2 Corinthians 11:3-5 English Standard Version
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.
Following up on yesterday’s devotional about understanding and believing, let us continue to seek truth.
How can any of us know when another Jesus is being preached? The best way to understand this important issue is by having a personal and intimate relationship with Christ ourselves. When another Jesus is being put forth, He who is in you will say, “Those are not my words.”
Paul’s encouragement to us is a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Love Christ, know Christ and when another is being put forth, Christ we proclaim the fake to be exactly that.
The second sign here is the spirit of truth verses any other spirit which cannot speak truth. Just because it sounds plausible does not mean it is true. The Holy Spirit who is truth will correct error if we will listen for the truth. Listening for the truth is a matter of practice. The more we do it the easier it is for the Holy Spirit to combat lies with truth.
The simplest thing to understand is the gospel that we have received that saved us in the first place. We know what it is capable of doing in the saving of our souls. Any variation that strays away from what we ourselves have already experienced should be obvious to us.
The term super-apostles might be a new term for some of us. Shall we address them?