2 Corinthians chapter number 11 Read a few verses here from 2 Corinthians chapter number 11 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly. Preachers aren't supposed to admit that. And indeed bear with me, for I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For he that cometh preacheth another Jesus. You know the context of this morning was the false apostles. I believe those false apostles were Jews who supposedly got saved. These junk Jews were not opposed to Christ. But yet at the same time they were. And they preached a different gospel. whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit which ye have not received, or another gospel which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him." Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for this time you have given us tonight. I do pray that you would give me clarity of thought. I do pray that you would bless this time of looking into your word. I pray this in Jesus Christ's name. Amen. In chapter 11, and really in 2 Corinthians as a whole, the Apostle Paul often talks about boasting. He often talks about bragging. Here's an interesting question for you. I don't want you to actually answer it. Have you ever bragged? Have you ever boasted and it actually wasn't sinful? I don't know, it's just an interesting thought for you to think about. Now many times it can be sinful. I would say probably most of the time it is sinful. But from the perspective of Paul, he actually bragged and he boasted quite a bit here in the book of 2 Corinthians. But I was just thinking about this, so what makes it interesting is that what are you boasting or what are you bragging about? As I mentioned from this morning, the Apostle Paul was in a war. The church at Corinth did not realize that they were in a war, but they were. There were false apostles that were in the church. Paul saw it very clearly. He could see that these peoples, like I said this morning, were deacons of Satan. The church, however, did not recognize that. and with their false doctrine they also attacked the Apostle Paul even though Paul had started this church, even though he was their spiritual father. He obviously deserved some quote-unquote loyalty since Paul is the one that led these people to Christ in the first place. But the problem was the false apostles were so slimy and so sneaky that they really tried to take credit for what the apostle Paul had done so they could get in the minds of those Christians and so that those Christians would start to reject Paul as a man of God. Because if they could get If they could get the church, the false apostles, if they could get the church to reject Paul, then those false apostles could change their doctrine. And in time, it will be a church with no unsaved people in it, or it won't be a church at all. This was serious stuff. And Paul could see it, but the church at Corinth could not. And because of all the attacks on him as a person, he had to boast a little bit. He had to brag a little bit. So what did he brag about? Did he brag about his education? No, he didn't. In fact, when he refers to his time back as a Jew, he basically would refer to it as nobody was more dedicated to the Jewish religion than I was, but it did not bring me peace at all. It did not bring me salvation at all. And he needs to brag, even though he doesn't want to. Who wants to brag? I remember having a conversation with Pastor Ketchum probably four or five years ago, and I said to him, I think I said, it's not fun defending myself, or I'm uncomfortable defending myself. And he agreed, it's not fun, it's not comfortable to have to defend yourself. And I'm sure the Apostle Paul obviously was a godly man. He didn't enjoy having to boast and brag about himself. But like I said, what is it that he bragged about? I love what he bragged about. He bragged about his persecutions. He bragged about his trials. He bragged about how tough it's been to be a minister. You know why he did that? He did that for this specific reason. He was gonna brag about what it means to be a true apostle, to what it means to be a true servant of Christ. You know why? The false apostles, they weren't persecuted. They didn't go through trials and harsh tribulations. They just came in and very quietly and very subtly tried to work their way in without any of the persecutions. What did Paul brag about? He didn't brag about he has this doctrine and he has that doctrine. He brags about this is what I've gone through. I've been shipwrecked. I think I've been stoned three times. Once outside of the city of Listern was counted dead. Many times I was smitten. What's the word I'm thinking of here? He was beaten with rods. There you go. The Jews five times received I 40 stripes, save one. It's interesting he brought those things up. False apostles never would have gone through that. But the Apostle Paul had to brag, he had to boast about himself. It wasn't that long ago I had to do that myself. Now, it didn't work, but I did do that and I knew it. And when I was saying it, I actually said the words, I speak as a fool, because Paul did. And when I was boasting about myself, not from an unbiblical perspective, not from a sinful perspective, I understood what I was doing, and that's why I said I speak as a fool, because Paul said the same thing. I speak as a fool. In other words, I'm acting like a fool. I'm not a fool. I'm acting like a fool, but I'm acting like a fool for your sake. Not for my own sake. I'm not trying to build up myself in bragging about myself. I'm bragging about myself for your profit, so you can see that I am an apostle of Christ, and the false apostles are frauds. They want nothing to do with the real God, even though they claimed Christ. They were not against Christ. In fact, they said for themselves that they are the apostles of Christ, even though they were not. Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly. In other words, what he is saying is, look, I'm going to have to brag about myself. I'm going to have to boast about myself, but just put up with it. I have a point in doing it. Verse 2, here's why. Here's why I'm going to brag about myself. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. You know, I think the Apostle Paul actually was jealous. The false apostles were gaining a lot of their attention. And no, you gotta think about this once again, there's no email, there's no text messages, no Facebook, no FaceTime or whatever these things are, Skype, there's not these kind of things. When Paul is gone, does he really have control about what's taking place in the church service? No, he doesn't. He's a ways away from them, so he can't control these things. But the false apostles are there. And there's without a doubt some people listening to the false apostles. They're there and they're not doing what they're supposed to be doing. Like I said this morning, they were supposed to have kicked them out and the apostle Paul is jealous over them with a godly jealousy. Maybe you've been married for a while and maybe you have somebody of your own gender that's been talking to your husband or wife or boyfriend or girlfriend. You're just kind of uneasy with it. There's a little bit of jealousy that's there. The Apostle Paul was jealous, with a godly jealousy, because his mindset is, I have espoused you to one husband. The focus of my ministry with you Corinthians is to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. And with the influence of these false apostles, I'm very afraid that that's not gonna happen. And that's why I have to brag about myself to show who I am, that I literally am a God-called apostle. I'm not just a good person, but I am a literal apostle." We have not had apostles since then, regardless of what people say. Paul was a literal apostle, and that's why he had to brag about himself. Paul says, verse number three, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." I brought this up before and obviously I've studied this a lot. Who were these false apostles? There are a lot of thoughts to many Hellenistic Jews to Gnostics, but I think the main thing is that they were Jews probably coming all the way from Jerusalem. They had letters of commendation from some important people. That's one of the things the false apostles had to brag about. They had great rhetorical skills. They were probably attractive type men, but they had epistles of commendation. They had people to commend them. Higher ups, these are good men, but Paul said they're not good men. They're enemies of the cross of Christ. So when Paul says, so your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, they were preaching another gospel. A gospel that has to do a lot with the law. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, the apostle Paul gives a great indictment, ye might well bear with him. That's not a compliment. The Apostle Paul is saying here that if a man is in your presence and he preaches another gospel, in other words, a false gospel, Paul is afraid that the church might put up with it. That's what that means, ye might well bear with him. In other words, she'll be just like, yeah, he preaches another gospel, but good guy. That's what the Apostle Paul was afraid of. with this church, and that's why he bragged about himself. Paul felt it so important that they understand that he really is an apostle. It was not for his own credit. It was for the fact that there was a massive war going on in this church, and the way for the apostle Paul to fight this battle was to boast about himself, so that they did not reject him. Verse number five, he says, for I suppose I was not a wit behind the very chiefest apostles. There may even be a little bit of, I don't like to use the word sarcasm, because sarcasm has a sinful thought to it. But I think the Apostle Paul, if you can put up with me using that language right there, was being a little bit sarcastic, very chiefest apostles. The apostle Paul was not inferior to the other apostles. When he writes this, it is believed that these false apostles made claim back to all the other apostles. I believe that when the false apostles were allowed to speak there in the church, they did a lot of name-dropping as preachers. Who did they name-drop? They named the apostles, not Paul. because they didn't see Paul as an apostle. They dropped the names of Peter, James, and John, and all the other apostles. So it was through name-dropping that they probably got in there a little bit stronger and thought, it's almost like these false apostles truly lifted up the other apostles. But the problem is the other apostles didn't have a ministry in Corinth. I believe it's possible that John did. But all the other ones probably didn't. These false apostles name-dropping left and right. You know what? Name-dropping can be pretty effective. I think if you had somebody come into this church, and Pastor Ketchum, it could probably be impressed a little bit. You could name some names. Yeah, I used to go to such and such church. A man that Pastor Ketchum may respect. And yeah, I was an assistant pastor there at this church, in a church that may be quite respectful, and yeah, such and such is a very good friend of mine. Yeah, we talk on a weekly basis, you know, and I'm sure even Pastor Ketchum, oh cool, you know, he's got some, he knows some very godly men. The thought may enter his mind, he must be godly too. He must be somebody that's respected, we'd all probably do that. You know, somebody comes in and says, yeah, I graduated from such and such college. Maybe it's Ambassador, that's the college I went to. Oh, cool, you know. Yeah, you must be dedicated. Oh, you came from that church. Well, I'll tell you what, you want to teach Sunday school? You know, man, when I look back at the people that I went to college with, I mean, they're all over the place. One of them isn't even a he anymore. And I'm not kidding. Now, he is a he. Chromosomes say so, but he wants to be something else. That's what these false apostles were doing, and I think Apostle Paul is showing a little bit of an attitude there. For I suppose I was not a wit behind the very chiefest apostles. I don't think the Apostle Paul believes that. