before Grace found me, I foolishly thought that it was my measly 10k employment agency service fee that I "gave to God"- the same God who gives us ALL things FREELY with Christ, that made Him bless me with a job! May the Lord open our eyes to see Grace aka undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour. Beloved, in Christ, God blesses, gives us an abundance of Grace (unmerited favour) to give and to do exploits, then rewards His children in Christ for the giving which He gave us Grace to do to begin with. This is His Way. Christ all the way, so no one can boast that "I sowed my car and got a jet"!

Beloved, Christ is the only GOOD Measure. The difference between good people/Christians and evil people/"the world" - it is not the amount of sins a person is committing or human moral standards aka "measures." 

CHRIST who SAVES FROM SINS is the ONLY difference.

The morality, diligence and generosity of some atheists and non-Christians aka "the world" will put many churchgoers to shame. Just attempt to steal something from any market in "the world" and see what the world will do to you. Try to commit murder, dishonour your parents, commit adultery, covet, bear false witness, and you will see what the majority of "the world" aka non-Christians, many of whom are pretty religious, will do to you. 

Satan is the ruler of this world, beloved. The way of the world is to strive to be good (be like God) by keeping the law which gives the knowledge of good and evil. It is why sin (and Christ very thing that follows it— sickness, lack, depression and suicidal thoughts as it was with Judas, etc) has dominion over many in the church—

“For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace.” Romans 6:14.

But this verse is taught in reverse in many places of worship. The system of the world, even its courts, is based on following the knowledge of good and evil (law) and obeying its demands for morality/righteousness; its measure of giving or doing anything that is deemed good is based on HUMAN EFFORT aka the arm of flesh - the same system that Satan sold to Eve in Eden. She and Adam used their "measure" to try to attain to good (be like God) and for their efforts,  they received "a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold" of sin and death. Only the Good can produce good/godliness. And there is none good but God.

But see God's Way for us to attain to His definition of GOOD/RIGHTEOUS and HIS Measure Who causes us to receive from God the GOOD version of "a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold" which He freely gives to us in Romans 5:9-

"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God." 

This is the only MEASURE; the only brand of "good/righteous" that is acceptable to God and for all who believe and receive Him, Christ has become our Measure. Our Standard. Only the one who agrees with God by acknowledging that of himself, his measure is so rotten and neither produced good nor "play his part" but looks to Christ as His utter Righteousness and Strength; his MEASURE,  only this one is good like God. Recall:

"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Recall:

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

With Christ as our Good and our Measure, stopping our silly efforts to save ourselves from sin and trusting in Christ and His finished work which has made all who believe Him as white as snow before God, we have become good like God. Whatever we do, whether it is praying, GIVING, evangelising, driving, breathing, everything- we knows that it is Christ our Lord and our God who came down from heaven to live in us that is doing it all, so by Grace alone, we cannot boast in that horrid “trade by barter” abomination way that is common to the world—

“I sowed my car and got a jet.” 

We cannot counsel anyone in that horrid — "God will not come down from heaven to type for you and bathe your kids and  play your part" — manner. He did come down. Christ lives in us. We no longer live. For all the exploits that we get to do in His name which the world can see, we cannot boast in that horrid "I sowed my car and God gave me a jet" manner. Christ who does it all in us, through us and for us gets all the glory. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. 

Beloved, by God's Grace, we give through Christ THE Source of Good knowing that "It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me" and so get to receive the GOOD version of the "full measure, shaken together, pressed down and running over" that Christ promises to all who believe in Him. It is impossible for those whose works, including giving, are driven by the flesh/human effort aka doers of dead works to deceive themselves in this matter: 

if we knew and believed that it is Christ in us doing our good works and godly living and not our own might and power, it would be difficult for us to point accusing fingers at others who are still struggling with sin or lacking in good works and threaten them with judgment if they don't change. Rather, we would see how helpless man is to overcome sins and produce good works and like Moses who pointed the suffering Israelites to the bronze serpent, point such to Christ who saves from sins and transforms the sinner who truly believes to live right and bear much fruit, as it is written of Him in Titus 2:14--

"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."

Beloved, know that apart from Christ, our own human measure falls short and can only yield evil, no matter how sinless a person's life seems to be. God loves a cheerful giver so He makes a cheerful giver. So ask Him to show you True Grace today.

Beloved, let's look away from self and trust in Christ as our Good and our Measure who yields the good version of "a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold" for us. Only then can we live and give right. 

The blind cannot lead the blind. A "no good" person cannot offer anything good to another "no good" person. Only an abundance of evil proceeds from here. Both will fall inside a ditch. Had a "kind" stranger attempted to help the prodigal son by giving him help when he was being child-trained in the pig-pen, he would have delayed remembering the goodness of the Father. Beloved, see the Father’s love for you and I at the cross which makes Romans 8:32 our lifestyle in Christ—

“He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

All things, beloved. And Freely. But the way some “men of God” present this our loving Heavenly Father will make even an earthly court of law charge Hom with child abuse! Once the pastor of a church I used to attend told me to give money so that my own Heavenly Father who gave His own Son to die for me can bless me with a job. Like me and my “menstrual rag” 10k payment to God in exchange for a job, the job might come IN SPITE OF the “menstrual rag” giving, never BECAUSE OF it— the same way this our loving God of all Grace (undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour) brought water out of the ROCK for the thirsty and rebellious Israelites despite Moses’ disobedience. Because my trust in self continued after I got the job, it came with full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over of wahala. The measure was the sin nature. Thank God for His saving Grace. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing, not even give. 

Believer, there is no good in man of himself. Christ is our Good. Our Measure. By God's Grace, let's keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, knowing and believing even as we produce an abundance of good works,  that it is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure. He gets all the glory. In Christ, there is no escaping His goodness and mercy. 

Beloved of God, God loves a cheerful giver so He makes cheerful givers of His children. For every demand, Christ is the Supply. So ask of Him in Jesus' name. He will shock you with your (His, actually) willingness and ability to give.

When your believing is right, right living will follow.