CHAPTER 11

1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

The words "Would be to God" in the Greek are simply translated from the Greek ofelon.
In that word, there is no reference to God.
However, there is a sense of seriousness about Paul's appeal.
Perhaps today we would express it as "I sincerely appeal."

Paul is expressing his desire for them, and us, to bear with him while he speaks concerning himself.
He seems to be concerned about speaking of himself, but there is a message in his following speech.

2 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.

The words "I am jealous" are translated from the Greek zeeloo.
It means I genuinely love you.

In this case, that word represents Paul's apprehension.
He is very concerned about them departing from their fidelity to Christ.
Notice he says "with godly jealously" - or with a zeal from God for them.

We should all be concerned about any Christian who is deceived by false prophets and departs from
a genuine relationship with Christ through Bible study and prayer.

Paul, through his ministry to the church in Corinth, had convinced them to be "espoused" (joined together)
with Christ.
The redeemed, those who have surrendered to Jesus as Lord, are called the "bride" of Christ!
We are "espoused" to Christ as a "chaste virgin" when we repent of sin, plead forgiveness through Christ, and
YIELD ourselves to Him as LORD of our lives.

That's why Paul uses the example of marriage.
It is a SERIOUS commitment, and a LIFETIME commitment!!
((A young man approached a photographer in a studio. He said he would like a certain picture to be
made into an 8" by 10" so he could place it in a frame. The photographer assured him it could be done
without losing any quality and that it would be ready the next day. After the young man left, the
photographer turned the picture over. On the back was an inscription. It read, "Johnny, I will love you
forever! PS If we ever break up, I want this picture back." I don't reckon that was a SERIOUS and LIFETIME commitment!))

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted
from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Paul's "fear" for them was that they might be deceived like Eve, by the ole devil.

The craftiness of the devil is certain.
And, he uses people to try and deceive Christians, and take them away from real truth!
Just as Satan assumed the form of the most beautiful creature in the Garden of Eden, he may also
appear in those with good looks and appealing speech!!

Be careful to whom you listen!
Check the truth of their speech with the Bible!

And remember, the worship of our Lord Jesus is SIMPLE!
It does not have to be SHOWY!
Jesus dressed simple, and His speech was simple.
Don't be fooled by people who dress well and have good oratory!

4 For if he that cometh preacheth 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.

The Lord Jesus, Whom Paul preached was perfect in every way - yet simple enough for a child to understand.
He is the Living God, Who gave His own blood as a sacrifice for our sin.
He, through His vicarious sacrifice, offers eternal salvation to EVERY human!!

"Another Jesus" would be one who would accept anyone ONLY if they had SPECIAL knowledge.
Keep in mind, the ones who had intruded this church were teaching an intelligentia.
They might also have been teaching an EXTRA receiving of the Spirit of God.
When one is save, he/she received the Spirit of God IMMEDIATELY, AND
His Spirit NEVER LEAVES!!

See also:
John 14:26,
1Cor. 12:13,
Gal. 3:27.

Don't get me wrong here.
A Christian may certainly have special spiritual experiences with God.
AND, a Christian, through those experiences, certainly may gain extra knowledge.
HOWEVER, a genuinely saved Christian NEVER needs to be "baptized" in God's Spirit AGAIN!
Once true repentance is made, and Christ is received as LORD of our lives, we ARE baptized in His Spirit!
Just as Christ is ONCE the sacrifice for our salvation, He is also ONCE the giver of His Holy Spirit!!

We also need not receive another "gospel".
Some say the more you give the more you receive, misquoting the Bible.
And some say all you have to do to be saved is "accept" Jesus as Savior.
Let me just say this.
You (or I) can accept that Jesus died on the cross, that he was buried, and that he rose again.
We can accept that Jesus is God in flesh.
But the question remains: Is He LORD of who you are?

Unless He is LORD of who you are, He will NOT be SAVIOR!
Lk. 9:23
Matt. 7:21
Matt. 12:30

5-6
5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have be throughly made manifest among you in all things.