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge, but we have been truly made manifest among you in all things. Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted? Because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely." Sometimes as a minister, you do have to make some sacrifices because of some people in the church. Because this is what Paul did right here. He asked the Corinthian church a question. Have I committed an offense in abasing myself That ye might be exalted because I have preached you the gospel of God freely you say Brian What is he talking about in the Corinthian Church? He did not accept any support in The Corinthian Church. He did not take an honorarium receive an honorarium receive an offering he on purpose received absolutely nothing from anybody in that church and Now, he took it from other churches. I think even on the way to Corinth, he took it from some members of the church at Philippi that were going with him, who must have been more wealthy than the Apostle Paul. They supported him. He allowed other churches to support him, but he wouldn't take anything from the church at Corinth. Why? Because the false apostles were daring him, basically. I dare you to do this ministry without any remuneration. If I said that right. I think I did. He wasn't gonna take anything because the words that were going around, psst, psst, that, you know, possible, man, I don't know if we can trust him. He knew that was going on, so he said, okay, when I'm with you, buying my own food, working my own job, I'm not gonna get a penny from you. Did that offend the Corinthian church? It did. It did offend them. that he wouldn't take any remuneration. So first of all, he's boasting. He's bragging about himself and also he said nothing. I'm not taking anything from you folks because I want to show you that I am not in this business for my aid. I'm doing this for you. That's what he means by verse number seven. Have I committed an offense in abasing myself and bringing myself down that ye might be exalted because I preached to you the gospel of God freely. I didn't take anything even though they offered it. They offered, but he said, no, I'm not doing it because of the doubt that people have about me in the church because of the false apostles. I'm not taking anything. Verse eight, I robbed other churches. taking wages of them to do you service." Now, it doesn't mean that he actually armed robbery. It's just he took from them, not to support himself while he was there at that church, but actually to support himself while he's in Corinth. How would you feel if you were the Corinthian church? You might be tempted to be offended at that, but he said, I'm not doing it because of those false apostles you have, and because of what they're saying, I'm not going to take anything. Hey, if you get rid of the false apostles, maybe I'll take something. But not until you get rid of the false apostles. and when I was present with you, and wanted." In other words, he had his needs when he was there in Corinth. I was chargeable to no man. For that which was lacking to me, the brethren which came from Macedonia, I believe that was from Philippi, they supplied it. And in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. I'm not taking anything from you folks. because of the psst that's going around, not taking anything. Now, if you get rid of the false apostles, it may be a different story, but not until then. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting on the regions of Achaia. So basically, he's gonna continue with this. He's just basically gonna say, no, thank you. No, thank you. No, thank you. No, thank you. No, thank you. Then he asks in verse number 11, wherefore, because I love you not, in other words, am I not taking from you, even though you want me to take it, because I don't love you? That's not the case. He says, God knoweth. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion. What were these false apostles like, these unsaved false apostles that were in the church? They are looking for anything that they can get at Paul with, so that they can change the minds of the people, so that the people will reject Paul. And in time, they'll reject the gospel. That's what they were wanting. And Paul could sense it. I know Pastor Ketchum has experienced it a few times. He told me where he's preaching somewhere and he can tell that he's the bad guy. As he's preaching and teaching, he knows that the eyes of people are on him and they're not happy with him. I've been there too. It's not fun, but as a servant of Christ, what do you expect? You just keep preaching. You just do what you do, what you know that you're supposed to do. In that kind of situation, you don't act like you're around spiritual Christians. It reminds me so much of what Daniel went through. They had their eyes on Daniel to see if they're not him. Daniel in the Old Testament. They had their eyes on Daniel to see if they could find something that was wrong with him. And if they could find it, they were going to go at it. Just like the media does with conservative Christians today. They're looking for just one little thing. The false apostles were just like that. And because of that, the apostle Paul says, I'm taking care of myself when I am with you. Verse 12, but what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion. They want it, that where in their glory they may be found even as we. I quoted these verses this morning. For such, these false apostles, for such are false apostles. All right, we're gonna give a description of these men here who were