Christ life & ministry glories only in the Lord - not in the...
2 Cor: 11:16-21 · Bob Eckel · Nov 5, 2017
2 Corinthians (2017), No. 42
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/410261636252243

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Okay, so let's begin this week at 16. I think I don't necessarily want to move back to the previous verses today, so maybe it's important to just read verse 15. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

I say again, let no man think me a fool, and if so, yet as a fool receive me, that I may not boast myself a little. That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting, seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. For ye hear with fools gladly, seeing yourselves are wise. And for ye tolerate if a man bring you into bondage, and if a man devour you, and if a man take of you, and if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face, I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Nevertheless, in whatever Whatever any is bold I speak foolishly and I am bold also. Not the clearest of translations here but we're going to modify those going forward I think in the verses I have on the screen for you here.

Verse 16, I say again, let no man think me a fool, and if otherwise at least perceive me as a fool, but I also may boast a little, meaning not boast a little in terms of quantity, but boast here in terms of a while. He's going to boast a while about this. Alright, I say again. Why I say again? Well, we go back to the earlier parts of this section where Paul says, oh that you would bear with me in a little folly, and indeed you do bear with me. So this is back in verse 1 of chapter 11. So he's kind of set the stage for this and now he's saying again, let no one think me a fool. So in context, how would you define a fool? In the Greek, it's one of these four kind of definitions. Someone without reason. Someone who is senseless or stupid. Someone without reflection or intelligence. Or someone who acts rashly.

What do you think, Q? All of the above. What did you say, Winnie? I said all of the above. You know, that's kind of the conclusion I made. Could be any one of these, couldn't it? So we don't really know in context and it's interesting as you go into Thayer and the explanations about all the various translations that relate to the word we're looking at. He didn't list 2 Corinthians 11 16. So does that mean that all the above are appropriate or that he wasn't sure which one it meant anyway.

So I think all of the above was Paul without reason according to the perception. Was Paul senseless? Perception is 100% of the rule, right? It may not be what's true, but perception to the person perceiving is 100% of the rule. Was Paul without reflection or intelligence perhaps? Not without intelligence, but without reflection for sure.

And was he acting rationally? Well, I think Paul is acting kind of defensively. Don't you hear a little bit? But yet, I think we can justify his defensiveness based on the reading between the lines in terms of what he's trying to express. And we'll deal with that more as we go through the verses this morning. So all of these, Winnie, you're right, I think all to some extent apply to him being labeled a fool.

Now why would Paul go on to say that if otherwise at least perceived me as a fool so that he might boast for a little while? Why would he go on to say this? I would say it's just telling them sit back in a chair and just take it as it comes. Let the spirit lead without saying those words because sometimes you just have to set your preconceptions aside and let the spirit do the teaching. I can't do it all. Okay, who's he addressing in this segment of scripture? Who's he talking to here? The church.

So you think I'm a fool? Sit back and listen to the rationale that I have for your perception of me being a fool. He's going to try to set the stage correctly in terms of what is trying to be transmitted here. Back to second Corinthians eleven one. In other words, oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly. I've said this before to you, hang in there. I'm going to try to defend what we're dealing with in terms of your perception.

I don't do this, but it's come to the point where I'm going to boast. He has valid reason to boast. If any man, and he's going to go through very shortly here, next week we're going to see it. He lays it all out. Here's what I went through. Here's who I am. Definitely tongue in cheek, but he has to lay it out.

That's going to be covered to some extent today, and I think next week will be in more detail. I'm going to reflect a little bit on what next week's lesson is today. All right, is this an act of suffering for Paul or a declaration of his freedom to speak? What do you think here?

I would say it's both. He's saying I'm getting ready to lay it out. I mean, I think that's what he's saying. It's interesting Tom's answer, both, because I had and or. I thought it was crowded on the bottom of the page, so I took and out. I think both are true. that this is an act, you know, Paul is suffering because he's really steeped in truth. And these people think he's out in left field someplace and he's actually boasting to defend a position they don't believe in.

But he loves the church. I mean, that's it. His heart is heavy because he loves the church. And yet they've just been going astray and he's trying to lay it out for them. All right. Other thoughts here? He has to walk them through some, I guess, basic truth to get his point across and this may be his approach underneath.

