The gospel is a wooing message, not merely commanding and stating truth, but those who preach it call you to Christ from their heart, and this is what Paul is doing - “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the [heart devotion] that is in Christ” (vs2-3). He is jealous over us and desirous that we follow Christ only and faithfully from a pure heart, forgiven and cleansed, and living that He be praised. He is concerned that we will hear FALSE prophets while disregarding the true - “For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” (vs4). And, he proves his ministry by his sacrifice, knowledge, and love plainly revealed.
(vs5-12) “For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things. Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows! But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast”.
The false prophets glory in appearance and not in reality. They talk a good game, but rather than TURN you to Christ devotedly, they turn you to themselves and away from the Savior (Acts 20:29-30). They don’t desire that you keep both eyes on Christ, but they want you to disobey His message of faith and love - “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (vs13-15).
Don’t be deceived by false prophets, as if everyone who says “sovereign grace” knows God.
No comments:
Post a Comment