II Corinthians 11 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 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.
Paul had been confronting these church members about lifestyles which contradicted the Gospel and led to division within the church. He had given them many remedies for their spiritual ailments of self-centered living. Now the question in the back of everyone's mind was: "will they listen, and why should they listen. Paul goes on in the chapter to review his "credentials", but these opening verses say much. Paul loves them withe the love of Christ. The Son, like the Father is a jealous God, rightly protective of his bride. He lovingly did what is best for her, including protecting her from false, lying suitors vying for her attention and affection. Paul, in love, was trying to do the same: protect these people from those things that would bring them shame and destruction. But the verdict was still out: would they listen? Will we listen? When the preacher rebukes, the Spirit convicts, and our hearts wrestle within us? Will the Serpent get us to fall for a lie, abandon the fellowship of beleivers, then leave us alone - totally alone?
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