The mango looked so perfect. The skin was the right shade of green. When gently pressed to check for ripeness, it was the right softness. When a strip of peel was lifted partially away, it exposed the plump flesh, which was a nice peachy orange. The mango fragrance wafted out to us and we smiled in anticipation of tasting its goodness.
But, oh, ugh! As more of the skin was peeled away, a mass of heaving worms was revealed. We gingerly salvaged what we could and tossed the rest away in disgust.
This seems a perfect analogy that the apostle Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 11. False teachers came in boasting of great and wonderful things, puffing themselves up. They were so deceptively deceptive that at least some of the Corinthian congregation were being turned aside.
They had accepted it as God's truth. But Paul firmly and almost fiercely, admonished them. Don't be such fools as to be foiled by these false teachers!
They may sound good and have had difficulties but Paul had had ever so many more and this was in line of duty to bring the pure and sincere truth from the Lord to them.
He said,
"But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ" (2 Corinthiasn 11:3 ESV).
All Paul's hard work among them was being altercated, which caused him sleepless nights and anxiety on their behalf. Satan is forever active and just as cunning since Eve. Be wary and ever on guard, even today.
We need to ...
" ... test the spirits to see whether they are of God ... " (1 John 4:1 ESV).
Let's watch out for false teachers. We can ask the Holy Spirit to teach us and to alert us to them. Let's know the truth of God's Word so well it helps us to detect and discern the false when it shows up.
Until then, may the truth set us free as we abide in God's word (see John 8:31-32). This is how fools and false teachers can be foiled.
So be it.
Amen.
~ ERC June 2026 ~
Based on 2 Corinthians 11: especially vs 3 & 28 ESV.
Sing, Your Truth Sets Me Free along with David and Rachel, and Jesus is the The Way The Truth and the Life, along with be_still_studios.
