Twin City church of Christ Blog
“July 2, 2024 - Disguises”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsDisguises
Reading: 2 Corinthians 11:12-21
Paul is about to “boast a little”(2 Cor 11:16) in order to combat the false boasting of his opponents in Corinth. Some in the church there are posturing as “super-apostles”(2 Cor 11:5) and taking shots at Paul (2 Cor 10:10). “And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ”(2 Cor 11:12-13). The apostleship these men are claiming is illegitimate; it is a disguise. In their efforts to make a name for themselves they have become deceitful. They are hiding something more sinister. “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds”(2 Cor 11:14-15). This is a strong rebuke. Paul is directly calling his opponents followers of Satan. The way this will be known is by seeing their end, a restatement of Jesus’ principle that “you will recognize them by their fruits”(Matt 7:20).
He begins to address their claims by arguing “as a fool”(2 Cor 11:16, 17). “Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast”(2 Cor 11:17). In this and the following sections, Paul will display his apostolic credentials by emphasizing his suffering and weakness. If his opponents want to compare resumes, he stands ready—yet the resumes look different than most expect. He also rebukes the Corinthians for accepting such worldly ways of thinking (2 Cor 11:20-21), since it means they reject apostles in favor of worldly people.
Paul’s opponents act by “disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.” Satan often uses disguises, capitalizing on the fact that people (and things) are not always what they appear to be. Disguises allow him to gain influence subtly. Wolves can come in sheep’s clothing, which means they can create more carnage when they drop the disguise. Disciples need caution so that we can detect disguises and judge by works, not appearances.
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One Thing to Think About: How have I observed people appearing to be something they were not?
One Thing to Pray For: Discernment in dealing with others
