Can we tell the true from the counterfeit?

“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 Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” (2 Corinthians 11:4 NIV)

Our society is not far different from what Corinth was in the first century. Even amongst Christians we can often find similarities. What Paul wrote to the Christians could have been written to many places today.

Have you noticed that many people are looking for something different? Rather than the same Jesus that has been taught for years many, like those in Corinth, want something different. Perhaps the Jesus presented by the apostles is just too intolerant and doesn’t reflect what has become accepted by 21^st century society. I would be hard pressed to count the number of times in recent years I’ve heard Christian teachers say that they have ‘restudied’ a text and arrived at something totally different from what the passage actually says but more in line with society’s thoughts. Paul faced similar problems in the first century.

“I do not think I am in the least inferior to those ‘super-apostles’. I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.” (2 Corinthians 11:5-6)

Is this a problem we face today? Have you noticed how some who teach are referred to as ‘big-name preachers’? Really? As if there was is sort of ranking system! But Paul had to deal with this as well. Apparently those who were introducing new ideas in Corinth were being billed – or perhaps billing themselves – as ‘super-apostles’, as if they were greater and knew better than the apostles. If would seem that many of these were trained speakers, perhaps experts in oration. The apostles, including Paul, were looked down on because they had not had formal training. Yet they were declaring God’s word directly from God’s Holy Spirit!

I’ve heard of congregations that require those who preach to have a certain level of education. Should we not be more concerned with whether they know God’s word and can accurately communicate it? Notice how Paul referred to those in his day who were trying to usurp the authority of God’s appointed teachers.

“For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

I’m always impressed at how Biblical writers did not mince their words when addressing false teachers. They weren’t cruel but they did state it like it is. These self-proclaimed ‘super-apostles’ weren’t apostles at all: they were false apostles. They were deceiving the people as they masqueraded as true teachers of Jesus. But, as Paul pointed out, they were just like the one they were really serving: Satan! He masquerades as a messenger of God in order to deceive Christians. In the same way his servants want to look like they are really serving God. In the end they would get what they deserved.

What is the solution to all of this? Each of us as Christians need to know God’s word. We cannot tell what is true from what is false unless we first know what is true. This requires effort on our part – we each need to spend time reading and studying God’s word. In our busy lives it is sometimes easy to let our time around God’s word slip, whether our own private reading or in a Bible study with others. Yet this is vital if we are to know God’s word and be able to recognise the counterfeit from the real.

As we approach the end of another year let us commit to spending time daily in the New Year in God’s word.

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Readings for next week: 2 Corinthians 5-13