Five Reasons Why Paul Boasted - 32

I can assure you that all of the evidence we have in Scripture indicates of the apostle Paul was truly a humble, mild. He had been humbled by Christ on the Damascus Road. Prior to that he probably was one of the proudest of men but that changed when God struck him down and humbled him and drew him into saving union with the Lord Jesus Christ and that God like humility was demonstrated in his life and labors throughout the remainder of his days in week have a record of that before us in Scripture and therefore boasting was distasteful to Paul but he did it. One, it was necessary when Paul talks about boasting what does he mean he simply means stating evidences of his true apostleship.

The call of God upon his life and the evidence of God's working in his life to demonstrate that he is in fact an apostle of Jesus Christ, a position which was constantly under attack by his enemy. And so when this call was challenged by critics who wanted to denigrate Paul in order to deceive those Depaul minister to and when undiscerning Christians were in danger of being deceived by these critics. Paul responded to their hypocritical boasting with his own truthful boasting and we have seen a measure of that in chapter 10, and were looking at more of that in chapter 11. We are taking a big section today versus one through 15 in which we will find five reasons why Paul boasted, and I will give them to you and then will go back and take them up one by one. Why did Paul boast number one to assert apostolic responsibility. Why did Paul.

Paul boast number two to develop increased discernment. Why did he boast number three to defend his divine commission.

Why boast number four to correct malicious slander and finally why did Paul boast was to unmask satanic deception. So why did Paul boast number one to assert apostolic responsibility in the open Chapter 11 with an appeal for patients, although you would bear with me in a little folly, and indeed you do bear with me. Paul recognized that human boasting is in one sense folly. It is a lower level of discourse that it would be better never to engage in it, and yet there are times when it is appropriate and even necessary.

Paul says this is one of those times and, therefore, be patient with me while I do this please understand that even in my boasting I have a God honoring purpose for doing it. I would not be doing it. Otherwise, Paul explains in verse two that he has a responsibility given to him by God. In this boasting is necessary in order to accomplish his responsibility and what is that he says, for I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a traced virgin in Christ. Paul speaks here like a father who takes responsibility for a beloved daughter and in their relationship.

He maintains a godly jealousy is a father would rightly maintain a godly jealousy for his daughter to protect her to keep her safe to deliver her at the right time to her husband in good condition and as a husband would have a godly jealousy for his wife for the same reasons to protect her to guide her to to strengthen and to minister to her.

So Paul has a similar relationship to the members of the church at Corinth. He has a responsibility to them. God used him to plant the church in Corinth, God used him to preach the gospel to these people. God used him to bring them out of darkness into light. He was their spiritual father, both in the sense that God used him to bring many of them to faith in Christ and he was the founder of the church and therefore the father the spiritual father of this church. And that gives him a responsibility which God has placed upon him to watch over them to guard them to protect them for the purpose of spiritual blessing to keep them from from the kinds of things it would damage them in the relationship with Christ. He has in the picture that he's painted in verse two betrothed them to Christ. We talked about the betrothal customs of that day and so you understand it when a father made arrangements generally with the father of another man.

But sometimes rectally with the potential husband depending on the circumstances. But what a father made arrangements for him to give his daughter in marriage that very idea. Some people shrink away from in our day, but it is a very biblical idea and went to the father makes arrangements to give his daughter to the chosen husband, the one that that he approves of the one that she approves of theirs of mutual communication going on here, but when he betrothed her to that husband. He expects rightfully that there is going to be a faithfulness on the part of both the groom and the bride, and though he doesn't have responsibility for the groom that's not in his domain, though he does have responsibility to try to direct his daughter to a good group of godly groom, but he does have responsibility as much as which is within him to protect her to guard her and to give her in marriage to her husband as a chaste virgin hate to say hello how that so rare in our day. We can hardly understand the concept but that is the concept that is the goal and that is the good desire to deliver his daughter to his to her husband is a traced virgin to protect her from the things that would damage that relationship that would damage that record of faithfulness.

That's his responsibility as a father and boss is that's my responsibility to you in a spiritual sense, you are betrothed to Christ didn't come to Christ as a traced virgin that's for sure. But in the mercy of God.

He has cleansed you. He has washed you in his blood. He has made you pure and chaste, and now you have the privilege of the responsibility of remaining true to Christ until the day of the marriage. This is the betrothal. When Christ returns to gather his bride.

There will be the consummation of that marriage. There will be eight. The marriage supper of the Lamb and it is my responsibility to present you to Christ as a faithful version. I was spoiled by your unfaithfulness in loyalty and duty, and obedience to the one to whom you are betrothed. That's my responsibility and Paul declares his concern in verse three. I fear less somehow was the serpent deceived Eve by his grasping craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Paul sees potential danger.

I fear I have a concern. A very real concern that Satan is attempting to seduce you away from your faithfulness to Christ and is my responsibility to head that off as much as I can always Eve went back in the Garden of Eve had only rebuffed the advances of Satan instead of listening to them politely and considering them thoughtfully and eventually yielding to them what a different story. We would head Paul said, here are our seducers that are coming to you, like Satan came to Eve and instead of rebuffing them instead of giving them the students are your listening to them. You are receiving them. You are considering what they have to say with a positive reception and I see danger there. If you don't stop that, then you are in danger of falling like Eve did way back in the garden.

Watch out because Paul had a God-given responsibility to protect and guide the members of the church of Corinth.

He does what is necessary in this case he takes up boasting because the critics are boasting and the Corinthians are our are being impressed favorably by their boasting and Paul needs to come in and correct the situation.

God has entrusted them into his care and so to assert his apostolic responsibility. Paul resorts to boasting number two to develop increased discernment on the part of the Corinthians, verse four for if he who comes preaching another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received or a different gospel which you have not accepted you may well put up with that. Evidently they were giving evidence of doing that, Paul said, you need to develop greater discernment than you're showing right now they seem to be as much impressed with the counterfeit is with the true made even more impressed with counterfeit forms of Christianity. Then with the genuine God had sent to them by his grace through the ministry. The apostle Paul and they were particularly weak in three areas and we see Christians we can those same three areas today and what are they number one, they were being deceived by a counterfeit Jesus number two they were being deceived by a counterfeit spirit number three were being deceived by a counterfeit gospel all said that he who comes with a different Jesus receives favorable and reception by you. You comes with a different spirit receives favorable reception from you and you comes with a different gospel receives favorable reception from you when you have enough discernment to say no and slammed the door on all of these but you're not unconcerned because you're not showing much discernment when he who comes one commentator made a distinction I think of an accurate one. Between the false teachers, blondes who came, he who comes as opposed to the true apostle who is one who was sent. Paul didn't just come to court. Paulding just happened. The footboard Paul was divinely sent to Corinth, but they are some who have targeted court for their own selfish purposes. They have come of their own accord, and they are in danger of deceiving the Corinthian's so they are presenting a counterfeit Jesus. Another Jesus is Jesus who has no saving power that Jesus is abroad, many counterfeit Jesus is our broad throughout the world today.

Jesus, in some cases it was not the eternal son of God is something less than that of Jesus.

In many cases, who is no Savior from sin. In some cases he's the Savior from sin's penalty, but certainly not from sin's power is not here to cleanse your sin and to remove it from your life, but just simply to to give you a ticket to heaven, so that when you die you don't have to face the consequences of your sin, but never never a Jesus who will disturb your sinful lifestyle and Jesus who is not Lord of all Jesus who is not Lord of your life for Jesus to whom you owe no obedience or service or sack loyalty counterfeit Jesus not the Jesus of the Bible and hear people coming with that Jesus, a soft friendly loving Jesus who makes no demands upon your life and that sounds very attractive mean I can have Jesus and salvation and eternal life, and all the benefits and blessings of Christianity.

And I don't have to sacrifice anything. I don't have to give up my sin I don't have to disturb my comforts in any way I can go on with my carnal desires and still have all the benefits of Jesus and what he brought. That sounds pretty good. Watch out, that's a false Jesus. If one comes to you with a Jesus like this. You need to say here not only counterfeit Jesus is, but there is a counterfeit spirit and like the counterfeit Jesus who come representing themselves as the true Jesus. Jesus Christ, the counterfeit spirit that these represent, come claiming to be the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit empowers me the Holy Spirit guides make the Holy Spirit told me this, the Holy Spirit told me that the Holy Spirit enables me to do this and Paul says you need to be more discerning. This is the true spirit of God.