Okay, on to verse 17, and what I speak, I speak not according to after the Lord, or according to, parenthesis, after the Lord in some versions, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. Alright, what is Paul saying here? He's speaking not according or after the Lord. Is this in fact a statement of embarrassment for his behavior? Or perhaps it's simply an expression of sarcasm reflecting on their perception, but as it were foolishly. Or does he claim that this outward appearance is a departure from the ways of the Lord and the circumstances have given him the liberty and confidence of boasting?

This is a multiple choice question. Yes, Gary. I would go for the last. It's not really something that the Lord would do, but he did. He felt like his credibility was being attacked. He had to defend that credibility, which I don't think that the Lord would have done. I mean, I don't think he would have had to defend his credibility. So, Gary, do you think in any way that Paul's reflecting an embarrassment here?

No, I don't think so. How about the second one? Doesn't it have some merit, the second option? I think there's some sarcasm in this, it seems like. And that's going to come up again here, Roger. But we've seen that with him before, a little bit of sarcasm when he's trying to make a point. So is sarcasm a way for the believer to operate? Is that spirit-led sometimes? Not all the time, but a few times.

So I think the answer here, three clearly fits. This is not a comfortable way, I think, for the believer to walk. But under the circumstances, I think the spirit has given him the liberty and confidence of boasting. Because what he's boasting about is the life of the Lord Jesus Christ lived out through him. And the second one I think has has some merit. He is a bit sarcastic here.

And sarcasm has a way of making a point doesn't it. You know if somebody answers you in a sarcastic manner you kind of take a step back. My goodness. You may not agree with him but it rings a bell that you pause and think gee Where's that coming from? Maybe there's something about what I'm doing here that deserves this kind of sarcastic response.

When you know you're right in the Lord, then you have that confidence. And I think sarcasm can be an option. And so I think Paul just took what he knew he was defending himself, and he knew he was right before the Lord. Now I'm going to raise the point, Gary, to build on that a little bit. is that the sarcasm could be sourced from the old man or the flesh, or it could be sourced from boasting that spirit led. I think only the Lord knows the motives for the sarcasm, but I think in context Paul is boasting righteously.

2 Corinthians 10.1 Now I, Paul, myself, am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent and bold towards you. So this kind of began this whole segment of scripture in 2 Corinthians 10 that ends in 2 Corinthians 13. So this first sentence is quasi-apologetic, but look, my boldness is appropriate under the circumstances in which I am working. Any other thoughts about verse 17 here? or after the Lord, but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting.

So is Paul contradicting himself in some way there? No, he's seeking to make them understand from their vantage point. It may make no sense, but then he'll teach later and the point will be brought forward and they may get a chance to understand. And that again relates to the third point, the options I gave you earlier about A, B, or C here.

Alright then, verse 18. Seeing that many boast and it's appropriately interpreted glory, in a sense boasting sounds kind of fleshly and glorying really sounds heavenly doesn't it? I haven't put a glory in for boast under every circumstance but it's here in this verse. Seeing that many glory according to the flesh, I also glory, or I will glory or boast. So I think the interpretation here is really important from a spiritual, biblical sense to see that glory brings the credit and the value to the Lord in terms of the source of this activity. Whereas boasting sounds kind of fleshly, doesn't it? So is this an excuse? What do you think? It's a statement of fact, part of it.

All the people, they're the great apostles. They're the other apostles and they're better apostles than Paul is. We don't really know what they said entirely, but only by the reaction of what Paul said back to him. So it seems like he's saying, you guys talk about how great you are as apostles or whatever. He says, well, let me tell you what kind of apostle I am. OK, another question of the class here. We've got lots of questions for you here. This is good. Last week, we didn't have so much interaction because I had enough questions. I'm asking more questions. Not that I have the answers to these.

OK, and what does the world, including the false teachers who Paul is really, really being critical of, what are they glory in? What's the world glory in? You can't look at your hand that way, you know. Well, what did you say? I said things. Things. Things. They boast an intellect. Right. OK. A position. Position. Right. Even looks. Works. Yeah. Self. OK. Looks.

