Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear ones.

Today looks like it will live up to its name—sun day—with lots of it. Yesterday I did a good deal of work in the sun and nearly melted. In a few minutes we will take off on our little walk/jog routine and elude some of the sun’s intensity. The forested corridor we take is also very shaded. Here comes Becki now.

May you be melted by the Son—the true One.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Normally we accept the idea that there is only one Jesus Christ. And that is absolutely correct IF we specify that there is only one true Jesus Christ—or one Jesus Christ of the Bible. But according to scripture there are untold numbers of false Christs (Matt. 24:24; Mk. 13:22; Gal. 1:6-9). Even in this passage before us, Paul establishes the possibility that any kind of twisting of divine revelation, even though it may accompany the claim of being “scriptural” and “Christian” in nature and origin, can actually divert unstable believers into following a false Jesus Christ. Paul confesses, “I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ (…the true one)” (v. 3). Let’s understand that “the serpent” is not dead. He is still very much alive with the same deceptive designs toward humans as he had in the beginning.

Notice that the focus of Paul’s fear on behalf of these believers is their minds. The mind is clearly the control center of one’s entire life and faith. And it is the target for influence of both the “serpent” and the Spirit of Truth alike. It is in the mind that every individual draws from his knowledge and information to form his own personal perception of Christ. It is this personal concept of Christ that a person lives to please—or does not live to please. A person may say “I know Christ” or “I have received Christ.” But that does not necessarily ensure that the Christ that they know and received is the same one that I know and received—or the same one that is presented by the Word of God. So if and when a person says, “I am a Christian…I follow Christ,” but they demonstrate by their actions and attitudes obvious violations of the commands and teachings of the Christ of the Bible, I have no alternative but to conclude that they are following a different Christ—the wrong one. That’s why God has given His written Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17), to assist us in gaining an accurate perception of the true God and true Christ (Colossians 1:15-20). Paul confessed to a similar kind of struggle on behalf of the Galatian believers, like a mother paining to give birth to a child, “until Christ (the true one) be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).

If there is such a thing as a FALSE CHRIST, it follows that those who promote such a Christ would be FALSE REPRESENTATIVES or “false apostles.” That fact is what Paul addresses in the last three verses of this reading. “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve” (vv. 13-15).

Please be constantly alert to the subtle influence of a Jesus other than THE JESUS of the Bible (Big difference!) so that you not “be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ (the true one).”

I’m convinced that a sincere HEART AFTER GOD will eliminate the risk.