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Gullibility
2 Corinthians 11
Pastor Tom Fuller
The old saying goes: “you can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time.” Some people are gullible by nature – some people are gullible through their desires and weaknesses. The Corinthians really wanted to be “with it” to be “cool” and “with the times” of their society. Instead of wanting to be like God they wanted to emulate the society around them.
That can happen to us as well – and as we look at chapter 11 of 2nd Corinthians, Paul takes them to the task for being so gullible.
1 I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that.
Paul hoped that the Corinthians themselves would realize how empty the teachings of the false apostles was, but since they didn’t, he felt he needed to defend his credentials.
2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
Paul didn’t want to be embarrassed on the day of the great wedding feast of the Lamb.
3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Satan attacked what Eve thought about God. Spiritual warfare begins with the thoughts – after they are won over, then actions will follow away from sincere and pure devotion to Jesus.
The battle ground for the mind! Who are you listening to?
4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
3 things: a different Jesus, spirit, and gospel
Mirrors Galatians 1:6-9 (read it)
5 But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." 6 I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.
We don’t know what different gospel it was these guys preached. Some feel it was the same doctrine as was given to the Galatians – but Paul never refers to the law in 2 Corinthians.
It could have been that through credentials, oratory, and special spiritual powers (12:1,12) that they claimed to be just as good as Paul. The focus of the Christian life shouldn’t be to have the coolest leaders or the most hip church – but to do the work of God.
7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?
In the Corinthian (and Greek) culture – you judged the worth of a speaker by how much they charged. If someone spoke for free – they were judged “cheap” and worthless. Speakers of the day also had “patrons” or “sponsors.” And when they spoke they would make sure to say things that the sponsor would want to hear.
Now, of course, we don’t have that kind of thing happening today – nothing like sponsorships or altering the message so as to not offend the sponsor? We do, actually. We see it everywhere and its really what our entertainment industry is based on.
Paul didn’t want to be misunderstood. Even though he could have been paid (Jesus said it was okay) he chose to earn his own money to support his ministry. It’s called being bivocational – and there’s nothing wrong with it. Paul was judged for it. We need to make sure we don’t judge the value of a message by how much it cost or whether the speaker is sponsored or not!
Not only that, but Paul used support from other churches so as not to burden the Corinthians:
8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.
Why did Paul do it this way? I think partly because of the culture that existed there in Corinth. It was a very cosmopolitan atmosphere, very hip, very eclectic. I think Paul didn’t want the message of the gospel to blend in with everything else cultural that was going on there – he wanted it to stand out.
Yet here come these other guys who denigrate Paul for doing just that and say “his message shouldn’t be listened to because he doesn’t fit in with the way things are done around here.”
So I think by now Paul has had quite enough with these guys – he really lets loose with the strongest words so far in this letter:
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
So Paul calls them three things: “false apostles” – not having the true authority to be an apostle. You can figure out who a false teacher is when they start running down other Christian teachers.
Second: “deceitful workers” – their motives are self seeking. They sought authority in order to take advantage and bilk money from the people. They didn’t have the good of the people in mind, but their own good. You can spot a deceitful worker by getting a read on their motivations. This also speaks to the fruit. If the results of their ministry is causing division – purposefully causing a dividing of the body of Christ, look out. That’s not to say that division won’t happen – it just does when people are putting their eyes on man or on themselves instead of the Lord.
Third he calls them “masquerading as apostles of Christ.” The word “masquerade” means to “transfigure or disguise.” Like wearing a Halloween mask, on the outside you look like one thing – but on the inside is quite another. In this case its like a reverse Halloween – on the outside these men looked like real apostles – but inside they were servants of Satan.
So the final thing is to look at the message – test it to see if it reflects the true gospel of Jesus Christ. How do you do that?
1 John 4:1-3 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
So – Do they support Biblical Christianity, what are their motives and the results of their ministry, and is the message conform to the true gospel of Jesus?
