You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.”
2 Corinthians 2:17 NLT
“For we are not like many, [acting like merchants] peddling God’s word [shortchanging and adulterating God’s message]; but from pure [uncompromised] motives, as [commissioned and sent] from God, we speak [His message] in Christ in the sight of God.”
2 Corinthians 2:17 AMP
The verse today is the last one in 2 Corinthians 2, and it comes at the end of a short section entitled “Ministers of the New Covenant”. In a sense, that title includes all true believers, not just the church leaders, the pastors, teachers, apostles and all. We are all a “Christ-like fragrance” as we go about our daily lives in this sad and bad world. We are the “salt and light” that Jesus taught about in His Sermon on the Mount. But in this last verse, Paul speaks more personally and points out his true qualifications. There were men in his day who were false teachers, apostles, or prophets, and they somehow managed to wheedle their way into churches and people’s lives, finding that they could earn quite a useful living by doing so. But not Paul. His motives were driven and fueled by Christ’s authority.
In recent years, several high-profile “televangelists” have become wealthy through their ministries and donor-funded media empires. They promote the use of private jets as a “Biblical necessity”, and all based on the premise that faith can bring financial prosperity. Kenneth Copeland, for one, is reputed to have a net worth of over $300 million. Joel Osteen is another very wealthy man, with a net worth close behind. But are these men the “hucksters” that Paul warned about? That’s not for me to say. Some people say a minister should be kept financially poor by their congregation, because they say it will keep them humble, but I don’t endorse that premise either. Jesus warned about the dangers of false prophets in His Sermon on the Mount: “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:15-16). The Apostle Peter also had some warning words: “But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed” (2 Peter 2:1-3).
How can we pilgrims avoid finding, or even getting involved with, a “huckster”, someone who peddles God’s Word for profit? The only way is to refer back to God’s Word to see if the message being preached is true. But there are other “red flags” that we should be aware of. One important test for me is about accountability. Who is the minister accountable to, and if there is a Board of Trustees or even just another person, how sound are their credentials? Another important thought is about promises. False ministers preach about guaranteed health, wealth, and success, neglecting the biblical teaching on suffering and the cross. Such ministers can also be very controlling, and they use fear, guilt, or shame to control church members and often discourage any questioning of their authority, with statements such as “touch not the Lord’s anointed”. Such a person will cleverly introduce their false teaching and doctrines in a way that seems and sounds plausible, drawing gullible people into believing that what they preach is indeed from God. And of course, there is the question of money, which in itself can become a “red flag”.
“They searched the Scriptures day after day“
In Acts 17 we can read about how the Berean people responded to Paul’s teaching. “And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth” (Acts 17:11). And that is how we pilgrims should approach any new preaching and teaching that we haven’t heard before.
We pilgrims know and love the Lord, and as we stay close to Him, we will stay on the path of truth, supporting those in leadership who are truly God’s anointed. Paul said he preached “the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority” and then pointed out that God is watching him. Of course He is, and us as well. Our loving Heavenly Father watches over us constantly, keeping us right through His Spirit within us. And we are so grateful for His Word, the Bible, and all the truth that it contains.
Dear Lord Jesus. Only You have the words of eternal life, and only You are the way, the truth and the life. Please deliver us from evil, we pray, and keep us on the path of everlasting truth. In Your precious name, we pray. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 