This is a false masquerading as the spirit of God 11 rights. The apostle John, do not believe every spirit test the spirits examined them, test them, whether they are of God, because Mattie false and following the line of the verse you might think he would say many false spirits are gone out into the world, but he says test the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. You see, the false spirits empower guide direct and utilize false teachers, false prophet and so those who bring a counterfeit Jesus comes doing that in the power of a spirit. A spiritual power but it's not the Holy Spirit you better be deserting you better be paying attention. You better be testing the spirits to see whether they are of God where you are going to be deceived and so the counterfeit Jesus is and counterfeit spirits other than the Holy Spirit and a counterfeit gospel Gospels of human achievement.

Gospels of social concerns, but not of spiritual concerns Gospels that are designed to bring an offense to the carnal mind are false gospels.

Watch out somebody comes and brings you a false gospel and you seem to be finding that attractive when it is different. It's contrary to the true gospel of Christ, you need to be listening to these things with greater discernment you need to be listening for more than a few buzzwords when you hear the word Jesus it doesn't mean that it's the Jesus of the Bible when you hear the word Holy Spirit doesn't mean that it is truly the Holy Spirit of God. When you hear the word gospel. It doesn't mean it's the gospel of Jesus Christ and on it goes. When you hear about Christianity. When you hear about miracles doesn't mean they are miracles that have been produced by God. You need to be skeptical of any Christianity that seems to have a popular appeal. I want sensate to say that but folks that's the case you need to be constantly on guard. You need to have a holy skepticism please ask God to keep you from being better in rancorous, but you need to have a holy skepticism of virtually anything and everything until you check it out, and particularly the form of Christianity that seems to have broad appeal.

Everybody's coming to that everybody likes that. Look at all the people that are coming in Outlook Outlook Outlook Outlook out as God to enable you distinguish between genuine counterfeit and the second reason why Paul boasted because he found it necessary to counter the sort of thing is to develop increased discernment on these people as as these false teachers came with their boasting they were boasting. Paul mentions that they were listing all of their achievements and all the things that they thought made them better than Paul or least auto convince people that they were better than Paul deposit sometimes the only way to deal with that is to fling it right back at them expose their hypocritical boasting with the truth. Unveil their deception with sharp sarcasm which will help people to understand the deference to develop some discernment. Why did Paul boast number three to the event defend his divine commission.

Verses five and six for I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am untrained in speech yet.

I'm not a knowledge but we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things, to defend his divine commission. Paul talks first of all, about his standing and secondly about his credentials, and since he's already talked about these before he doesn't elaborate in these these particular versus everything that he has said previously about them.

But Paul tells us that in his standing. He is not inferior to the other apostles. Apparently his critics were saying so Paul is not a real apostle like Peter, James and John Paul didn't walk with Christ upon the earth. Paul didn't observe Jesus ministry and hear Jesus speak in Paul is a real apostle like they are and the insinuation is when you have a good relationship with the other apostles. They sanction us. They approved what were doing. Which wasn't true but they were using that connection deceptively blindly hypocritically connection. It really didn't exist and casting aspersions upon Paul's apostleship is not a real apostle like the ones that we know like the ones that endorse what we are doing or they may be another meaning of verse five for I consider that I know all inferior to the most eminent apostles in a number of commentators think that that reference to the other apostles here is not a reference to the genuine apostles, like Peter, James and John, but a reference to the pseudo-apostles or some translations even call the super apostles, which is a term that Paul applies to the false teachers because it seems to be something that they've applied to themselves. They come claiming to be apostles of Christ, and they come claiming to be superior apostles to Paul. They are super apostles. They are pseudo-apostles the not pseudo-apostles are super apostles vocals them pseudo-apostles. Paul's not super apostle like we are. If is one of all into the false teachers. They were great in their own eyes than the apostle Paul.

They were they were greater apostles than the possible so they boasted and so they want people to believe in order to defend his divine commission as a genuine apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul uses these techniques including boasting and so his standing in verse five and his credentials in verse six and he makes reference once again to his oratorical performance is not one of his credentials, the false teachers again seem to make. That is one of the most important things Paul can't really be an apostle of Christ because he is not an impressive oratorical critics judged Paul's oratory as inferior and unsatisfactory. Paul seems to accept that judgment doesn't argue about that because that's not important. He seems to accept that I I've heard what Paul says about his own speaking performances, speaking ability and it seems like he considered himself to be a very not even an ordinary speaker, but even less than ordinary ability. And yet when I read the accounts of his speaking, the records of his sermons.

