“For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, this you tolerate very well!” (2 Corinthians 11:4).
Error-Filled Church
Paul had many problems with the church in Corinth. The believers were immature, fought amongst themselves, and were ignorant about spiritual gifts, among other faults. In addition to this, Paul found himself having to defend his apostleship against false apostles who were invading the Corinthian church.
Both 1 and 2 Corinthians are “corrective” epistles, or letters in which Paul was attempting to straighten them out spiritually, theologically, mentally, emotionally, and practically. History shows they still faltered after these letters were written. In the above verse, Paul mentions three things they gladly accepted, tolerated, and were foolish about: Another Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel.
Paul was furious with them! “Another” Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible or history. A different spirit is a spirit of fear and bondage rather than the Spirit of freedom and peace we have in Christ. A different gospel is no gospel at all, but is based on another Jesus. It is bondage and fear, in contrast to the true Gospel, which is about Christ – His saving work for sinful humanity in His death and resurrection, and salvation by God’s grace through faith.
The Same Today
I fear we are in the same boat today. Too many institutions preach “Another” Jesus. I’m not just referring to cults such Mormonism or Jehovah’s Witnesses, or false religions. Sadly, I’m referring to a large portion of “Christendom” where “Another” Jesus is not only tolerated, but celebrated!
We MUST remember that the Jesus we preach and teach is the Jesus people believe in. If we proclaim a false Jesus, people will believe in a Jesus other than God the Son, who is the second Person of the Tri-une Godhead, the eternal God who took on human flesh and died and physically arose again. If people believe in a false Jesus, what does this mean for their salvation? It means a false salvation. This means they are not Christians and will not go to Heaven, though they sincerely believe this is what awaits them.
Today, many preach a “Jesus” who will guarantee healing and happiness. While God can heal, it is not guaranteed part of salvation. Many Scriptures, especially Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 2:24, are taken out of context. This is another Jesus being preached, and when someone “believes” in this faux Jesus and when something horrific happens in their lives, they are at a loss to understand why.
This is tragic. Anyone who has been in ministry long enough has seen this and spoken with people who thought they knew God but didn’t. When they feel let down by this false Jesus, they turn themselves off to the true Jesus.
Whom Do You Worship
Be careful of your walk with the Lord of Glory, and how you speak of Him. He is neither your buddy nor your genie, nor someone to minimize in order to maximize yourself. No. He is God Almighty and He loves us so much!
Who are you putting your faith in: the Jesus of the Bible, or one fabricated by man and Satan? Are you preaching the true Jesus, or another Jesus?
Dr. Michael Weis is a pastor, video operator, editor, and social media manager at Zion’s Hope.
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