2Corinthians 11: 1 – 15

September 27, 2022

Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

I’m always concerned when I hear someone say they follow so-and-so evangelist. The people I have known to do so have been all different ages and both male and female. I always try, very gently to advise them – read the Bible YOURSELF, on your own (there are plenty of good study Bibles available both online and in stores). Reading the Bible (always start with the New Testament – it will help you understand the Old Testament) is one of the ways the Holy Spirit can speak to your heart, soul, and mind and lead you in righteousness. Join an established church, attend every Sunday and go to Bible study classes whenever they are offered.

People who are just beginning their faith journey are not able to discern whether the evangelist they are following is teaching the Gospel Jesus gave us. How can they know what is true and right if they’ve never done the reading on their own? This is also how ‘religious cults’ happen – people with yearning hearts stumble on someone who says they are teaching Jesus but are really teaching their own twisted, disordered hearts – how is a seeker to know? Unless they have done their own homework, their own reading, they are at danger of being misled in serious ways.

Be jealous of the word of God – you want what you learn and practice to be pleasing in His sight. Be mindful. Be wary.

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