Written ~ 09-09-2024
Read 2 Corinthians Chapter Eleven
2 Corinthians 11
For today’s Bible Study I will be using both the New Living Translation (NLT) and The Message (MSG). By using both translations, my hope is that it brings better understanding to what Paul is talking about in this chapter and hopefully to better help us apply his message to our own lives.
2 Corinthians 11:1-3… (NLT and MSG combo)
1 “I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me. The thing that has me so upset is that I care about you so much – this is the passion of God burning inside me! 2 I promised you as a pure bride to one husband – Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent – you are being lured away from the simple purity of your love for Christ.”
Paul was greatly worried that the believers in Corinth were being led astray by so-called “preachers” and “apostles.” He even risked sounding like a fool when he spoke to the people with such openness and deep love for them. But he had to warn them about the possibility of being led astray.
2 Corinthians 11:4 (NLT)…
4 “You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.”
This a rampant problem for us today. There are so many “voices” to listen to now-a-days, and if you are not staying plugged into the Bible, you will not know what the actual truth is or what is a cunning, deceptive lure from the enemy of God. The message these believers were listening to sounded great because the “preachers” used eloquent words and spoke in such a way that it greatly impressed them. Paul is pointing out with a huge warning, to beware of beautiful speech and alluring mannerisms before you get sucked into a world view that is NOT Scriptural. Would you know if someone was preaching a “different Jesus?” Would you recognize a “spirit of the world” posing as the Spirit of the Lord? Would you realize a “gospel message” being taught was not actually from the Bible? These few reasons are why the study of God’s Word is so important to the Born-Again believer. Look what Paul said… “You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you…” Have we become so desensitized that we don’t realize that what we are listening to or possibly reading isn’t even from the Spirit of the Lord? Is it possible we dismiss the truth with what is pleasing to our ears?
It is our responsibility to test what we hear, what we read, what we believe in… because if we don’t, we can easily be led astray.
In the next couple of verses Paul compares himself to these so-called “apostles.” He is trying to show us how we tend to be distracted by the glitz and glamour of things rather than the plain ole truth given to us in a simple and stripped-down manner.
2 Corinthians 11:5-6 (MSG)…
5 “But if you put up with these big-shot “apostles,” why can’t you put up with simple me? I’m as good as they are. 6 It’s true that I don’t have their voice, haven’t mastered that smooth eloquence that impresses you so much. But when I do open my mouth, I at least know what I’m talking about. We haven’t kept anything back. We let you in on everything.”
Paul was knowledgeable in the Scriptures, when he became a believer and follower of Jesus Christ his life was radically changed. Paul’s never-ending pursuit was to have a deeper relationship with Christ and spread the truth of who Jesus is to everyone. So, when he opened his mouth to speak, it was the boldness of the Gospel message that came pouring out. But it came pouring out in a simple, truthful way, not with a lot of bells and whistles to catch the attention of would be converts.
What way of hearing the Gospel message better suits you? What catches your attention? Are you all about big, impressive words and listening only to the things you want to hear? Or would you rather hear the truth of the Scriptures, learn who Jesus is and be convicted of your sin? When a “preacher” or “apostle” has to use tactics to impress, more than likely they are trying to fill your heart and mind with their own agenda and not the truth of the Bible.
In verses 11:7-11 Paul begins talking about how he never imposed his right to ask for money when he was ministering at the church in Corinth. He received gifts from the churches in Macedonia and from friends who would come to visit, his needs were met without having to put a strain on the Corinthian believers. He wanted to set himself apart from the imposter “preachers and apostles” whose main goal was to be paid for their lofty speeches.
1 Corinthians 11:12-15 (NLT)…
12 “But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. 13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.”
Did you catch what Paul is talking about in these verses? Verse 11:14, “…Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” That’s why it can be so easy to be led astray! If we see or hear something that’s a little too good to be true, it might just be the disguise Satan is using to draw you in. Our enemy will use just enough truth to hook your attention. That’s why, and I can’t reiterate this enough… we must be in our Bibles, studying, learning, making sure we are able to distinguish Satan’s lies mixed in with that little bit of truth. The enemy will use people and “stuff” to lure you away from being in the Word of God. What they present sounds fun, exciting and soon enough, their influence has brought you to a place where going to church, reading your Bible and fellowshipping with other believers is a thing of the past. In 1 Corinthians 16:13 it says, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.” When we have the Word of God leading the way through this tricky life… you’ll begin to see more and more how knowing the Scriptures will keep you from being duped by the enemy time after time. To be on guard means we must be attentive, we should be watching out for the enemy to strike. Our faith in the Lord is what helps us get through every tough situation. When we feel the pressures of life coming in on us, we can lean on the Lord just that much more. Being courageous and strong creates a barrier around our lives so we are no longer push overs for the next best thing to come along. And love, the love of the Lord that pours out of us, as believers, will extinguish those fiery darts aimed at our lives.
Paul knew what he was talking about, he was under constant attack. Whether it was from the words used to discredit his authority, or the actual threats on his life. Look at the list of what Paul endured for standing firm in his faith and the Word of God! (1 Corinthians 11:23-27)
- Put in prison more often than others
- He was whipped so many times it’s without number
- Faced death again and again
- Five different times he received 39 lashes
- Three times he was beaten with rods
- He was stoned once, left for dead
- Three times he was shipwrecked
- Once he spent a whole day and night adrift at sea
- He faced danger everywhere he went
- He worked hard with many sleepless nights
- He’s been hungry, thirsty, cold
You and I may never face any of these types of situations. And maybe that’s why it’s so easy for us to drift away from the Lord. Sure, we have our difficulties, troubles and trials are always going to be a part of life while we live on this earth. But to persevere through what Paul endured. He was determined to reach as many people for Christ as humanly possible. No matter what came of his own body, he was determined to tell everyone the Good News of Salvation in Jesus.
Then Paul goes on to say, that even through all the brutal punishment he went through in his body, he also had the burden of the churches he ministered to…
2 Corinthians 11:28-29 (MSG)…
28-29 “And that’s not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches. When someone gets to the end of his rope, I feel the desperation in my bones. When someone is duped into sin, an angry fire burns in my gut.”
Paul’s concern and burden for those he brought to Christ weighed heavy on his mind. Especially when he gets word that they are falling into sin when corruption begins to worm its way into the church. But with all the opposition Paul faced, he never quit. He never stopped pushing forward, he never stopped leaning on the Lord, even with everything he went through.
I have said it before that we have an incredible example in Paul. When we look at his life and the difficulties he had to endure but kept pushing forward, we need to take the same stance as he did… never give up, never give into the lure of the enemy and our attention must always be placed on Jesus and only Jesus.
~AMEN~