Undivided | Aug. 17, 25 | Pr Raph

Undivided 

2 Corinthians 11

Paul is in the final strokes of penning the letters to the Corinthians. He wants them to know how much he deeply cares for them. He is trying to defend them from false teachers and preachers. He is zealous for the gospel and the genuineness of the ministry.

2 Corinthians 10:17-18 17 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

Our boasting should be only in knowing God.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 23 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

He tried every tone in this letter. Affectionate / Pastoral. Transparent and deeply human, he calls them his “beloved” repeatedly. Defensive / Apologetic, almost lawyer-like at points—answering charges against him. Severe / Corrective sharp, even biting at times. Finally, he employs irony to highlight and underscore the absurdity of the Corinthians tolerating false teachers.

2 Corinthians 11:1-6 1 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 

Love defends

I mentor India's pastors weekly in early morning sessions, covering parenting, relationships, finances, and family principles. Last week, I discussed the role of a godly father and husband, highlighting three Ps from 1 Timothy 3:2-5: prayer (Priest) , provision (Provider), and protection (Protector). Paul, as a spiritual father, defends his children and talks about his role as a protector.

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

What did “betrothal” mean in the context? In Jewish law, betrothal was a legally binding contract, stronger than our modern “engagement.”

A woman was already considered her husband’s, though the marriage was not consummated until the wedding. Breaking a betrothal required divorce (cf. Joseph and Mary, Matt. 1:18–19).

Here in 2 Corinthians, the reference is the New Covenant betrothal. It is the unilateral approach of God in His grace and steadfast love towards us.

Hosea 2:19-20 19 And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. 20 I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD.

The father was responsible for presenting his daughter as a pure virgin to the groom. Paul, as a “spiritual father,” says he “betrothed” the Corinthians to Christ, their one true Husband (11:2).

A Diamond of Devotion

Betrothal to Christ means undivided devotion.

What is devotion?

Just this week, The New York Times ran a story about a woman named Micherre Fox who camped out at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.

For three weeks, she dug through the dirt. She endured bug bites, hiked in worn, tattered boots, and even had her tools stolen. But she didn’t give up.

On her final day, she saw what looked like a drop of dew on the ground. But it wasn’t dew—it was a 2.3-carat diamond, one of the largest found at the park this year. She named it after her fiancé, saying, “I hunted this for you.”

Love is proven by perseverance through hardship, all for the beloved. Our perseverance through trials, temptations, and deceptions is devotion to Christ, our Bridegroom. 

On the day we meet Him, it won’t be a diamond we lay at His feet, but a life of faithful, undivided love in response to the marriage feast entrance he will welcome us in.

Matthew 25:6 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’

Matthew 25:10 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

As the serpent deceived Eve

2 Corinthians 10:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

“Someone once joked that when God created Adam and Eve, He offered them two gifts. 

‘I’ll take the fun one!’ Before God finished explaining, let’s say that Adam picked something very entertaining. 

And off he went, running around the Garden like a child with a new toy, making fountains everywhere. Watering every tree of the garden is like marking territory.

Eve just looked at him, then looked at God and asked, ‘Sorry for that, God, but what was the other option?’ God said, ‘Brains, Eve. Brains…’”

So, before accusing Paul of being a male chauvinist, remember you can only deceive someone who thinks and reasons.

Genesis 3 shows the serpent didn’t force Eve into sin—he whispered lies that distorted God’s truth. 

The devil's method is subtle, sounding reasonable, and partly true.

False teaching usually doesn’t start with a full denial of Christ; it begins by adding a little, softening a little, or changing the focus from Christ to ourselves. From Christ to our mistakes. From Christ to our achievements. From Christ to others’ mistakes and successes.

It begins with distorted thinking: “Did God really say…?” (Gen 3:1). Is God actually that good?

It recalls the warfare mentioned in Chapter 10. 

2 Corinthians 10:4–5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

How can you be pure in your thought life? By being sincere with God with every thought. Learning to bring them constantly to dwell on the truth. (Philippians 4:8). Learn to pray about everything. Bring it all to God.

Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The mind is the gateway of devotion; therefore, deception begins in what we believe. Wrong thinking about God leads to divided affections and compromised obedience.

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Guarding our minds and hearts from what?

The tolerance of the distorted mixed gospels. 

That is prosperity messages without the principle of sowing. 

Moralism and discipline that are empty of passionate devotion. 

Spiritual sensationalism without the reality of the manifested presence of the Holy Spirit. 

2 Cor 11:4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 5 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

Paul stresses, in a tone that mixes irony and rebuke, counterfeit versions of Jesus, Spirit, and gospel.

“When my wife and I first moved from Brazil to Florida, everything was new. We had left behind our family, our friends, our whole life. I wanted to give my wife some joy in the middle of so many changes. We had our two little boys with us, and I thought, what could be better than a day at Disney? However, I could never afford those tickets at the time.

