2co 02v17 Corrupting The Word of God

CORRUPTING THE WORD OF GOD

II Cor. 2:17

"We are not as many which corrupt the Word of God." Paul could not bring a more serious charge upon preachers of his day than this. The word corrupt means "to deal deceitfully with". Paul's charge was this - "Many who come in the name of Christ deceitfully use the Word of God for their own gain '"

I am afraid that Paul's charge is as true today as it was then. It is not the liberal and modernist which concerns me. No one pays any attention to him, except those who are willfully ignorant. My soul is concerned about powerful, influential religious leaders, who are followed by the masses.

They do not deny that the Bible is the Word of God. They do not deny the Deity of Christ, his incarnation, or his blood atonement. But, they deceitfully use the Word of God, stripping away the very fabric of the gospel. They deliberately say what they know men want to hear. They deliberately avoid doctrines that men oppose. They preach about Christ, the historic person, but they avoid his doctrine.

And these men do much harm. If they did not, Paul would not have mentioned them. Their desire is not for the souls of men, but for their own gain. They use the souls of men like pawns on a chess board, manipulating them to increase their evangelistic statistics! By their success in mass evangelism they gain fame and fortune. Money and multitudes dictate where they go. God save our land from men who make merchandise of immortal souls:

Paul says, "We are not like them". God's servants are of a different mold. They are sincere. Their motives are sincere. They do not want man's money, but his salvation. They seek not the applause of men, but the approval of God. And their preaching is sincere. They sincerely seek to preach the whole counsel of God truthfully, clearly, simply, and boldly. They are keenly aware of their awesome responsibility of preaching the Word of God "in the sight of God:" They are sincere and faithful in declaring the message of the gospel - "We speak of Christ" - His doctrine. The true servant of God will not hesitate to tell men who Christ is, why he came, what he did, and where he is now. Today, as never before, the words of the prophet are true - "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel."