2 Corinthians 11:1-4
1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
As we minister to and serve others, we should feel a sort of jealousy when others come in to lead them astray with bad teaching and examples. We remember the ones we help belong to Christ - not them or us - and so must be kept from deception by our word, example, and prayer. Eve was deceived by crafty words and reasoning that led away from the simple message of God, and likewise we can be led away from the simple gospel which is reconciliation with God through Christ alone by faith alone due only to His grace and for His glory (not ours or another’s) alone. Adding to Christ’s work by ours or other conditions corrupts the message and is another (false) gospel, which we do not put up with, but fight with truth in love.
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