August 02, 2023 | Be On Mission
Paul's Credibility & the True Gospel
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11(NIV)
1 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! 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. 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. 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 Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” 6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 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? 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. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, 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 also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate 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. 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 puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!
Whatever 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. 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 pelted with stones, 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 fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 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. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. 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.
Devotional
Earlier in this letter we saw that some of the believers in Corinth challenged the authority of Paul. Corinth was a city overflowing with eloquent philosophers. The highly trained orators used spell-binding techniques to convince people that Paul’s gospel of Christ was inaccurate.
He challenged the Corinthians for easily tolerating these sermons that presented a different Jesus, different spirit, and different gospel. Though they were masterful speakers, Paul rightly called them “false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (v. 13-14). Good speech-making does not equal good news.
Nothing much has changed. Today, there are many outside the church who challenge the validity of faith. They argue for secular humanism to rule the day and govern everything from our schools to our laws. Deep challenges come from inside the church as well. Many church leaders, pastors, and theologians question the authenticity of the Bible for our lives today. As was true in Corinth, these are conflicted times for us as well.
Though Paul couldn’t match the famed philosophers of his day, he did have something they didn’t have. He had been persecuted for what he believed. When Paul himself was converted to Christianity, the Lord told someone, “I will show [Paul] how much he must suffer for my name” (Acts 9:16). The eloquent orators boasted in their powers of persuasion. Paul boasted in his suffering.
How did Paul think this gave him credibility among the Corinthians? Have you ever been challenged, hassled, or persecuted for what you believe? How did you respond? How should you have responded? How has this impacted your faith today? Does it give you more credibility?
Poem
A Dowry Well Suited
My Father chose you just for me
And sent me down to meet you
But first all debts of yours I pay
Perhaps a loan
Perhaps indenture dues
Perhaps your freedom
Whatever the cost
No matter the years of labor
Of my body for yours
A dowry well suited for my bride
My Father sent you gifts from me
Rich treasures from His coffer
Unwrap each one and feel their worth
A diamond heart
A ruby sun
An emerald field
No matter the cost
Wrap yourself in the banner of my love
It’s all for you
A dowry well suited for my bride
My Father sent His finest food
A feast of grain and red wine
Now take and eat, a covenant
I will be true
I will provide
I will protect
A fruitful husband I will be
Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh
I live for you
A dowry well suited for my bride
My Father calls me back to Him
A mansion to be building
With many rooms for us to roam
Each one bedecked
Each one all clean
Each one with you in mind
Glorified and crafted
My cornerstone we’ll build upon
I’m coming soon
A dowry well suited for my bride