The effect that it had upon people. It seems to me like he was a very good speaker, but he certainly was not in the style of oratory that Greek culture held up as the standard of excellence and he admits that but Paul says what is really important is not my oratory but my knowledge he acknowledged that his oratory may not be humanly impressive though it was that which God used and empowered in his life, but it was his superior knowledge that was his one of his credentials. This knowledge of truth is knowledge of God. This knowledge of Christ is knowledge of God's word is knowledge which was accurate. It was completely accurate. It it was not wrong in anything that he said that was the word of God.

It was expansive. He had a large knowledge of of truth far more than nearly anybody in his day and his knowledge was invaluable because that's what they needed they needed the knowledge of God's word. They needed a true knowledge of God himself. They needed a clear knowledge of the gospel. They needed a knowledge that would help them to recognize counterfeits into to reject them. Paul says my claim to apostleship is not in my superior oratory, but it's not it's not in the way I say things but it's what I say the words that I say it's the message I deliver is the truth that I'm able to communicate to you in a way that these guys can't because frankly they don't have true knowledge with their spouting is a bunch of error.

Anyway, but I have the knowledge of God and so that was one of Paul's credentials and another one of his credentials was in his fruitful labors for six for though I am untrained in speech yet. I am not a knowledge very trained in knowledge within this, but we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things we have been made known by who doesn't say I made myself known. He says I have been manifested go. I think some translations do give it an indicative rather than a passive sense, it could be the way but Paul is saying that God manifested in my life and my labors that I have the call of God upon my life.

God manifested in an apostle of Christ is being used of God. In other words, this manifestation indicates much visible evidence of God's working through Paul which anyone was spiritual discernment could clearly see one translation says we have made our commission clear for all to see. We have made our commission are divine apostolic commission clear for all to see. How did you do that Paul. By preaching the gospel and souls were saved by planting churches and seeing them established by seeing Christians grow in grace and become strong in other words to Paul's ministry. There was much fruit, it was evident there were there was with her was a whole host of changed lives. Wherever Paul went will when I say it wherever he went through some locations he went to and God to minister powerfully through him, and he didn't leave a large coast of changed lives behind. He didn't see that happened on the island of Crete. He didn't see that happen in the city of Athens but so many places were Paul when God poured out his Spirit upon him, and work powerfully through him and here's the evidence of it is. Paul said to the Corinthians.

Earlier in this very epistle we don't need letters of commendation from others.

You are Allie pencils written in our hearts, known and read of all men are charged believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in a pagan idolatrous licentious city will have that happen number one for most of what I'd rather say more than anything else is that happened by the grace of God I wish I could just say that.

That's all that needed to be said, but I must add this to it. How did that happen that happened by the grace of God blessing me by the grace of God blessing my labors. I don't know why I don't think that makes me any great somebody. I don't really like to boast about it, it's all the grace all God has done, but wake up recognize this is what shows clearly that I am an apostle of Christ God has worked through a God has changed your lives, and many others now show me the lives that these false teachers of change. Show me the pagan idolaters who have turned from their pagan idolatry to Jesus Christ through their ministry shall be the churches which they have planted. I will pause while you list them for me. I'm not hearing anything. Nothing.

Nothing. So this this this undesirable boasting is necessary because of your weakness but he'll think about it I list my credentials and evidences and place them up against these hypocritical posters and what their boasting of is a bunch of wind, it's a bunch of nonsense. It's a bunch of nothing. And what I'm telling you is evidence of God at work, and surely you can see the difference now if you couldn't see it before the critics question Paul's commission as an apostle, but Paul defended it without apology number four. Why did Paul boast number four to correct malicious slander.

This is verses seven through 12 is the longest section of my five so see how quickly I can get through this. I'll read it. Did I commit sin and humbling myself that you might be exalted because I preach the gospel of God to you free of charge. I rubbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you if when I was present with you and in need.

I was a burden to no one for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied did everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you and so I will keep myself as the truth of God of the truth of Christ rather is in me.

No one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Acadia why the regions of Acadia because that's what's needed to do this everywhere because it wasn't needed everywhere.

