September 14
2 CORINTHIANS 11
I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 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. 5 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God’s gospel to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! – 2 Corinthians 11:1-11
2 CORINTHIANS 11 CAUTION ON DECEPTION
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Be wary of the deception that easily comes
For you have been set apart by God
You were chosen to be Christ’s bride
So, stay pure as a virgin to your husband.
In this letter, Paul warns the believers to stay pure and holy for the Lord. He likens our relationship with Christ as a betrothed woman is to her husband to be. He used the word divine jealousy in verse 2 which probably would allude to his past. Paul used to be an exterminator of Christians and nobody taught him things but God himself made him blind so he could stop killing Christians. Paul was jealous that the believers had the apostles to guide them towards the path to Christ and while he didn’t have that opportunity.
REFLECTION
- How and why should a Christian watch out for deception?