I just put a few of their heritage I think that's probably relevant to the Jewish nation anyway their heritage they boasted who their parents were what their positions were they boasted their education or their intelligence or their skills or their appearance and on and on and on so no it's not an excuse he's really reflecting about his glory and thanks of the Lord versus the way the world system glories that things relate entirely to itself.

Can you hear Tom back there? Just a little bit of a short line from one of their classics that there are men among the Greeks and so they tend to build up on that and spring it all out of proportion because there's not just a few of us here or something like that and they take pride in their cultural heritage and they don't want to go back on that. Not only the Jew but the Greek. The Plato and Socrates and Sophocles and that whole Greek history that we all took in school. Alright, now flesh sarks is a term that can be interpreted in many ways and it's used here. Which do you think reflects Paul's boasting or glory here? Another multiple choice question, right? And by the way you will be graded on this.

Alright, flesh can mean the skin. My skin has been very dry lately. That's enough information there. It can mean the human body as a whole, the material or substance of just the body. That can relate to all of us, not just our skin. A living creature, which by the way could be an animal. Sarks or the flesh can be used to describe a mammoth or a dinosaur or a rabbit.

Or it can be the earthly nature of man without divine influence. So, what are your thoughts here? What starts here in context? Yes, I think so. I don't think it's really relating to the skin for sure, or the human, the living creature. The human body as a whole material substance is innocent and amoral. It must be appealing to the earthly nature of man without divine influence. We all have it. I think one thing that we fail in when we see someone come to the Lord is understanding this truth that we still have a sin nature.

You know, Romans 6.11, reckon yourself indeed to be dead indeed unto sin. and risen again to the Lord Jesus Christ. Such an important issue of having two natures is so critical to growth and understanding where those bad thoughts come from or what some people who are one natures calls habits. They're just habits, it's not sin, it's just habits. Wrong. Flesh relates to everything that's intrinsic in human kind and ultimately that's what's being related to here.

So then what is Paul's boasting and glorying all about here? What's he boasting about or glorying in? That he's being criticized of being a fool. Gary? The church. That's his bottom motive is to present the Corinthians salvation. Okay. Any other thoughts on that? Can you repeat that? What's Paul's glory?

What's he boasting about? What's he glorying in here? He's glorying in the Lord. His position in the Lord and the ministry. I just think he wants to share that. That's the only thing you can boast in. Where does he say, I boast in the cross? In Galatians, God forbid that I would glory in anything but the cross. So Paul, back to the verse itself, seeing that many boast of glory according to the flesh, and those are all the things we mentioned about what the world system glories in, I also will boast. But his boasting is of things of the Lord.

But I think also implicit in that, in 18 there, the last part is that Well, I'm going to tell you my Fleshly, I have some credentials in the flesh too. So I'm going to, and you're going to, 22 is going to kind of start opening the door to that. He's going to say, I got the same, you know, you guys aren't one of me. I got the same credentials that you guys got. So don't think that, you know, so he, I have the Fleshly credentials, but there's so much more than just the Fleshly credentials I want to share with you. All right, good. All right.

So then, what is Paul boasting? He's boasting in the Lord and what the Lord has shared with him and convinced him is true. So do you think this reveals the trials the Lord has placed on him? Is this the reason he's boasting? And that's kind of reflected in what, again, You're teaching this.

In verse 23, are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more in labor, more abundant, and in stripes above measure, and in prisons more frequently, in deaths often, and then it continues. Verse after verse after that. reflects that what he's experienced in the human body, or the flesh now interpreted as the human experience, the human body, that have been trials that have proven him to be what he really is. So his boasting may reflect in part this, but it may reflect other aspects of his ministry too. Or is this boasting or glorying in his background, a new nature?

In 2 Corinthians 10.7, do you look at things according to the outward appearance? And then if anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ, so even we are Christ. So the idea here is the boasting is in his positional truths. And as his positional truths become more evident in his life through all the trials and tribulations, his condition is ultimately molded to be consistent with his position.

So Paul is in a sense boasting what the Lord has put him through. But I think there's even more of that. Well, I was just saying, thinking, you know, he, the Lord taught him all these things in the desert. And is it hard not to boast of that given by the Lord himself? And, you know, the thing is, you know, as Hal so often taught, what's our What's our life purpose? It's to bring glory to the Lord. So his glory is those things that are brought to honor or glorify the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. So that's really in part I think what he's boasting about, the experiences he's been through.