As we walked through a plaza, a man stopped us: ‘Free Disney tickets—just come to a short presentation.’ It sounded like a gift from God. But that ‘short presentation’ turned into high-pressure sales for something I didn’t want and couldn’t afford. Still, they gave me a voucher and told me to pick up our tickets at another store.

At the store, the deal changed again. The tickets weren’t free—they were “discounted.” And then the seller added a game: ‘If you can make three basketball shots, I’ll give you an even bigger discount.’ I tried. I missed. I was tired. My wife was frustrated. The boys were restless. So I paid, determined to get in.

By the time we reached Disney, half the day was gone. We handed over our tickets, and the attendant shook his head: ‘I’m sorry. These tickets have already been used. They’re no good.’ 

My heart sank. I wanted to bless my family, and we had been scammed. When I went back to the store, it was completely changed. Different people, different decorations—like it had never existed.”

Please do not be spiritually scammed—trading the real Jesus, the true Spirit, and the authentic gospel for polished counterfeits. On the surface, it looks convincing, it sounds good, but in the end, it leaves you empty, disappointed, and robbed of what you hoped for. Don’t fall for counterfeits.

Only the true Jesus, the true Spirit, and the true gospel have the power to save.

Counterfeit money looks real but is worthless. But it is way deeper than a momentary loss. It can be devastating to your faith permanently.

Fake medicine promises healing but brings harm. It can kill you.

Plastic, Waxed or real fruits?

God is calling us to authenticity. And in a world that puts pressure on appearances, our gatherings can be solely for the selfies and posts. In that case, it misses the whole point.

How many of us are doing ministry, activities, programs and spinning the wheel just because we have to keep the appearance, the show, the image?

Have you ever walked into a decoration store and seen bowls of shiny, colorful plastic fruit? They look so real, you almost want to grab one and take a bite. But they’re empty. They can’t nourish, strengthen, or satisfy. They only give the appearance of life.

That’s how it is when people preach another gospel that centers on man’s improvements and human achievements. 

It may sound exciting, look impressive, even feel inspiring—but if it doesn’t truly feed your soul, it’s just plastic.

Matthew 4:4 – “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

A fake gospel may be colorful and loud, but it leaves you hungry and weak.

In many grocery stores, some fruit is genuine, but it has been coated with wax to preserve its shine. It looks beautiful, but that coating can be toxic.

That’s like the Jesus that sounds close to truth, but has poison mixed in. It says, “You are saved by grace, but you keep yourself saved by your works.” It has some genuineness, but it adds a deadly distortion.

Galatians 3:3 – “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

Ephesians 2:8–9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Galatians 2:21 – “If righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”

A half-true gospel is as dangerous as a fake one, because poison mixed with food still kills.

But then there is the real fruit—the one that gives life, nourishes, and strengthens.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

The real Jesus, the real gospel, and the real Spirit exalt Christ alone, remove man from the center, and give all glory to God.

It is time to develop a taste for the real.

Like when you start to eat healthy food and your body develops intolerance for the fake, waxed, ultra processed ones.

The Spirit is giving you fresh discernment for genuine life. More than gathering, a place for the presence of God to manifest every week. 

When you taste the real gospel, you are fed, filled, and satisfied in Him. And when the Spirit is real, the fruit He produces is unmistakable.

Galatians 5:22–23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

The real gospel feeds, nourishes, and satisfies. The real Spirit produces fruit that lasts. The real Jesus gives eternal life.

The counterfeit may look better, but it is deadly.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Many today are swayed by polished appearances and impressive shows of spirituality. We must test appearances and let our weaknesses be a means to exalt Christ.

Boasting in Our Weakness

We’ve all trusted someone who seemed genuine but later proved false—a friend, a salesman, even a leader. That pain of betrayal reminds us that appearances deceive.

The discerning element for a person we would allow to influence our spiritual walk and our families is not their success, but their faithfulness despite all their trials, hardships and weaknesses. 

2 Corinthians 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

When Paul defended his ministry to the Corinthians, he didn’t point to eloquence, polish, or impressive credentials. Instead, he drew attention to his scars. In chapters 10 and 11, he lists his sufferings — beatings, imprisonments, shipwrecks, dangers on every side.

Then in chapter 12, he goes even further, showing that his greatest credential is not his strength, but his weakness made strong through the grace of God.

The true seal of ministry is not how well a man can speak, but how faithfully he can suffer. The applause of men does not measure it, but by the sustaining power of God in the midst of weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

God’s grace was enough then, and it is sufficient now. Despite your limitations, hardships, and lacks. That’s what makes us a true minister of reconciliation—the reality of God’s power in weakness.