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Post by Admin on Jan 28, 2018 17:12:20 GMT -6
Study Begins: January 28, 2018
Discussion Begins: February 4, 2018
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1 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! 12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.English Standard Version (ESV)
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elacey
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Dedicated TruthSeeker
Posts: 121
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Post by elacey on Jan 31, 2018 7:35:09 GMT -6
Study Begins: January 28, 2018
Discussion Begins: February 4, 2018
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1 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! 12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.English Standard Version (ESV)
Satan and his worldly minions will constantly use every angle of attack (including preachers and churches) to try to distract us from Jesus - from the Word - from the Truth - from God. Satan wishes to get inside our house (our mind). We must remain skeptical and hold up the Truth (the Bible) to every word from modern day preachers. Three important questions I ask myself... 1. Is the message based on scripture? (An actual bible passage) 2. Is the church or preacher or witness being judgemental? 3. Is the preacher making promises for success or healing? |
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john
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Regular contributor
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Post by john on Feb 2, 2018 23:54:40 GMT -6
Paul warns of false teachers preaching another gospel and deceiving the body of Christ. The warning is clear and completely applicable today as yesterday. We must be aware of deception and take responsibility for what we allow into our spirit. The biggest issue with the average Christian today is biblical illiteracy. Most in the pews are lazy and can easily be led astray. Satan knows our weakness and is always ready to steal the seeds falling in rocky soil.
I question every message I hear comparing it always to scripture and trusted teachers.
i pray to not be deceived.
I shy away from having one source of spiritual wisdom.
i believe Satan is always at work to deceive me and I know I must run the race of sanctification with steady patient endurance. If it is too good to be true it probably is a lie.
Blessings
john
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JB
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Dedicated TruthSeeker
Posts: 308
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Post by JB on Feb 4, 2018 7:54:34 GMT -6
1 I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that. 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Paul’s highest desire for those he ministered to was to present them to God as pure. Think about that a moment. Think about the way Paul approached his ministry and how it compares to the way you or I might think of our ministries.
Paul didn’t just share his faith with others and consider his job done. He saw himself as one who would personally present the believers to whom he ministered to God, and he want to be certain that when he did that, that they were pure. This didn’t come through lightly sharing his faith here and there when the right opportunity presented itself. It involved him taking full responsibility and accountability for this spiritual development until the day they went home to the Father.
Q: In these verses, what is he referring to by “purity?”
Q: What is “godly jealousy” and how does it differ from ungodly jealousy?
(Note also 1 Corinthians 3:3; Galatians 5:19-21; and contrast this with Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24)
Q: How does your approach to ministry differ from the way Paul approached his?
We are all tempted like Adam and Eve. But let’s remember that their temptation was not food. They were not hungry nor in want. Their temptation was to know more than God revealed to them. It was to be like God.
That was the sort of temptation these Corinthians were giving into by entertaining the thoughts of these false teachers, who taught enticing things outside of what the Corinthians had already been taught.
Q: In what ways might we fall into the same temptation – to know more than God has revealed to us?
4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 5 But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." 6 I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.
This passage is clear. Their desire for new teachings was strong.
Q: Why do we get bored with the simple, plain teachings of the Bible?
7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
Remember, this was the wealthy Corinthian church, and Paul was trying to convince them to give to the Palestinian Christians that had fallen on hard times. But they weren’t even willing to give financial support to Paul’s ministry. His ministry to this wealthy church was supported by the poor Macedonian church!
10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.
Remember, Paul’s boasting was in order to circumvent the false teachers’ criticism of him. They were trying to elevate themselves and minimize him and thereby thwart his ministry to these Christians. So Paul did counter-boast, but only of the things God did in him. They boasted of the things they did.
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Paul holds back no punches in saying that they are servants of Satan. They were trying to undermine the ministry given to him by God Himself and teach things that came from man rather than God. Paul wasn’t about to allow them to damage the work the Spirit had done through him in this precious church.
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Post by Jean Maurice M. Prosper on Feb 8, 2018 5:19:22 GMT -6
Hello to all, I am very happy to be back, I trust with the help of God i'll be able to post more in the near future.
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.
Paul rightly feels concerned and jealous. I can certainly understand this type of Jealousy which comes not from the man himself, but from his love for God. He knows and understand what is at risk here, and to whom everything points to : Christ. He suffered a lot to be able to present them pure 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.
Paul refers to the first act of the serpent here, and we know that Paul is living thousand years later. What is shocking is that this very old trick was still working and still is. Eve's "fall" was more to do with what she could become, and most importantly, from what the serpent was telling her. Something near the truth but yet different , strange, new ! What was originally sincere and pure will find death.
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.
How many Christian / "believers" are able to know what is the original teaching of Christ and which is not ? as someone said , he level of biblical illiteracy is rocket High, in an era where the Bible is available everywhere, anywhere, anytime and on all medium!! So call "supernatural" experience have taken precedence on the WORD. people are looking more and more to be "spiritual" and walking more and more away from the true teaching, because they NEVER KNEW the true teaching in first place. We have a different type of Jesus preached today, and that is a real problem. How many knows about the Holy Spirit ? It seems today any spiritual manifestation is attached to the Holy Spirit, because its "spiritual".