But let's turn now to Philippians 3. three through eight. So let's turn our Bibles to that. And I didn't put all five of these verses down. What I've tried to do in the handout is the verses I want to use to make a point, I tend to like to put in the handout, but I think we need to read this whole section and that's too many pages.

But we are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit of God in glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. Although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh, if anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more.

Circumcised the eighth day of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, of Hebrew Hebrews, as to the law of Pharisee, as to zeal, a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness, which is in the law, found blameless. But whatever things were gained to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be lost in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but rubbish, so that I may gain Christ's love.

So his glory is not only in that he's, in fact, as the previous verse said, his identification position of truth But and also the fact that he's gone through all these trials and tribulations. But look at the credibility he had before the world system. So the things that the world system glorifies and Paul could list them in terms of impressing them. But look he became really transformed and all this was rubbish or done in terms of what he now considers himself to be as a member of the body of Christ and being taught by the Lord in many circumstances and experiences. So Paul was real and his boasting or glory was not in the things that he had accomplished in the flesh but all the things that he had accomplished by the Spirit.

All right, verse 19, for you put up or with, put up with, which is better interpreted as suffer fools. Put up with, I think is almost a more accurate translation. You suffer fools. I mean, suffer fools? No, put up with fools. gladly since you yourselves are wise.

One commentator, and I just quote him, I don't remember which one it was, but this is Paul's most sarcastic comment ever. And by the way, this whole section of 10 through 13 is laced with sarcasm, particularly in this section we're looking at today. But this comes through that this is the most sarcastic thing Paul has ever said. But that sarcasm was very true.

I thought we listened. McCauley pointed out one thing. Listen, McCauley, sometimes I'm lying. He pointed out that. that they even would endure slapping in the face because that was something and actually maybe you are going to cover this Roger. I thought it was just amazing. You are going to let Roger finish it. No, that is good. That is great. But we are going to get there. The first 20 is going to deal with that. Right. How about that? The most sarcastic thing. That is what you call the editorial to scripture. Alright, and fools are in addition to Paul, false teachers. So you call me a fool, then what do we call the false teachers?

So that's the comparison. Because Paul's trying to lead them away from false teaching. And you're calling me a fool, but then what about them, right? And if you could put up with them, why can't you put up with me? So in other words, what Paul is really saying here is the fools are really these false teachers. Actually, you're really the fool. But if you're putting up with them, why not put up with me? For you put up with fools, gladly, those false teachers, since you yourselves are wise. So you think you're so smart, but in fact, they're fools. You're putting up with them. Why don't I get similar recognition as a fool?

But wasn't Paul talking to the church at Corinth here? We've got to be reminded, Paul's not just throwing this out for anybody to heed and relate to. This is the church. And just think about the church today. Why do we come here versus go to St. Elsewhere General or whatever?

Because we believe that this is where the truth is best taught. that doesn't make us elite, it makes us more humble to think that we're in a position to really grow by grace. So there's nothing elite about Holly Hills, it's just that we are here because we think the doctrine is soundly presented and it teaches the scripture as best possible. Of course we have fellowship here too. That's another reason we come here, because of the fellowship we have. This isn't a church of three and four thousand that packs it every Sunday because of a feel-good gospel or making them feel more legalistic in their lack of adequate behavior.

Ultimately, Paul's talking to the church and he wants them to have sound doctrine. Hadn't they received the correct teaching? Remember, they had received the correct teaching. 1 Corinthians 4, you are already full. You're already rich. You have reigned as kings without us and indeed I could wish you did reign that we might also reign with you. The sound doctrine of Christianity has been presented to this church. And why hadn't they received it?

1 Corinthians 10.14 I speak as to wise men. Judge for yourselves what I say. Is he appealing to the wisdom of the world? No, he is appealing to the wisdom that has already been presented to them in terms of the truth of the gospel and everything that it represents.

Any thoughts? the state of the Christian Church. Today. Today. And actually couldn't we say that they had the truth. The truth was and has been preached to the majority. Many, many churches have the gospel preached. Many, many churches taught the truth.

