Scripture

You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel then the one you believed.

Observation

Paul is jealous for the Corinthians with the jealousy of God Himself. He promised them as a bride to Christ, but it seems that their pure devotion has become corrupted.

Paul says that they put up with every kind of teaching, even a different Jesus, a different Spirit, and a different gospel.

Paul is not inferior to the so-called super apostles. He always aimed to serve the church at no cost to them.

Application

Paul accuses the church at Corinth of happily receiving any form of teaching that comes their way, even if it amounted to a different Jesus, a different Spirit, or a different gospel.

This is still the case today. People seem to go along with the most outrageous nonsense if it is dressed in the right religious language.

It is as if the church, or at least parts of it, have lost the ability or desire to test what is being taught against Scripture.

The prosperity gospel is one such heresy. It goes way beyond the trust that God supplies what we need, and teaches that God wants us to be rich in earthly goods.

Those who teach that the gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased after the first generation of believers are also in error. They say we have the New Testament which has replaced the need for prophecy, healing, and so on. Yet the gifts persist in much of the church, showing that they teach a different spirit than the Holy Spirit.

Those who want to add the Old Testament laws to the message of salvation preach a different Jesus. Salvation for them requires observing Hebrew feasts and customs, even though the death of Christ superseded such things.

There are many tempting counterfeit doctrines out there. We must stay faithful to the teachings of Scripture.

Prayer

Lord, examine my heart and see if there is any falsehood in me. Please help me to stay faithful to you. Amen.