Paul has given evidence that he was commissioned by God.
It was evident, even in his "rude speech," because many of them surrendered to Jesus under his ministry.
The simple preaching of the Word of God was used by God's Spirit to convict them of sin, and to convince
them that ONLY Jesus could save them.
Then, they committed themselves to Christ and were saved.

Indeed, Paul was commissioned by Ananias (See Acts 9:10-16).
He was to go to the "Gentiles," and the Corinthians were certainly Gentiles.
And, Paul was to suffer "great things" for Christ's name.

7-8
7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you
the gospel of God freely?
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of the, to do you service.

SIMPLE preaching exalts GOD and not SELF!
Paul used the Word of God "FREELY!"
And, God's Holy Spirit did the work of bringing them to salvation!

Paul used funds he had received from other churches to support himself while he preached
to the people in Corinth.

THIS is what REAL preachers do!!
They preach the Word of God!
They do not exalt self!

9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking
to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being
burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

While in Corinth, Paul had asked for NO funding!
He was there to minister - to give and share the Gospel of Christ.

10 - 12
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

When Paul was in Corinth preaching to them, he denied himself because of an elevated purpose.
And, he knew that he would be accountable to Christ for what he said and did.

Now, he is sharing of himself concerning his suffering for the Gospel, and knows he will be
held accountable for that also.

They who have crept into the church claiming extra intelligence should be held accountable
by their actions also!!
Paul did not come to them so that he might gain riches.
Neither did he come to them seeking power over them.
Yet, those who preach this OTHER GOSPEL have done so!

Paul is saying these should preach as he did.
They should not be conniving to gain riches.
And, they should not be trying to gain power over the church.
BECAUSE --

13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

Those are pretending to be apostles of Christ, but have no claim to the office.
They are indeed, imposters, practicing conniving manners to gain control over others.
AND ---

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

The ole devil is capable of appearing as an angel of light.
It is no wonder that he is also capable of helping some to appear as something they are not!

Satan is an apostate angel!
He is called the prince of evil!
For over 6,000 years he has practiced the art of deceiving people.

As Christians, we must constantly be on guard against his deception!

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the minsters of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

TRUTH will be shown on judgment day!
Imposters will be revealed; hypocrites and deceivers will be shown!

In the following verses, we can see what all Paul did suffer.
Yet, NEVER did he forsake his mission to the Gentiles!!

And, these (in Corinth) are asked to HEAR Paul as he speaks a little of himself and the things he suffered
for Christ and the Gospel.

16-33
16 I say again, let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city,
in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

If these imposters glory about their intelligentia and their special experiences, then Paul asks
that they receive him and listen to him as he glories in his sufferings for Christ!

He is a Hebrew, and Israelite, and a seed of Abraham by birth.
He is also a minister of Christ who can exhibit the scars of his suffering.
Paul is not exalting himself; he is abasing himself!

Did not Jesus say that if we followed Him we would SUFFER?
John 15:18-20

Paul does not "glory after the flesh," or after his own great accomplishments.
Rather, he glories after the SPIRIT of God, who used him in "wearinness and painfulness."

How many times have you shared the Gospel of Christ with someone and been ridiculed or degraded?
How many times have you spoken truth according to the Bible and been demeaned for your effort?
Indeed! Do you have no scars to show because of your diligence to be what God called you to be in Christ?

We Christians, like Paul, must suffer these things at times; but
we are NEVER to abandon our MISSION!

Go back to the commentary on 2Cor. 5:17-21.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath GIVE TO US the MINISTRY of
RECONCILIATION.
19 to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath
committed to US the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech ye by us: we pray you in Christ's stead,
be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made HIM to be sin for US, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When a person surrenders to Christ as Lord, then that person is "reconciled" to God through what Jesus accomplished
at the cross and His resurrection!
IMMEDIATELY, "the MINISTRY of reconciliation" to God is placed in the heart of the believer!

That ministry of reconciliation is sharing the GOSPEL!
Jesus came into the world, condemning sin in the flesh,
dying for all who would believe and surrender to Him,
paying the price of God's blood for reconciliation to God!

AMBASSADORS!
SENT by God to TELL THE WORLD!

Preach SIMPLY!
Glory ONLY in God!
Let God's Holy Spirit use the sword of the Word!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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