Bible Society of South Africa
3 April 2024Xanthe Hancox

Focus your faith on Him – Day 9

Simply Jesus

Bible text(s)

3I am afraid that your minds will be corrupted and that you will abandon your full and pure devotion to Christ — in the same way that Eve was deceived by the snake's clever lies. 4For you gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus, not the one we preached; and you accept a spirit and a gospel completely different from the Spirit and the gospel you received from us!

2 Corinthians 11:3-4GNBOpen in Bible reader

In the final chapters of Second Corinthians, Paul deals with one of the most dangerous threats to any church anywhere – the destruction of a church from within, by teachers who are veering off from the truth.

We see it today with preachers who promise prosperity and success, often in material terms, to those who follow Jesus. This false teaching doesn’t prepare people for the reality of living in a fallen world and the need to persevere in trust and faithfulness.

This is why the focus of Paul’s ministry in Corinth, as in every city, was Jesus – simply Jesus. It’s easy to lose sight of Jesus and get bogged down with Christian activity and religious living. You can lose it in the pressures of daily living. You can get so busy, worried and anxious about yourself and the things that are happening to you, that you lose the sense that Christ is with you and he is adequate. This is the beautiful simplicity that is in Jesus.

The church in Corinth was involved in all sorts of fascinating philosophies and intellectual debate that was loosely based on the word of God, but which went off on side tracks and lost sight of Christ.

The way to avoid being trapped in a world filled with delusion today, is simply this: keep close to Jesus. Retain the simplicity that is in Christ. Walk closely with the Son of God himself, every day.

Bible Society of South Africav.4.19.0
Find us on