But boy, that is just not popular now. Something else is popular now. Other other things are popular. And so in a way, this is kind of mirrors the struggle that Paul has is what we see with the A lot of churches, they just are not teaching the truth of the word anymore. People don't have an appetite for it either.

They're willing to take on whatever the latest It's hard to make statements that are globally applicable to every body of Christ. We're not there to judge them. But again, why do we come here versus going elsewhere? Because we feel that the truth is best taught here. There's a legacy effect here from way back in Holly Hills.

Positional truth is where we begin. and awfully seeing that God not only forgave our sins at the cross, but he crucified the old man that before God were righteous. Remember, for he hath made him who knew no sin to become sin for us. That's not sins being forgiven. He made him to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2 Corinthians 5.21 is really a verse that should be soundly ingrained in your mind and soul. he hath made him who knew no sin to become sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

Wow. So remember, there's no condemnation to those that are before Christ Jesus. You go to most places that are worshiping this morning, they're made to feel guilty about not living up to the standard or the doctrine that God has placed there for us. Yes, Tom. Nope, nope. Just moving my hand around. All right, but let the truth be known. That's what Paul's kind of saying.

1 Corinthians 4.10, we are fools for Christ's sakes, but you are wise in Christ. Again, something he'd already addressed to the church at Corinth in his first epistle. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. So as the human existence is out there and we're trying to perform or in some way get credit for living the Christian life, You know, that's foolish. But the fact that we're in Christ makes us wise. And that's sound doctrine.

Now we fall short of that. Remember, the sin nature is still there in each and every one of us. But all we say is the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ becomes brighter in terms of the light. the sin nature becomes uglier for what really is. It reveals that before God, we're like filthy rags. Our righteousness is like filthy rags. Anyway, that's the truth. We are weak, and you're strong. You're distinguished, but we are dishonored. Alright, on to 20, now Roger, this is the verse you were reading to me. I'm sorry, I got ahead of you, I apologize. No, no, that's great.

For you put up with it, meaning suffer or bear with it patiently, if one, most versions as I read this morning, is a man. For if a man brings you into bondage, or if a man devours you, or if a man takes from you, or if a man exalts himself, and if a man strikes you on the face, So you're to bear patiently with these kinds of injurious acts of the body or even the non-body in terms of proving who we are in Christ. So what I say here is overall, Paul here charges them with indolence because they had given themselves up to the false teachers in a disgraceful bondage. For you to put up with it or suffer or bear with it, you've got to really think about from whence this teaching occurs. So it's interesting to look at all of the verbs that are in this text here. They're all conditional. What's conditional mean? Depends on the circumstances. Conditional means what if, right? What if this or what if that. It may not occur, but if it does, it could be any one of these or all of these.

This is really the kind of thing that he is addressing. Devour. So what's devouring me? If a man devours you. Well, it's forcibly appropriate or squander or waste or even cause emotional distress. being devoured is being really overcome in any one of these many kind of circumstances. If that happens, beware, this is kind of what that looks like. If one takes from you, I mean literally this is possessions and in the Greek it means by force typically. If one exalts himself, He's ruling over them.

So what Paul's dealing with is all the false teaching that really they're experiencing. So wake up here guys and gals. These are things that that really you're being taught that ultimately they're forcibly appropriating you, causing emotional distress. They're potentially taking your positions by force.

The socialistic view of Christianity is the one it's all about. And this hierarchical kind of thing. And I think what Paul is referring to is that these false teachers are making them in some way feel inferior. That they are reaching a point of superiority and ruling over means that the body itself is now being made in some way less than they are.

It almost sounds too like these false teachers are demanding payment. And I like that piece of furniture over there. That needs to come with me because I'm your teacher. that it sort of sounds like that. That's the kind of thing, even though we don't have really much evidence otherwise of what these false teachers were doing. But that's what it sounds like. And if I were them, I'd say you can have it.

When you think about the human reaction is when you're assaulted, you get defensive or whatever. But you look at the Paul's motivation in 2 Corinthians 12, 10, Therefore I am well, content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties. For Christ's sake, for when I am weak, I am strong." So he knew it. So when he had all these things that were stacked up against him, it was fine with him.