But he said I didn't do it here. Acadia is where Corinth was I doing here because it's needed here and I'll keep doing it here as long as it's needed here for 11 why because I do not love you, God, no, that's not true, but what I do.

I will also continue to do that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast for such are also possible. Deceitful workers not getting the last section. Why does Paul boast he does this to correct malicious slander. Again, the false critics were false teachers.

The critics were slandering him. So what is Paul saying here will, in verse seven, Paul declares his policy of free labor. Paul did not receive any financial support any salary from the church at Corinth didn't do that and they knew that he could say that they knew was true, but the critics took that and insinuated that this proved he was an amateur. If he been a professional then he would've taken their support to been a real apostle. It women supported by the church as apostles ought to be. Did they should get to that in the moment as faithful preachers and pastors ought to be. Indeed, they should get to that in a moment. Paul didn't take any support they are they through the back any space and use that as a negative instead of a positive. Paul asks of this policy of not taking any support from them was a sin that I said for seven that I commit sin and humbling myself.

You might be exalted because I preach the gospel of God to you free of charge.

Was that a sin is at an air was that a mistake was at the wrong thing to do. So it seems when it's being misused by these false teachers. But Paul had a policy of free labor in Corinth, but he backs it up in verse eight by telling us that he is a policy of financial support in a different situation resilient. I rubbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. Paul took no money, no financial support from Corinth, but he gladly accepted support from other churches. He took support from other churches so that he could minister for free and Corinth beginning to see what he's doing here will stick with him for a moment. Paul was adamant about these policies. Verse nine when I was present with you and Anita was a burden to no one for what I lacked the brethren. It came from Macedonia be Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea, they supplied and did everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you and so I will keep myself.

Paul is describing here is what I would call Paul's financial policy of missionary work. What is that to accept nothing from a church. While it is being established, but to accept financial support from established churches in order to carry out new endeavors. This is the way missionaries operate missionary goes into a place where there is no gospel and begins to preach the gospel to them and he doesn't start taking collections from them to support himself he doesn't do that will help any labor there from the support of established churches in our case we in America send support to these missionaries so they can go into these places and preach the gospel without charge until these churches become establishing the people become mature and when that happens, then they are directed to support a pastor when God supplies a qualified pastor. They financially support their pastor and the missionary goes on to another place and starts all over again preaching the gospel without support in that location. Now he not only picks up support in many cases from the churches that were supporting him there. But now this established church that has been established by him catches the vision and they start sending support to his new location so he can do the same thing all over again there. This is the way missions operates in the right operates this way because Paul operated this way and Paul tells us what he did, we can see it, we say that's the biblical pattern, but the critics said Paul's refusal to receive support from you and Corinth demonstrates his lack of love for you. What I came out of nowhere most people would think, if any thing that demonstrates a great measure of love that is willing to come in their and to labor on their behalf without any support from them and pulled as a mention of this passage, but when he first went to Corinth and he didn't have sufficient missionary support from other churches. He supported himself by making tents with the Quillen Priscilla. He labored with his hands.

That's not that's not preferable, but when necessary. He did that in order not to break the terms of this policy, he would not take money from churches when he was establishing them and they were still young and new and vulnerable to misunderstanding. He said no will take any there the print critics set up all really loved you. He did take money from you somehow easily creating emotional barrier between you and him. He doesn't want there to be a close tie their deposit is no that's wrong that's a lie that she is the truth is just the opposite. I do this not because I don't love you. I do this because I do love you so I'm willing to do this and I think even the Corinthians could sort that out. See who was telling the truth. The critics of both what makes more sense that he doesn't take money from them because he doesn't love them. He doesn't take money from them because he does makes more sense. So you see Paul's what he called boasting here is helping them to get sorted out. And what's true Paul boast to set the record straight. Paul boast to refute the slander of the false teachers but number 51 more Paul boast to unmask satanic deception. Now in verses 13 through 15. The gloves really come off at least can go out of bareknuckle.

I plan that up until this time, he said enough about these critics to make it clear that they were not godly honorable man, but now he's going up, pull the mask off pull the costume up and reveal who they really are underneath verse 13 but what I do. Rather, verse 13. Here we are, for such. These critics are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 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 who it was and will be according to their works.

