Oh, that you would
bear with me
in a little folly --
and indeed you do
bear with me. For I am jealous for you
with godly
jealousy. For I have betrothed you
to one husband, that I may present you
as a chaste virgin to
Christ. But I fear,
lest somehow, as the
serpent deceived Eve
by his craftiness, so
your minds may be
corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ.
2 Corinthians 11: 1
-- 3
Paul is now
speaking in regards to self-commendation, as that would imply folly; but in
this case, it was necessary to address that others have apprehended him to be
folly and he desires of the Corinthians bear with the problem. Paul was not about to speak of praise to
himself. Now, in certain cases it would
be important for one to speak well of himself or in this case it would be
lawful and has an advantage for others, and even at times were his own
vindication as is being done here. Why
do so? First, and foremost, to preserve
the Corinthians from being corrupted by those of the insinuations by false
apostles. The Christian Church
throughout its history and even into this present day has had this problem to
address: the insinuations by false apostles or teachers. This is so important because often these
false teachers are eloquent in their speech, and have the advantage of being
educated and speak as one that is educated so that their suppositions are taken as truth and fact. The result
of this is that the faith of some would become a weak in their faith and
often these suggestions tend to lessen a person in regards to the ministry and
to the ministers who are in every way upholding the truth of God's Word. Paul and bringing the Gospel to the
Corinthians, as well as to other churches, has betrothed of them to the one
husband that all Christians are betrothed to: Jesus Christ. And by his preaching and their accepting of
the truth of what he preached is now presenting them as chaste virgins of Jesus
Christ. How are we then to assure
ourselves that what we hear is of the simple gospel in truth of the Bible? Simple!
Spend time in God's Word! Spend
time in study of God's Word! Spend time
in prayer! Listen to what is said: but
check every thing out by testing what is said with God's written word! Paul then goes on to warn them and remind
them of the event that occurred with Eve and how she was deceived by the Serpent
and how they might be deceived as well from false teachers that would corrupt
them from the simplicity that is in Jesus Christ. Paul then goes on to explain:
"For if he who preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you
receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel
which you have not accepted -- you may well put up with it" (2 Corinthians
11:4). When we began our Christian
life we come believe what we are told to believe.
And then go on to assimilate what we are told to believed so that this works out in a way
that may have a good effect, or, may also have a bad effect or that which would work
to one's own advantage or disadvantage. Our beliefs should be that which would bring glory to
God, but there is a danger. This danger
is in multiplying the accepting of beliefs that we do not make our own. Unfortunately, some of the things that we
make our own have come to be assimilated even though what is assimilated is not
God’s truth. This results in activities
or exercises of one's faith that is not warranted by God. In the beginning of our Christian life we
have great zeal and often than zeal is misplaced and excepted things that sound
godly and your willingness to accept this is simply due to your lack of
knowledge and study of God's Word. In
this initial stage one might come to a place where the final stages leads to despair. How? By having difficulty of believing in the redemption because that
redemption and the assimilation of this knowledge is that you are too renounce
yourself. You have to give up your
right to yourself in complete surrender to Jesus Christ before that which you
would celebrate becomes a reality.
Here's another danger: celebrating what Jesus Christ has done and
forgetting the need on our part of moral surrender to Him. If we do not surrender ourselves to Him, then we become more intense in celebrating what
He has done. I speak not of the Gospel but of the miracles performed by Jesus. For instance! There is a so-called church here in a
Redding California, Bethel Church, who has a School of the Supernatural, where
they teach their students to go about trying to perform miracles and praying
for miracles and doing all sorts of things.
In my case when I have spoken to them over the years the Gospel is not
presented anly signs and wonders.
There is a celebrating of what Jesus Christ has done and there is no
excepting of the fact that one must completely surrender themselves to Jesus
Christ. Then the celebration is not one
of signs and wonders, but to tell others of what Jesus Christ has done and that
He died upon a cross and now redemption is for all the children of God. It is sort of putting the horse before the
cart as the saying goes. Let's face
this fact: unless a person comes to believe that they are sinful and in need of
a Savior there can be no true acceptance if indeed acceptance is given at
all. If you don't believe your sinful,
then why would you believe in Jesus Christ who came to redeem sinful people? You won't believe, or, you will begin to practice
things that seem godly that make you feel godly but in fact are not of
God. We preach the gospel that is our
responsibility and there is where our responsibility ends. That is not to say that we don't have rather
responsibilities in regards to our brothers and sisters but when it comes to
our ambassadorship we preach the gospel and God does the saving of souls. Unfortunately for far too many years there has
been preaching that we go about saving souls.
This is not true! Yes, souls are
saved but not by us or our efforts other than that we have presented the truth
of God's Word and by faith that comes from hearing the word of God then He saves
those to whom He has given faith. It
all begins when we completely surrender ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ.
O Zion,
You who bring good tidings,
get up into
the high mountain;
O Jerusalem,
You who bring good tidings,
lift up
your voice with strength,
lift it up, be not afraid;
say to the
cities of Judah,
Behold your God!
Isaiah 40: 9
What a privilege God has given His children
Richard L. Crumb
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