But as a young believer, as we walk, if we don't have that squared away, then that's a problem. If you read The Haunted Heart today it dealt with the babe and the more mature believer and exactly what you're saying. The babe really has a very narrow view of this whole process and if you're no longer a babe then why are you acting as one? Get on with your growth and grace, right? All right, good.

So if one exalts himself, the other interpretation might be, too, that it's under the pretext of apostolic dignity. If somebody is ruling over you, then in some way they've obtained a position of superiority. Think of some churches where there's this hierarchy, right? somebody at the top and then there's that second level. In a sense where you have elders for biblical reasons here. These are not superior saints, these are just people with the skill set that scripture indicates is important for leading the body. It's a whole different scenario here.

All right, and if one strikes, and back to what you were saying, this smites you under your face. What do you think when somebody smites you? You feel violated. Violated, but what's more about the process of striking than, say, slapping? Rejection. Yeah, and by the way, the rejection is for sure, but this is not a casual slap. I mean, I won't go there. But it's not a slap in the face. But this is one that breaks the skin. This is thrashing. This is not a gentle kind of reminder of someone telling you that you've been disobedient to them in some way.

So we go to John 18, 22, and 23. Scripture we know well. And when he had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, do you answer the high priest like that? and Christ answered him and said, if I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why do you strike me? And that strike broke his skin and he bled. So this smiting is more than just a simple slap across the face to get your awareness of a circumstance or the situation. What I was going to share, I'll share anyway.

When I grew up, my mother slapped me all the time for my disobedient tongue. And I looked at that as just fine, I needed it. And at the time I knew I needed it, and even now I need it. But think of the day, if a parent slapped their kid, the police would be at their front door. I'm not justifying slapping, all I'm saying is, isn't it amazing how the conditions of the world system around us reflect on what's appeared to be appropriate versus what's not appropriate. and we could discuss that all evening. But when I look back at that slapping, it's very important and necessary in me getting to be more obedient to my mother.

But again, we're not talking about just a slap. Now, that was a slap. There wasn't any bleeding or my skin wasn't broken. It was just, Bob, what did you say? That's not respectful or that's very disobedient. But here, we're talking about hitting someone to the extent that the skin is broken and there's bleeding. So was this a common...

I was going to share I think Macaulay points out that in the culture of that time that if you were a rabbi and you spoke against the rabbi then he could slap you in the face. Well, you can't, you know, I'm the rabbi. And that's, I may be a little bit off of that, but it was that context that there, and you kind of see it immersed in that right there, that you would say something against a high priest. So that slapping was appropriate if you said something contrary to the authority.

And that's a reason I think we relate back to John. I mean, Christ himself, that was no simple just pat on the cheek. I'm trying to patiently withstand this. All right, so again, just another example of the things that people are being put through that may reflect the false teaching that's going on here. Could the false teachers perhaps be Judaizers? I mean, in a sense, we're reflecting on Jewish history here, aren't we? And I think the high priest, as Christ experienced, he was smited, threshing. punitive by a legal system put above him.

Galatians 4.9, but now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements to which you desire again to be in bondage? Remember last week we talked about another gospel? In a sense what the false teachers here are representing another gospel. And Galatians of course is an epistle that deals with legalization of legal systems. and it's also appropriate to look at Galatians 5.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free. Do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. So in a sense the false teachers possibly and likely were a Judaizing group. that we're putting the body back under law and legal systems.

We don't know that for sure, but I think that kind of fits here a little bit. Keep in mind the Corinthian church was a gentile church to a large extent, right? All right, on to the last verse for the morning here. To our shame, I say that we were too weak for that. But in whatever anyone is bold, I speak foolishly, I am bold also. So to our shame, I say that we were too weak for that. What's that sarcasm again? What's that? I think he's being sarcastic again. A little more sarcasm from Paul. He's getting good at this, isn't it?

It's like not being beating people up into submission. It's more like just trying to influence you by just plain sober speech. Just plain God's word. Just that. And he goes on to say that I speak as concerning reproach as though we had been weak. I think it's a more accurate translation. I speak as concerning reproach as though we had been weak. Or disgraced, as being struck. It refers back to verse 20, the idea that you are disgraced by the spidey. So Paul goes back and says, in that regard, to our shame I say that we were too weak for that.

