Xanthe Hancox

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the snake’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 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 11:3-4

In the final chapters of Second Corinthians, Paul deals with one of the most dangerous threats to any church anywhere – the destruction of a church from within by teachers who are veering off from the truth.

We see it today with preachers who promise prosperity and success, often in material terms, to those who follow Jesus. This false teaching doesn't prepare people for the reality of living in a fallen world and the need to persevere in trust and faithfulness.

This is why the focus of Paul's ministry in Corinth, as in every city, was Jesus. Simply Jesus. It’s easy to lose sight of Jesus and get bogged down with Christian activity and religious living.  You can lose it in the pressures of daily living. You can get so busy and so worried and so anxious about yourself and the things that are happening to you that you lose the sense that Christ is with you and he is adequate. This is the beautiful, simplicity that is in Jesus.

The church in Corinth was involved in all sorts of fascinating philosophies and intellectual debate that was loosely based on the Word of God, but which went off on side tracks and lost sight of Christ.

The way to avoid being trapped in a world filled with delusion today, is simply this: Keep close to Jesus. Retain the simplicity that is in Christ. Walk closely with the Son of God himself every day.

Prayer: We thank you, Father, for faithful words that expose error and show us reality. Thank you that though we live in a dangerous world we are kept by a faithful Shepherd. Grant that we may walk close to him and not let anything take us away from that day-by-day, moment-by-moment companionship of his presence. Amen.