The Potter and the Clay - Part 2

Just going back to the posting about the Potter and the clay – it is interesting to note this about the Greed word dokimos, which was stamped on the bottom of pots that had gone through the fire without cracking and were now “approved” for use by the master potters.

"Proved" ("approved," NKJV) comes from the Greek word dokimos, meaning "stood the test; tested to be trustworthy; of sterling worth, like metal which is cleansed of all alloy." Dokimos or one of its forms describes the successful testing of precious metals and coins, as well as the approval of the tested objects as genuine.

…and this from Donald Grey Barnhouse:

"In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no papermoney. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into moulds and allowed to cool. When the coins were cooled, it was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft, and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens to stop the practice of whittling down the coins then in circulation. But some money-changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money; they were men of honour who put only genuine, full-weight money into circulation. Such men were called dokimos, and this word is used here for the Christian as he is to be seen by the world." (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans: God's Glory, p. 18.)

This word dokimos is used 7 times in the New Testament:

Romans 14:18 He who serves Christ in this way is acceptable and pleasing to God and is approved by men. (Amp.)

Paul is speaking about Believers who truly live by following Kingdom pronciples of righteousness, peace and joy.

Romans 16:10 Greet Apelles, that one tried and approved in Christ (the Messiah)…(Amp.)

We don’t know much about Apelles – just that His faith was tested and proved. Some say that he was the bishop of Smyrna or Heraclea. (A.D. 55.) There is no better statement you can make of a Believer’s life than this.

1 Corinthians 11:19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized! (NLT)

Paul is correcting the behavior of the Corinthian church. In doing so, he points out that divisions within the Church will allow those of genuine faith to rise to the top – those who are pure will be recognized in the mist of strife.

2 Corinthians 10:18 It isn’t the person who promotes himself or herself who is approved but the person whom the Lord commends. (CEB)

This is a great verse to follow the previous use of the word dokimos. We cannot proclaim dokimos over ourselves – it is the Lord who must approve of us.

2 Corinthians 13:7 You should be looking at yourselves to make sure that you are really Christ’s. It is yourselves that you should be testing, not me. You ought to know by this time that Christ is in you, unless you are not real Christians at all. And when you have applied your test, I am confident that you will soon find that I myself am a genuine Christian. I pray God that you may find the right answer to your test, not because I have any need of your approval, but because I earnestly want you to find the right answer, even if that should make me no real Christian. For, after all, we can make no progress against the truth; we can only work for the truth. (J. B. Phillips)

This is the best translation of this verse I could find. I included the context – verses 5-8. Again there were things in the Corinthian Church that were out of order. Paul is calling in the Church to test themselves and test the truth of their faith – he was very confident that the truth would prevail and stand up to any test and true faith would finally be approved.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth. (Amp)

What a great challenge Paul issues to all of us – to be students of the Word – allowing the truth to purify and refine our lives.

James 1:12 Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial {and} stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test {and} been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

the apostle is saying that the man who overcomes trials becomes a man of sterling worth and emerges strong and pure spiritually.