The unmask satanic deception. Starting with being very blunt about the true nature of his critics, who are they false apostles not true. Once who are they, deceitful workers, not honorable, honest ones who are they, the clever actors they transform themselves into something they are not there playing a role there masquerading there putting on a costume to misrepresent who they are, they transform themselves like an actor playing a role on a stage was a reason for this deception. Verse 14. They copy their father the devil, like Jesus said to the Pharisees in his day, you are of your father the devil, the desires of your father you will do.

He was a murderer and a liar and deceiver is the father of lies is full of deceptions of all kinds, and the devil uses the same language here transforms himself into an angel of light. He doesn't come to people with a pitchfork and a pointed tail of the red costume and say hi. I'm the devil hello let's get acquainted as a come like a preacher.

Like a divine healer like a great visionary was going to do great things for God like an angel of light. That's the way Satan transforms himself. Therefore we shouldn't be surprised if his ministers, his servants, his ministers do the same thing they play a role. They deceive they put on a costume. They transform themselves and what they are not. They are not ministers of God, they are not ministers of the gospel. They're not true. Ministers of the Christian church. They are ministers saying to what they, as angels of light.

A lot of times these people are more personable, more friendly in some ways perhaps more track, at least initially, because they don't always have to be negative. They just two preachers don't always have to be negative, but they have to sometimes be negative with the going to be true to God's word. These folks can just come, always smiling, always saying positive things.

But of course the little digs and little insinuations and ordered to cause people to lose confidence in true ministers of the gospel. Paul says that's the way Satan operates in his ministers who operate the same way you should pricing should be deceived and he tells us what the end of the deception is it's not good. There whose end shall be according to their works, bad works that eternity there's another way of understanding the last part of verse 15. If you operate on the basis of works are going to be judged according to your works but if you cast yourself upon God's grace are to be judged according to God's grace, take your pick. I do want to stand before God, why did this cited that Lord, Lord, have we not done many wonderful works in my part for me workers of iniquity. I never knew you. You think your works are wonderful.

I judged him to be lacking. I judge you according to your works are deficient, condemned, stand before God and say Lord I know I have no good works of my own. I have nothing to commit myself to you. I have no merit of my own your anger to suppress. I'm worthy of judgment and worthy of condemnation I'm worthy of of your casting the into eternal help at all. Lord you sent your sound and you promise to those who trust in him and have their sins forgiven. That's all of grace is not of merit. I don't cast myself before you. According to works. I cast myself before you according to your grace. Welcome home know which one you want to choose works.

Grace. Hope you come on, to understand it doesn't matter how great your works are they award a two deficient to get you into heaven, and I hope you also understand that you probably think your works are better than they really are, will overestimate them every time that all completing works because for these people there and will be according to their works, and you don't what are we to learn in this passage, number one, don't be deceived by smooth talking braggart. Stupid people are number two. Don't be deceived by charismatic personalities. Too many people are and I don't use the word charismatic there in the sense of Pentecost. Although they sometimes they may fit into that category.

I'm talking about a very personable individual who is the kind of person who just seems to emanate positivity and energy and the attractive things that's not what's important. Satan can do that really really really really really good soak in his ministers quickly saying, not how they say it. What about the knowledge.

What about the message. What about spring what's being said what about the fruit.

What you should be looking for. Paul tells us in this passage number one knowledge look for sound doctrine, accurate understanding of Scripture. That's what you should be looking for as you are evaluating people who claim to be ministers of God number two sacrifice. Paul was a hard-working man. He was willing to work for low wages or little wages. He wasn't greedy and that was in evidence of his godliness and if you find people who are willing to do that, you better be skeptical. Number three judged them according to fruitfulness that is genuine spiritual fruit of the have to be knowledgeable enough in the Bible to know what that is the evidence of God's blessing in changing lives under that ministry in producing spiritually healthy churches under that ministry. That's what you should be looking for.how big is it not help popular is it not how how how it makes people feel emotionally but is it the truth. Biblical Jesus, the evidence of the Holy Spirit at work.

The biblical gospel. That's what you should be looking for let's pray father give thy people, discernment protect them from error father all across our land. There are people who are even now being deceived, some of whom are deceived because they are counterfeit Christians. Some will lording your true sheep who at this time are wandering in unsafe places, Lord, may they hear your voice.

Call them to truth and righteousness followed by the work of your spirit: many unto yourself. We pray in Jesus name