At our church, Biblical literacy is of utmost importance. We make sure that everyone reads their bible and are able to share about passages and are able to understand the real message of the Gospel. Preaching is around the word and not about topics and feelings. The WORD is the preaching ! unless the WORD becomes central to faith , there is no FAITH !
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elacey
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Dedicated TruthSeeker
Posts: 121
Likes: 8
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Post by elacey on Feb 13, 2018 7:20:50 GMT -6
1 I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that. 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Paul’s highest desire for those he ministered to was to present them to God as pure. Think about that a moment. Think about the way Paul approached his ministry and how it compares to the way you or I might think of our ministries.
Paul didn’t just share his faith with others and consider his job done. He saw himself as one who would personally present the believers to whom he ministered to God, and he want to be certain that when he did that, that they were pure. This didn’t come through lightly sharing his faith here and there when the right opportunity presented itself. It involved him taking full responsibility and accountability for this spiritual development until the day they went home to the Father. Q: In these verses, what is he referring to by “purity?”
Q: What is “godly jealousy” and how does it differ from ungodly jealousy?
(Note also 1 Corinthians 3:3; Galatians 5:19-21; and contrast this with Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24)
Q: How does your approach to ministry differ from the way Paul approached his?
We are all tempted like Adam and Eve. But let’s remember that their temptation was not food. They were not hungry nor in want. Their temptation was to know more than God revealed to them. It was to be like God.
That was the sort of temptation these Corinthians were giving into by entertaining the thoughts of these false teachers, who taught enticing things outside of what the Corinthians had already been taught. Q: In what ways might we fall into the same temptation – to know more than God has revealed to us?
4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 5 But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." 6 I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.
This passage is clear. Their desire for new teachings was strong. Q: Why do we get bored with the simple, plain teachings of the Bible?
7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
Remember, this was the wealthy Corinthian church, and Paul was trying to convince them to give to the Palestinian Christians that had fallen on hard times. But they weren’t even willing to give financial support to Paul’s ministry. His ministry to this wealthy church was supported by the poor Macedonian church!
10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.
Remember, Paul’s boasting was in order to circumvent the false teachers’ criticism of him. They were trying to elevate themselves and minimize him and thereby thwart his ministry to these Christians. So Paul did counter-boast, but only of the things God did in him. They boasted of the things they did.
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Paul holds back no punches in saying that they are servants of Satan. They were trying to undermine the ministry given to him by God Himself and teach things that came from man rather than God. Paul wasn’t about to allow them to damage the work the Spirit had done through him in this precious church. JB asks... What is Paul referring to by "purity". When we devote our heart and mind to God, we become pure like a virgin. This single minded devotion is difficult in a world which constantly attempts to distract us from God. For me the main distraction is work and career. I try my best to counter this by... 1. Living a simple life 2. Taking time each day to practice mindful focus and meditation (I find the meditation part to be nearly impossible My life has been filled with stress and anxiety and the entire scenario is a daily struggle if Im completely honest. However it's always better when I am I study and or pray daily with mindfulness. :-) |
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JB
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Dedicated TruthSeeker
Posts: 308
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Gender: Male
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Post by JB on Feb 24, 2018 22:13:35 GMT -6
Satan and his worldly minions will constantly use every angle of attack (including preachers and churches) to try to distract us from Jesus - from the Word - from the Truth - from God. Satan wishes to get inside our house (our mind). We must remain skeptical and hold up the Truth (the Bible) to every word from modern day preachers. Three important questions I ask myself... 1. Is the message based on scripture? (An actual bible passage) 2. Is the church or preacher or witness being judgemental? 3. Is the preacher making promises for success or healing? Those are good truth tests, Eric. I am most concerned with the first one since it's the one I see violated most often in churches that I encounter. I am extraordinarily concerned about a shift in the past 3 or 4 decades from lessons that are directly based upon the Bible text to messages that in some general way seem to use the biblical text as a jumping off point and then teach a secular message like the world does, except for maybe a few words like "Heaven" or "God" or "Spirit" or (less commonly) "Jesus" thrown in once in a while. This s of grave concern to me. |
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JB
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Dedicated TruthSeeker
Posts: 308
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Gender: Male
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Post by JB on Feb 24, 2018 22:30:46 GMT -6
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. Paul refers to the first act of the serpent here, and we know that Paul is living thousand years later. What is shocking is that this very old trick was still working and still is. Eve's "fall" was more to do with what she could become, and most importantly, from what the serpent was telling her. Something near the truth but yet different , strange, new ! What was originally sincere and pure will find death. Hello Jean-Maurice. I am not certain how different the Christian "climate" where you are in East Africa is from how it is in the United States. Here in my experience, it is very difficult to find a church where biblical truth is boldly preached. I do not mean that overt false teach is most common. Instead, I hear preachers start off with a reference to a Bible passage, then throw in some sort of humor or anecdote, then start talking about life in general or some aspect of it, and finally close with something that sort of could be connected to the Bible passage. That seems to be the most common preaching formula - and you MUST have your humor, anecdotes, and stories somewhere near the beginning or no one is interested. Oh, and be sure to provide a printed outline of the sermon with 3 points and one simple word missing from each for someone to fill in while you preach - even though the blank word isn't even that critical to the message. I'm telling you, I've seen this "formula" over and over again. We are slipping very, very fast here in America. I think we need Africa to come here and treat us as a mission field! jb |
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