Dwell in the Word: 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

Contemplate these questions as you dwell in 2 Corinthians 11:1-15:

1. Paul expresses concern over the Corinthians' acceptance of a different gospel and their susceptibility to false teachings. In today's context, where various interpretations and ideologies exist within Christianity, how can believers discern between genuine biblical truth and false teachings without falling into theological divisiveness?

2. Paul confronts the Corinthians for tolerating those preaching a different gospel. How can modern-day Christians balance love and grace towards others while maintaining a firm stance on doctrinal purity and biblical truth?

3. The passage discusses false apostles disguising themselves as servants of righteousness. What practical steps can believers take to equip themselves against the deception of false teachings and ensure that they remain grounded in the genuine message of Christ without becoming overly suspicious of different perspectives within the Christian faith?

Transcript:

As we start off here in 2 Corinthians 11, things are starting to get a little bit spicy. Paul starts off here. I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me. He's using some of his intellectual skill here. He is trying to set himself up against these Super Apostles. Now, that is not a good term. Paul is using the term Super Apostles to make fun of them, like woo, you're super apostles. You're better than the other apostles because you've had this revelation or you've had these experiences. You're better than Paul. You speak better, you look better. That's the sarcasm that he is using here. This is concerning to Paul because we see these people following after these Super Apostles. Paul says some stuff here that is pretty convicting, right? For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different Spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different Gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. Basically, Paul is saying, Hey, if somebody comes and says terrible things or incorrect things, I guess you could say, about Christ and about the apostles, you put up with it enough.

You don't stick up for sound doctrine. You don't seem to be able to discern. You just don't do well when false teaching comes to town. And this is where Paul brings up the term Super Apostles in verse 5. Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these Super Apostles. In other words, he's saying their talking some smack about me saying that I'm not a very good speaker. We've seen that earlier on in second Corinthians here. But no, I'm not inferior to these guys. And then he realizes what they've been saying about him, even if I am unskilled in speaking. Who knows why Paul was unskilled with speaking? Maybe he was just boring. Maybe he wrote everything out and just read it in a very rote way. Maybe he had a stutter. Who knows? Maybe it was related to what we think are his vision problems. Maybe he had to write in large letters for his notes, and he couldn't read them very well. Who knows what was going on? But Paul says, Hey, even if I am unskilled in speaking, hey, in knowledge, I am not unskilled. In other words, he's saying, Look, let's have a debate.

Let's go to the scriptures. Let's put what they say versus what I say. Let's put that up instead of a physical appearance or speaking ability. In fact, Paul says, Indeed, in every way, we have made this plain to you in all things. Paul is making sure that they understand that he is teaching from a place of authority, that he is an apostle, and that he is filled with knowledge that he goes back to the scriptures. And so Paul is making his case for being a true apostle against these super apostles. Now we're going to see coming up how Paul continues to defend himself. And we're also going to get an idea of some of the claims that these super apostles are making. But the disturbing thing here is that they're following them. They are being drugged along by these people who are giving them another Gospel. Think back to what Paul has to say about other Gospels in the Book of Galatians. He says there isn't one that even if an angel from heaven were to come and preach another Gospel, let them be accursed. If Paul himself would preach another gospel, he says, Let me be accursed.

They're following after this. You can understand why Paul is so concerned with what's happening in Corinthians. They're going after another Jesus, another Gospel, and they're just putting up with it. They're not able to discern truth from error. This is really, really important for Paul. He does not want them to be led astray. And so Paul doesn't pull any punches as we come to the end of what we read today here, does he? I mean, he just lays it out there, starting with verse 13, For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. He is calling them what they are. By their giving a false gospel, they are false apostles. The connection to the actual true message of Christ in Him, crucified, the actual Biblical Gospel, is the way by which we can tell whether or not people are preaching the truth. Are they preaching Christ in Him, crucified? Are they preaching the work of God as opposed to the work of men? Then we can know that they are preaching a true gospel. But Paul is making sure that they understand this isn't what they're doing, so they are false apostles.

And then he takes it even further, and no wonder for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Think about the ramifications of what he's saying about them here. This is pretty intense. And so here we see. There is no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, their end will correspond to their deeds. In other words, he's saying, Satan will disguise himself as an angel of light. His servants will disguise himself as servants of righteousness, just like these super apostles are. You know what? Their end is going to correspond to their deeds. In other words, they will get what they have come to them for proclaiming a false gospel. Now, as we think about what this means for us, I think it's important that we make sure that we understand what the true gospel is because we don't want to be those who accept a different gospel and put up with it readily enough. Are we able to discern truth from error? That is vital. And how do we do that? We do that by knowing the gospel, by knowing God's word, by hearing it, and by studying it. So may we be a people who are desiring to be discerning, that we can hear error when it comes to our ears so that we might be able to divide the word of truth correctly, that we might be able to know when someone is a false teacher.

Let us get into God's word. Let us know it, that we might be able to discern well.