Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

In 2 Corinthians 11, we see Paul defending himself. He calls himself foolish for having to do so, but he has been accused of boasting. If anyone had earned the right to boast, it was definitely Paul. He endured so many unimaginable trials and hardships. He was physically beaten multiple times. He was imprisoned. He was mocked and scorned. Paul was tough even though he carried himself in a way that was unpretentious. Paul knew the Lord, and knowing the Lord gave him great confidence. He may not have appeared to the people as a man with great confidence, but he knew who he was and that he belonged to the Lord which gave him considerable inner strength.

Paul is warning the Corinthian Christians about false teachers because he is afraid that they are going to fall victim to them. He uses what happened to Eve in the Garden of Eden as a way to warn them not to be deceived. He says in verse 3, “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

Corinth was a commercial crossroads, and therefore, its people were exposed to many different religions and ungodly views. Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to stay steadfast in their beliefs and not be swayed by the teachings of other false religions. He knew they were spiritually vulnerable because of their location.

The warnings Paul gave the church in Corinth are relatable to us today. We live in a time where every conceivable false teacher is at our fingertips. With just a click of a button on our phones or our computers, we risk exposure to a world of ungodly teachings. We, too, must remain steadfast to not be deceived. We must cultivate a sincere and pure devotion to Jesus Christ by building a personal relationship with Him. When we are deeply connected to Christ, we are better equipped to discern between truth and false teachings. Remember, the same devil who led Eve astray is the same deceiver who targets us. Our faith requires intentional effort and practice. That means going to the Bible more than Google to find answers.

I am encouraged by the way Paul invested in people. He wanted to show people the love of Jesus Christ. It’s evident, not only through his letters, but through his actions, as well. We should be challenged to be more like Paul and boldly serve others. Our attitudes and actions should reflect Christ’s love and grace. We should not only take responsibility for protecting our own spiritual well-being, but we should also take responsibility for other believers, as well, by remaining in loving service to them.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Have you ever experienced or heard false teachings
• Begin to think through some ways that you can guard yourself against false teachings.
• Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the truth of your word.  I pray that you would fill me with wisdom and discernment when studying scripture, listening to sermons, and having conversations with others about you.  Strengthen me and fill me with your Holy Spirit.  In Jesus' name, amen. 

Family Devo: 2 Corinthians 11

By: Amanda Carpenter

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model. 

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset 

To boast: to talk like we are better than someone else. We all know people who like to boast or brag about themselves and sometimes bend the truth a bit in the process. Honestly, we are often guilty of doing the same.

In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul goes in depth about boasting. In Paul’s time, “super-apostles,” as Paul calls them, could speak beautifully and lead other people to believe that everything they were saying was true. Some were bragging that they knew all the facts and were better than Paul. Paul goes on to explain that he is not a trained speaker, but he has suffered so much for the purpose of telling other people about Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 11:30 he says, “If I have to brag, I will brag about the things that show how weak I am”. The moments when Paul was tired, hungry, and in prison were the moments when God completely took over to help Paul continue telling others about Him. 

Paul discusses boasting to show the differences between the teachings of the “super-apostles” and God’s true Word. He wants to warn Christians that several of these people were not being truthful. If these gifted speakers are telling them things that do not go along with the facts they already know about Jesus, they are false apostles: workers who tell lies. These warnings apply today. I encourage you to read your Bible and check that what you are being told is the truth according to God’s Word.

Pick up your Bible and read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to read more about the purpose of God’s Word. When you read these devotions, I challenge you to open your Bible and read the scriptures directly from the Word. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to gain wisdom from Your Word. Your Word is always the truth. Help me to be disciplined to pick up the Bible every day and read something about You. Amen.