Due Diligence

 

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God.

— 2 Corinthians 1:21

 

Many years ago, I worked in healthcare, negotiating contracts. Before recommending that the agency I worked for sign a contract, I had to thoroughly examine each clause to ensure no risk to the company. What I recommended could affect not only the company’s reputation but also its future. I had to perform “due diligence.”

 

Conducting due diligence is always wise before signing a legally binding contract. God also conducts due diligence before choosing whom He will use. If it is sensible to research before entering a contract where someone’s reputation is at stake, how crucial is it for God to endorse someone He can trust not to harm His reputation? God wants us prepared before He places us in a prominent position to represent Him, where many people will see us.

 

What about your life? You may have an incredible vision and yearn for God to use you. Your enthusiasm might drive you to push ahead. However, it is crucial to understand that God isn’t concerned about time. Instead, He places greater importance on your character, integrity, faithfulness, and purity of heart than on time. God considers these essential character qualities when determining if you are ready for a new calling. He won’t promote you until He confirms that you are prepared and capable of handling greater responsibility. 

 

Paul made this clear in 2 Corinthians 1:21, where he wrote, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God.” Will you join me as we dig into this verse? 

 

Consider the word “establishes” in the first part of this verse. It is an old Greek term, “bebaios,” meaning firm, strong, and resolute. Paul asserted that God desires to make us steadfast in our faith, strong in spiritual conflict, and resolute in purpose. He wants us to be committed, unwavering, dependable, and trusting in Him. God is diligently working to establish you.

 

You may not have reached this level of trust yet, but God is actively working to establish you. If you desire God to use you powerfully, you must surrender to His work. Commitment and steadfastness are essential for faithfully remaining diligent in service to God. Anyone who is a leader endures difficult and uncomfortable situations. To effectively represent Him, God needs to be sure that you are someone He can trust and rely on. 

 

There is another significant perspective on the word “bebaios” in 2 Corinthians 1:21. This perspective reveals that God does not touch someone powerfully until He has first performed “due diligence” to ensure that this person is ready for a higher purpose. The Greek term “bebaios” was also used to describe the thorough research involved in verifying a document’s trustworthiness. If those writing or copying documents by hand were not careful, mistakes could occur, and reputations could be at stake. Therefore, it made sense to establish its reliability before someone confirmed a deal. Before God establishes us, He verifies our dependability.

 

Look also at the word “anointed” in 2 Corinthians 1:2. In both the Old and New Testaments, someone “anointed” was ordained by God with the Holy Spirit. When a recipient received an anointing, a person with spiritual authority poured the oil into their hands. Covering their hands with oil, they placed their hands on the recipient and rubbed the oil into the person’s head or skin. The word “anoint” in this verse does not merely describe placing a drop of oil on a person; it represents a hands-on experience of the lavish oil of the Holy Spirit on a recipient’s life. When God anoints you, it is His seal of approval.

 

In 2 Corinthians 1:21, we see that God does not lay His hands on someone to endorse them until He has first determined that the person is trustworthy of His anointing. The moment God lays His hands on someone, the oil is applied to that person’s life with the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s anointing is so holy and sacred that He never lays His hands on someone without proving them worthy of a greater anointing.

 

“You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men,” Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:2. 

 

Your life is an epistle—a living document. God is reading your life to observe how you live, the words you speak, and how you care for others. He is determining if you are ready for a higher level of responsibility. Don’t be shocked if God finds things in your life that need correction. Allow the Holy Spirit to correct those faults so God can use you. Never rush to claim a position you’re not ready for. Take the time to work on anything in your life that might discredit you or put your vision to be used by God at risk. Let God work in your life and establish you. Don’t forget He is more concerned about your character, honesty, and steadfastness than meeting your timeline. 

 

God’s anointing is His seal of approval. Before He gives you more responsibility, He wants to validate that you are ready for a greater anointing in your life. When you have humbled yourself and allowed Him to develop your character, He will exalt you in His time. He will put His hand on you and anoint you for His greater work. 

 

 

www.lynnlacher.com/2025/04/due-diligence.html