The Devotional - A Look at the Book #902

by Jesse Abel

Thoughts from Papa “J”

 

If a good name is not a priority in one’s life, love and favor of an honest countenance will be absent. Should a person with a marred name and countenance seek change; his or her legacy will remain by most of their acquaintances; unchanged. So great riches like silver and gold cannot purchase what cannot be had Proverbs 22:1. The exception: John 10:7-18

 

Good Morning

 

2 Corinthians 11:1-4 – I recently had a conversation with someone who expressed a belief that God existed, but that Satan did not. This is a common belief among people who have witnessed more evil in life than good and who seek to personally rise above those evils. You may think just the opposite would be true, but without going into an in depth explanation let me just say that if one’s personal platform of life is self-righteousness rather than the Righteous statutes of God, than the Word of God means nothing to them.

 

People with a self-righteous outlook are church goers. Many of these folks fellowship in churches like the one found in Corinth, our own neighborhood churches all across the United States today are loaded with self-righteous well talented men and women who are considered upright citizens. Most of the sixty-four plus sins that are recorded in the first epistle are still being addressed in his second epistle. Comparing 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 with 2 Corinthians 6:11-18 I see the apostle addressing the same sinful pattern and his call for the church as a whole to separate from unholy lifestyles.

 

Church leaders have but one purpose, to present their congregation to the LORD Jesus as holy to God. When deception is evident in the church, the leadership will become godly jealous. Pastors and teachers within the biblical framework of the church have one purpose and that is to present the church of Jesus Christ as PURE and HOLY or as the apostle here expresses as a chaste virgin.

 

Please understand, our sins are covered by the blood of the LAMB, but this does not give us permission to continue to live in deception. Deception is identified as the one and only serpent that deceived Eve in the Garden. Genesis 3:1-24. The serpent is none other than Satan who has disguised his true identity. There are preachers who preach this gospel of deceit whose God is their belly. Philippians 3:17-21

 

We are looking at a small section of scripture here in 2 Corinthians 11, yet it is no small thing to God when people are deceived into believing that they are set apart from the evils of life because Satan does not exist. Deception is a well-used tool by Satan and he has successfully used this platform to convince many he is nothing more than a myth. Why? Because God is not perfect and needs the help of self-righteous people, these people willingly ignore the purity of the gospel of Christ which was first revealed in Genesis 3:15.

 

I am sure that as we move through these verses in 2 Corinthians more about false teaching will be revealed. Satan does exist, many good people are deceived by him. Monday when we look at the remaining verses in this chapter we will see that confusion often develops in the hearts of men and women who are oppressed by much evil because Satan is able to take that evil and transform himself and his works into the resemblance of righteousness.