As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greece will ever stop me from boasting about this. Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do. But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
2 Corinthians 11:10-15
Paul says he will not stop boasting about this. What? The fact that he has never taken money from the Corinthians. He will keep doing it too – i.e. not taking money from them so that the false apostles can’t say they are just like Paul. The implicit information here is that the false apostles are taking money from the Corinthians. Paul at all costs to himself wants to preserve that distinction. Aside from the fact this was big thing for some Corinthians who, it seems after taking on board the things the false apostles said, accused Paul of using them.
There is a strong chance that one of these of false apostles or teachers was Diotrephes whom John wrote about in 3 John 1:9. I told you of the possible link to him in Bible Gem 312. John wrote his third letter to Gaius, whose house we are staying in while we are in Corinth [Bible Gem 303]. Gaius was one of those whom Paul baptised personally in the church in Corinth and who Paul mentions in Romans 16:23. He was reknown for putting people up in his villa. It is probable that John wrote his first epistle to the Corinthians from Gaius’ house. John says “I wrote unto the Church” What Church? It was a particular Church. The Church Gaius attended was the one in Corinth.. So it seems Diotrephes too was in the Corinthian Church. He appears to be one of the instigators of the schism. It is these kinds of people of whom Paul says to have nothing to do with. John describes Diotrephes as follows: Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us . . . Gossiping maliciously about us . . . He also stops those who want to [have anything to do us or welcome believers] and puts them out of the church. (3 John 1:9).
People like Diotrephes are deceitful and disguise themselves as apostles. Be careful of such people. What you see is NOT what you get. There is way more going on behind the scenes. These people are not open and transparent, everything they do has a secret agenda. Be careful of them. They appear to be servants of righteousness but they are not. Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, so too do his followers. Be aware and don’t be so easily deceived. Learn to spot the clues and discern rightly.
All men make mistakes but only wise men learn from their mistakes.
Winston Churchill
If you aren’t making any mistakes, you arent innovating. If you’re making the same mistakes, you aren’t learning.
Rick Warren
The Greatest Giant A Man Will Ever Face Is Himself.
Robb Thompson
Our own inner man can be disguised as an angel of light, watch out for it and deal with it. Nip it in the bud. Only you can.
Ian Vail