2 CORINTHIANS 11:1-6 [GAINING PERSPECTIVE Series]
THE DECEIVER'S DECEPTION
If you were a Christian minister, how would you convince your congregation that you really loved them and that you were authentic in your leadership? Paul compares himself to a father caring for his children. They were his beloved children and he wanted the very best for them. This was evident from the start. He had preached them the true gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone as the only way to salvation.
His leading them to follow Jesus should have been enough but false teachers caused them to doubt Paul's authenticity [credentials] and thus also what he taught. Paul therefore must put forth his case in a matter that he knows opens him up to the charge of boasting. He had just taught that it is not self-commendation but the commendation of God standing with one which show one approved. But he must go on and help them remember his ministry of love and care with them (CIT).
I. BEAR WITH ME, 1.
II. THE DECEIVER'S DECEPTION, 2-4.
III. SKILLED IN KNOWLEDGE NOT DECEPTION, 5-6.
In verse 1 Paul asks his readers to put up with some foolish boasting. “I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me.”
Paul asks the Corinthian believers to bear with him as he talks a little foolishness. In other words, Paul felt foolish rehearsing his work and his credentials as a preacher of the gospel (11:16-21 ). What the apostle has to do is repugnant to him, yet it was necessary. Some times though legitimate self-vindication is demanded by circumstances. Paul is motivated by a troubled loving concern for the spiritual welfare of his children in Christ. He speaks about himself in order to counteract the in-roads of the intruders who have been boasting about themselves. Paul needs their continued attention that he might lead them back to the way of Christ [that he established and not for his own glory].
II. THE DECEIVER'S DECEPTION, 2-4.
Paul depicts himself as a father (1 Cor. 4:14-15) and the Corinthians as his daughter who is being prepared for marriage in verses 2-4. Listen to his godly jealously for them in verse 2. “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.”
[“For indicates the reasons they need to bear with him.] Paul addresses the Corinthian church as a bride he has engaged to Christ.] The word betrothed [hērmosamēn ] is literally “fit together” and was used in classical Greek of a carpenter jointing wood together, of fitting clothes or armor together, and of arranging music. Paul sees his travail in bringing them to new birth in Christ the same way a parent looks at their children. He is responsible for their up-bringing and is jealousy of what they do with their life because he wants them to be pure because of the worthy one with whom they are betrothed. Engagement is an intimate and sacred relationship because of the great promise of future relationship it holds. This betrothal was to one husband to whom they should be preparing themselves to be married. The word one stresses that their relationship must be exclusive for it is no ordinary man but the Divine Christ.
Paul paints the scene of a father walking his beloved daughter down the isle on her wedding day. He is a father who lovingly and caringly seeks to nurture and mature his daughter (the Corinthians) so as to someday present her as a faithful, pure and undefiled virgin to a husband (Christ). This would not be easily accomplished because of the immoral religiously pagan society in which the Corinthians lived and the false teaching they were presently receiving.
Dear friend there is a great day of marriage that the Holy Spirit is preparing us for as we live our daily life. On that great day of the Marriage Feast of the Lamb we will be presented to our Betrothed, the Lord Jesus Christ! He will be ours and we will be His through out all eternity. Because we have that great expectation we purify ourselves to be pure even as He is pure (1 Jn 3: ). [The church is depicted as Christ’s bride in Eph. 5:23-32; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2.]
In verses 3 & 4 we learn that the Corinthians are in danger of being seduced by persons who would lure them away from the gospel and thus from their original commitment to Christ. Though they thought otherwise, they were in peril. In verse 3 we find that the tragedy of Eden was ominously close to re-enactment. “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”
Though many members in the church thought otherwise, they were in real danger. The church's precarious situation is compared to that of Eve’s down fall. Instead of resisting they were in grave danger of being seduced into unfaithfulness, or disobedience by the serpent like imposters who had invade the Church. Like the serpent enticed Eve through “his craftiness” [cunning or trickery - panourgia] so the devil's human representatives were beguiling the minds of believers in Corinth. These people cast doubt on God’s promises and Paul’s apostolic authority.
Satan focuses his attack on the mind. He attempts to get us to listen to his lies and then accept them. He thus first must get us to doubt God's Word (Gen 3:1-5) so he can substitute his lie.
Paul wanted the Corinthians to remain simply and purely devoted to Christ. Simplicity is literally unfolded. It is being completely open to God. It is simply saying what You Lord want is what I want. [MaClaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scriptures. Corinthians, Vol 14. 1978. Baker Book House. Grand Rapids, MI. p. 65]
Keep Christ first in our lives can be difficult if we let distractions threaten to side track us. Just as Eve lost her focus by listening to the serpent. We too can be led astray by becoming over busy and confused. Is their anything in you life that is distracting your pure devotion to Christ? Anything that is weakening your commitment or keeping you from being completely open before God? God wants simple single-minded love for Christ. Don't be deceived by other distractions or voices.