Bottom line: you can make a judgment on those purporting to be ministers of the gospel based on these criteria.
So now Paul compares himself to these false apostles – they had gotten the best references, the best “credentials” and the best recommendations – but what they didn’t do was give their lives totally in service of Christ.
It’s a repeating theme through this book that outward signs of success do not equal true spiritual authority or the true work of God’s Spirit in the hearts of men.
16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast.
Paul is not one to boast about what he’s done. And, in fact, boasting about your accomplishments can lead to pride and focusing on yourself instead of the Lord.
Jeremiah the prophet said: Jeremiah 9:23-24
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.
So boasting is twofold – one: “I know God on a personal basis – I have a relationship with Him” and two: “Isn’t He wonderful?”
BUT – since the Corinthians were so enamored with people who boast about themselves – he will act like a fool and lower himself to their level so as not to endanger the turning away from the gospel.
But as we get into Paul’s “boast” it takes a surprising turn.
Next – watch Paul’s sarcasm:
19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!
“Too weak” sarcastically. Too weak to take advantage of them. The words used here “take advantage” are the words used to describe how an animal devours its prey – and paint the picture of a hunter looking to bait his prey. The false apostles were looking for people who were gullible enough to believe anything they said.
We’ve got to stop being impressed by powerful people – people who “push” themselves on us. Look at what they say about God and what they say about themselves.
So here is Paul’s boast:
What anyone else dares to boast about-I am speaking as a fool-I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more.
Apparently these men were Jews – Paul agrees with them on that, but as for whether they are “servants of Christ” Paul doesn’t necessarily agree with that at all.
Now look how he boasts – he boasts in the very things the false apostles were using as criticism.
I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
Wow. Do you get the feeling that Paul had had some tough times? His opponents were saying that all of Paul’s troubles showed that God couldn’t be in what he was doing – that outward circumstances should be indicative of inward favor or disfavor towards God.
Simply not true, says Paul. I really feel for Paul as I read the list – don’t you? Imagine yourself going through the things he did. Maybe you yourself have gone through tough times – do you find yourself doubting whether God is with you?
Now, if you suffer because you have sinned – then you’re just getting the consequences of your actions. But other than that – if the Apostle Paul endured such hardship and ridicule and pain – and BOASTED about it – the things that showed his “weakness” then who are we to judge ourselves?
I remember the song: “Let the weak say I am strong, and let the poor say I am rich because of what the Lord has done.”
Why does this matter? Because its not about us – its about Him. That’s the single most important thing you can get out of this study. This is the mistake of humanity and the error of Lucifer – who thought it was all about him.
Jesus said: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many.” Even Jesus came to do the Father’s will and to give the Father glory and to serve man – even though they would spit on Him and beat Him and ridicule Him and eventually reject and crucify Him.
31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.
Paul knows that one day the truth will come out – and that’s true to us as well. Eventually our true motives will be revealed – so why not serve now and ask God to purify our motives now?
So Paul ends the chapter with a bit of a biographical note:
32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.
The story comes from when Paul was newly converted on his way to Damascus. He confounded the Jews with his reasoning even as a young believer – and they sought to have him killed. The Romans controlled the area so the government of King Aretas had to work in secret to arrest Paul (Aretas was the Father-In-Law of Herod Antipas, who divorced Aretas’ daughter to marry Herodius, his half sister)
Paul’s opponents would say this was an example of Paul’s cowardice, but Paul uses it here to illustrated that from the very beginning God called him to suffer for His sake.
Conclusion
1. We too often mistake power for blessing – when in reality suffering is more the norm for the Christian walking with God.
Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
2. Are you proud of the Lord?
Matthew 10:32-33 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
Are we sometimes ashamed of those who suffer? Are we sometimes ashamed of belonging to Jesus, especially around those that openly mock Him? Or do we boast that we know Him? Something to think about.
3. Don’t let outward circumstances dictate whether you are following God’s will
Remember – it’s the inward transformation, not the outward surroundings that matter.
