The Corinthians had been duped. After falling into the trap of false prophets who were perpetuating a polluted gospel, they began saying that the real apostle, Paul, was fake. These legalistic false apostles were taking advantage of the financial support Paul should have been receiving. In the end, Paul had to set the congregation straight by sharing the things he went through for the sake of the gospel and reminding them of the truth.

Even today, not everyone who claims the name of Christ is truly of Him. In fact, I believe 80% of claimed Christian television programming and books are not of God. These sources appear right but include prosperity gospel, legalism, and many misinterpretations of scripture. We need to be very cautious and remember that the originator of evil was once an angel of light full of beauty and wisdom. He knows that in order to get his foot in the door he needs to make himself appear Godly.

Being fooled by the devil is a progression. First, he plants a seed of doubt; then, he denies God’s truth. After he has accomplished that, he prompts you to deify your opinion above God’s. Scripture repeatedly warns us of what the devil is capable of. We must always have our radar up and keep in mind that the devil’s pitfalls would not be effective if they were obvious.

Satan may have been tempting you for months, perhaps even years with some nagging doubts: “If God truly loved you, why is he making you go through chemo?” “If Christianity really is right, you wouldn’t get mocked this much at work.” “Drinking won’t really hurt you; God was overexaggerating – just give it a try.” Whatever he is using to gain a foothold in your life, combat it with the truths in God’s Word as Jesus did when He was tempted. Learn from the Lord’s example and don’t be fooled.