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Dear Christian Believers,
God bless you and greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Recently I was reading about Paul’s thorn in the
flesh and how “people,” were the ones that
endeavored to hinder and obstruct Paul’s ministry
and life. I was intrigued with one of the perils Paul
listed in...
II Corinthians 11:26.
In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of
robbers, in perils by mine own
countrymen, in perils by the heathen,
in perils in the city, in perils in
the wilderness, in perils in the sea,
in perils among false brethren;
Paul might expect obstruction and hindrance
to his ministry by robbers, many countrymen, and the heathen,
but false brethren, (those whom he believed to be in the
Body of Christ helping him, but were against him), that
must have really hurt. The word translated “among,”
means ... “motion to the interior, with a view to.”
Among, suggest working towards becoming an insider. These
false brethren were suppose to be helping and supporting
the movement of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They had deceived
their way into trust and were given access to the minds
and hearts of the believers. In II Corinthians 26:17,
we learn that these were all sent by Satan to buffet Paul
and his ministry. No wonder Paul cried out to God to remove
these thorns of the flesh from his life and ministry.
False brethren is translated from the Greek word, ‘
the root word, “psudees,” and it means lying
or deceiving. These false brethren appeared to be something
they were not.
Galatians 2:4
….because of false brethren unawares brought (introduced
privately) to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ
Jesus that they might bring us into bondage.”
In Acts 15 the church was in an upheaval
over circumcision. The false brethren had slipped in with
their call for legalism to dominate in the Church. The
end of their lies and deceit would result in bondage.
Paul declares his response to this type of trickery in...
Galatians 2:5
To whom we gave place by subjection, no not for an hour;
[purpose] that the truth of the gospel might continue
with you.
One of the greatest things we have in
the Body of Christ is the GOSPEL of TRUTH, therefore we
should strive to make it known, strive to live honestly
before ALL people, and to always speak the truth in love.
We have so much freedom and liberty in Christ we should
shout it from the roof tops. Will there be perils for
the “active Christian Believer?” Sure! But
our God is bigger and HE is able to be our sufficiency
in All things including the perils that Paul was challenged
with. Have a great month of walking in the liberty and
truth of Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us filter our lives
through the truth of the gospel and everything false will
reveal itself, and then we can deal with it. Never allow
others to steal what God has given you in Christ.
Rejoicing in the TRUTH;
John
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