2 Corinthians 11 (Boast In Christ, Not The Flesh)

Text: 2 Corinthians 11

Theme: Glory in Christ, not the flesh

4. By boasting about Christ (10 - 13)
C. Boasting about the flesh leads you astray from Christ
(11:1-15)
D. Boasting about the flesh is folly (11:16-33)

Boasting about the flesh leads you astray from Christ
(11:1-15). Why did the Corinthians "beautifully bear" these
false teachers, who exalted themselves and discredited Paul
(4)? The gospel of Christ is one of salvation by grace,
through faith, apart from human strength or merit (1 Cor.
15:3-4; Eph. 2:8-9; Romans 3 - 4). Relying on anything other
than, or in addition to Christ's merit results in eternal
damnation (Galatians 1:9). It was from the simplicity of this
gospel that false teachers, by boasting of human merit and
attacking Paul as "weak", were leading the Corinthians astray
(2 Cor. 11:1-4).

Paul was in no way inferior to the other apostles, as his
critics claimed. Even if he was unskilled in speech, his
message was according to true knowledge of Christ. The
content of a person's message is more important than the way
they speak it (6). Neither was Paul's practice of not living
off his ministry to the Corinthians a sign of inferiority.

Rather, in love, he sought only to make himself no burden to
the Corinthians, or do anything which might hinder the gospel
influence among them (7-11). Besides, he was being helped by
churches in Macedonia (12), something he thought "robbery"
(8). The false teachers tried to gain an equal standing with
the authority of the other apostles, by exalting themselves,
and judging Paul according to fleshly standards (12b). Those
who would lead one astray from the gospel of grace in Christ
are "servants of Satan", "disguised as ministers of
righteousness" (13-15). Boasting about the flesh leads you
astray from Christ.

Boasting about the flesh is folly (11:16-33). The word "Fool"
and "folly", in this passage, comes from "aphron" and means
"stupid"--someone who acts rashly, without reason or
reflection (Strong's). Paul's use of sarcasm and satire shows
the folly of boasting about one's fleshly achievements. Were
the Judaizers Hebrews, descendants of Abraham? So was he!
Were they servants of Christ? Paul was more of a servant!
While sarcastically bragging like the false teachers, Paul
notes in parenthesis, "I speak as if insane" (NAS). Rather
than boast about his strength, the very "weakness" the false
teachers attacked was something Paul would brag about, since
it magnified Christ's strength (28-30). Boasting about the
flesh is "folly".

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
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