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2 Corinthians 11:12-15
We have learned in 2 Corinthians 11:7-11 that there were false apostles among the Corinthians that have apparently been charging large amounts for their services and putting a burden on the church by doing so. In 2 Corinthians 11:12-15 the Apostle Paul stands firm in doing whatever he can to put an end to these false apostles, in this case by providing his sharing of the gospel with the church at Corinth free of charge to show his sincerity and true calling from God. Paul states of these false apostles in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (NKJV) as he states, “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”
This is an example of how Satan works through imitating, but falsely, the image of God.
Satan’s goal is to “be” god. But for his disobedience to God, he was cast out of heaven, along with all the disobedient angels that follow him (Isaiah 14:12-15; Luke 10:18; 2 Peter 2:4). Satan wants to lure us away from God and into his control, in which his grasp is stronger than we could ever be to break. But in doing this, Satan strives to woo us into his grasp by things that we refer to as temptations. Those whose hearts are controlled by Satan will also strive to convince us of how great things will be for us if we will just follow their teachings. But we have a choice; and God will prompt us through His Holy Spirit to do the right thing and turn from evil – to repent and turn to Jesus – the only way to overcome Satan and his temptations. Jesus states in John 12:46, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.” And in John 14:6 Jesus declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Why is this important? Because of the declaration made by Jesus in John 3:16, which we all know; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” But it is what comes in the next few verses that explains it, as we learn in John 3:19-21, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” The choice is ours; Satan strives to force us into his grasp, while God calmly and confidently calls us to Him. The choice to victory is to choose Jesus – and live!
Dear LORD,
Satan is so deceitful in his masked evil that he strives to portray as light. But we find the truth in Your Word; we find the truth in Jesus who came to save us from the wiles of the devil. Please open our eyes, hearts, minds, and souls to the everlasting saving truth that we would open our hearts to Jesus and be saved. In Jesus name I pray, amen.