In verse 4 we learn that Paul’s rivals have “come” to Corinth from elsewhere and that they are winning a following for a different gospel. “for if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.”
False teachers came and preached another Jesus than the One who is the sinless only begotten Son of God, co-equal with God who died for the sins of the world, who rose again in three days and ascended into Heaven. They taught a spirit of bondage to outmoded ordinances and the spirit of the world (Romans 8:15, Gal. 2:4, 4:24; Col 2:2-4) and not the Spirit of liberty (3:17; Gal 2:4), the Spirit of love, joy and peace (Gal. 5:22), the Spirit of holy power (2 Tim. 1:7; Eph. 3 :20; Col 1: 1). They preached a different Gospel that turning, repenting, from attempting to gain you salvation by dead works and trust in Jesus alone and not yourself, the church or anyone or any other way.
These false teachers distorted the truth about Jesus and ended up preaching a different Jesus, a different spirit than the Holy Spirit, and a different gospel than God's way of salvation. Because the Bible is God's infallible Word, those who teach anything different from what is says are both mistaken and misleading.
The Corinthian believers fell for smooth talk and messages that sounded good and seemed to make sense. Today there are many false teachings that seem to make sense. Don't believe someone simply because he or she sounds like an authority or says words you like to hear. Search the Bible and check his or her teachings against God's Word. The Bible should be your authoritative Guide. Don't listen to any "authoritative preacher" who contradicts God's Word.
Don't think that a different Jesus, and a different way of salvation are not still being preached today. The 2001 study released by the Barna Research Group reports 57% of Baptists believe Jesus was not sinless and 66% do not believe Satan is a real being. Friends it is difficult to believe Christ was not sinless and still be an authentic Christian.
Americans who say their faith is very important in their lives, believe they have a responsibility to witness to non-Christians, acknowledge the existence of Satan, contend that eternal salvation is possible only through God's grace and not good deeds, believe that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth, and describe God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today make up only 8% of the adult church population and 14% of Baptists. Yes another gospel is very prevalent today.
III. SKILLED IN KNOWLEDGE NOT DECEPTION, 5-6.
In verse 5 Paul sarcastically references the “preeminent apostles”who were trying to turn the church community against him. “For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.”
Paul’s opponents at Corinth had an inflated opinion of themselves. They called themselves apostles and pretentiously claimed a status superior to Paul’s. It is seems that these rivals are the “false apostles” mentioned later, whom Paul further describes as Satan’s ministers disguised as ministers of Christ in verses 13-15.
[Whether Paul is referring to these false apostles claiming association to the original twelve or referring to their own self-description as the most eminent apostles we cannot be certain. Yet it is doubtful that the fisherman Peter was more skilled in rhetoric than Paul (v.6). But this issue is clear,] these false apostles were claiming superiority to Paul. they may have been more eloquent speakers, but they spoke deceptively because they were influenced by Satan.
Paul’s pastoral abilities did not meet the standards of some in Corinth. Verse 6, “but even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.”
Paul's answers the accusation bought against him by the invading rival apostles. [“Untrained” (idiōgtēgs, Gk., the origin of the English word “idiot”) originally meant a private person. It later referred to an unskilled person or one without professional training. ] Skill in rhetoric and philosophy was appealing to the Greek mind. But Paul knew that their hearts were darkened by sin. That professing to be wise they were fools for it is the word of the Cross and the resurrection that is the wisdom and power of God unto salvation for every believing heart.
Paul says that whatever deficiencies he might have in style as a speaker he had no inadequacies in true knowledge. He knows by the inner witness of the Holy Spirit that knowledge is found in the true revelation of Jesus Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). The false teachers in Corinth may have had training, and even knowledge, but Paul possesses the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 1:5; 2:2).
Too many people today care more about appearance and how they speak than what they are saying. In all our teaching and preaching, content is far more important than presentation. A simple, clear presentation that helps our listeners understand is what we should be after even as we delve into the incredible depths of the mysteries of God.
In CLOSING
The Corinthians had left their first love and were no longer following Christ with single-hearted devotion. They wanted easy listening instead of solid Christian knowledge. They wanted sermons to be enjoyable instead of being full of Holy Spirit power. It was not so not much that they turned against Paul, but that they had turned away from Christ. We need a living faith founded upon the truth of the Gospel instead of emotional fervor and religious participation. Matter is more important than manner or style.
Does your life exhibit the fact that you are betrothed to Christ? Is Christ the one you are faithful to and the One you are trying to please? Is your relationship growing more satisfying or is it distant? Do you have an intense relationship with Him or a sporadic one? Do you live like one betrothed to the sinless Son of God who loved you so much that He died for you that He might save your life?
Dear Lord, thank You that You are the answer to all the challenges we have in life, most especially our sin. I surrender to You now and ask You to have Your way in me, that You may be glorified. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
