“I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ…But I am afraid that just as EVE WAS DECEIVED BY THE SERPENT’S (Satan’s) CUNNING, your minds may somehow be LED ASTRAY from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and PREACHES A JESUS OTHER THAN THE JESUS WE PREACHED, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, YOU PUT UP WITH IT EASILY ENOUGH.” (2 Corin. 11:2-4) The people of Corinth had encountered Jesus in very powerful ways. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and granted supernatural gifts (1 Corin. 1:7), yet they leaned towards gullibility and unfaithfulness. Paul had a passionate love for the Corinthian church he founded. But the Corinthians’ ongoing tendency toward error grieved him, and he feared they were being spiritually seduced.
Jude warns us of those who creep in to deceive us. “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE FAITH…For certain men have crept in unnoticed…ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and DENY THE ONLY LORD GOD and OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.” (Jude 1:3-4) As DIVINELY GIVEN, THE “FAITH” is not subject to addition, subtraction or modification IN ANY FORM. Therefore we must CONTEND EARNESTLY (proclaim it, guard it, and defend it) FOR THE FAITH.
Paul admonished us,
LET YOUR MANNER OF LIFE BE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST…(Phil. 1:27)
-Bill Stockham