But in whatever anyone is bold, I speak foolishly, I am bold also. So I think he is thinking about all these injurious kind of manifestations of false teaching in terms of the hierarchy that the believers put under in terms of what's being said. So who's we? Well, who's he talking to? The church. I think he's encompassing everybody. We. Don't do this. Paul here is bonding with those who have been misled. in contrast to the false teachers. The false teachers themselves are being identified for who they are but he's talking to the body here. What's going on with you guys and gals? This teaching you're assuming is correct. So that's who we is.

So this is another sarcastic or ironic statement. Were they actually weak? Well they weren't testing the spirits to see if they were of God including a line of thought that was basically being bombarded into their heads by the wrong people. So weak in the scripture ultimately means impotent or no strength at all.

So yeah he's reminding them Tom about whether they should be relying on what's being taught now or what they've been previously taught. So Paul goes on to say in his responses that but in whatever anyone is bold or whatever thing or whatever circumstance you're bold, I speak foolishly and I'm bold also. So kind of like I can meet them on their own ground. And that's as believers where we should be. We should be strong in our faith. And God's strength cancels perfect weakness or no strength. So our strength is in the truth of the gospel and that's what Paul is calling them to be. So 2 Corinthians 10-12, we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise.

Wow that fits here doesn't it? So what do you see in this verse that I've listed for you here in terms of being bold? Point of reference. And what point of reference is that, Tom? Towards the Lord and not to ourselves as mere humans. Right, and what else is implied in verse 12 in chapter 10 that was covered previously in this section of kind of Paul's defense of being called a fool?

What's the comparison here? If you're comparing yourself and you think you're so smart, guess what? By measuring yourself against yourself and others like you, you're not very smart. You're pretty inadequate. So to whom are these false teachers comparing? The internal comparison of them is with themselves, right?

So, you know, again, right doctrine allows you to discern what's true and not true. And how do we know what's true as believers? And remember, I think the world system would use scripture against us. And how does the world system use scripture against us? What's critically important to accept the word of God as truth? A lot of blank faces. Why do we know the Word of God is true? Because we know who we believe in and He is trustworthy.

Alright, and how does that relate to Leviticus 10.4? I'm throwing that out as an arbitrary verse.

It's rightly dividing the Word of Truth, isn't it? Remember the Old Testament, we're not Israel. The Old Testament is for us, but it's not about us. But the Old Testament sets up the cross, doesn't it? in so many ways, directly and indirectly. So rightly dividing the word of truth is really how we know who we are and what we compare false teaching to is how does it measure up to the word of God. By the way, the world system will use any verse to confound you, to contradict any position you take structurally, but we need to rightly divide the word of truth. that means eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth is not really relevant to who we are in Christ today. It's in the Bible but somebody is going to use that verse as they do many other ones that really are out of context and interpreted historically for the nation of Israel and maybe future for the millennial age. But we don't want ourselves to compare ourselves to ourselves unless we're really founded in the truth of the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ. All right, so my concluding statement really reflects this that I just raised to our attention. What's the true metric before the Lord? So, what is our true metric? How do we get marks before the Lord?

Well, it's by living by faith, right? I was going to say, do we believe what is true about us and what he said is true about us? Yeah, and you know, we think of all the, you know, love, faith, and all the other attributes that we're called to as believers, but it begins with truth, doesn't it? I am the way, the truth, and the life. And remember, when he was asked, what do we do? The Jews would ask, what do we do to have the Lord give us credit for what we do? And I'm paraphrasing scripture, like in John 6, I think. He says, believe on him whom he hath sent. The works of God are believing in him who hath sent.

So anyway, that's our metric. The metric before God is bringing glory to the Heavenly Father by living by faith through this great blanket of grace that he puts on each and every one of us. So, in summary today, Paul is defending his boasting, he's being sarcastic in a sense, but he's built that sarcasm on the truth of the Word of God, and that's really the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Perfect.

Alright, so let's close in prayer. Father, we're thankful for the lesson this morning. We're really trying to relate to Paul and his circumstantial experience here with the false teachers teaching wrong doctrine to the church in Corinth. And we, in fact, are fortunate and blessed to be part of the teaching here and we continue to want to live by faith that the glory might be yours in each and every life that exists in this room and in this body. So we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.