in this church started by Paul. You would think with Paul being such a godly man that a church that he starts wouldn't have any question about the gospel in it. But this church, there were those in the church who were unsaved that believed a different gospel. They were not saved. These people are deceitful workers. They were filled with deceit. Their goal was to deceive the people. Why were they doing this? Well, it's obvious that they were from Satan. Look at the last part here. Transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. You know what amazes me about this? According to Schofield here, this is about A.D. 60. Jesus' ministry, we believe, was about 30 to 33 AD. All Jews pretty much hated Jesus. But as time has gone on, I find this so interesting, there were Jews that started, even though they believed their quote-unquote Jewish religion, a lot of them started to take on the name of Christ. Now, why was that? They were inspired of Satan. If they can get into a good church and change the gospel, the church will die. People will die and go to hell as well. transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. These false believers, at this time, didn't have a problem with Christ. They didn't even have a problem with the other apostles, because the other apostles weren't there. But they did have a problem with Paul. Once again, people can use very theological language, and at the same time, not even be saved. In this first generation church, A church started by Paul! I don't know if Pastor Ketchum's ever compared himself with Paul, but I bet if he did he would probably say, Paul's up here and I'm down here. I'm guessing he'd probably say that. You would think a church started by Paul would be on fire for the Lord. They had people in there that weren't even saved, and people that were probably given a voice. And no marvel, verse 14, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. I think Paul is saying these false apostles are from Satan. Don't be surprised, Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers, his, who is that referring to, Satan's ministers, also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness. Scary stuff. I came here seven months ago or something like that. Now, I don't know if any of you had an eye toward me, a discerning eye. If you did, good. You're supposed to. And I'm serious. And thinking about this from a theological perspective, you're supposed to. Because we have false apostles here in Corinth. They obviously This is the tough part. They had the theological language. They had the letters of recommendation. Can I tell you where these letters of recommendation? I think it's important for us to turn there. Let's go to 2 Corinthians chapter 3. 2 Corinthians in chapter number 3. 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse number 1. Same book, Apostle Paul saying false apostles still are the issue. Verse number one, do we begin again to commend ourselves? The word again there is interesting, meaning that he did it before. He feels that he has to do it again. Why? False apostles. Or need we, as some others, Epistles of commendation to you. What does that mean as some others? I think it also refers to the false apostles the false apostles came in and they started to name-drop Yeah, such-and-such said this about me such-and-such said that about us epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you the Apostle Paul says Our epistle written in our hearts known and read of all men For as much as you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ Ministered by us written not with thankful with the spirit of the living God not in tables of stone But in fleshly tables of the heart these false apostles they had letters of commendation Probably coming from the church at Jerusalem Jerusalem or at least the Jerusalem Council. They were able to name-drop very effectively But Paul said, they are not of God, they are actually of Satan. It is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness. It can be scary stuff. You know, I watched something recently online about a preacher somewhere, he calls himself a fundamental Baptist, and he's not a dispensationalist. I have a great problem with that, as I think of him not being a dispensationalist. Something came to my mind there, just my opinion. If he's not a dispensationalist, it's hard for me to believe that he's not a false prophet. I'm glad he said amen to that. I was going to say it anyway, even if he disagreed with it, because things really get messed up if you're not a dispensationalist. You're on your tippy toes in an 80 mile an hour wind. You're in trouble if you're not a dispensationalist. And many times somebody like that can come across as a minister of righteousness. Do they have the credentials? It's what the false apostles had. They had great credentials. Paul didn't have great credentials to a degree. He did in the Jewish religion, but he was a God called man. He was an apostle of Christ. but these false apostles looked like great people. But the Bible says, last part of verse number 15, whose end shall be according to their works. There are still works done by a false apostle. It's not that they're gonna be perfect, they're gonna look perfect 100% of the time because you are gonna see that there's some real inconsistencies that are there. Even though they might look great at first, Let's go to verse number 16, I say again, let no man think me a fool. If otherwise yet as a fool, receive me that I may boast myself a little. In other words, this was not to bring himself up again, but it was for the purpose of the church at Corinth. That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord. You say, what does that mean? Not speaking it after the Lord. In other words, Jesus was not like that. Jesus did not brag. Jesus did not boast about himself. If you'll notice, Jesus really didn't defend himself a whole lot in the Gospels. He just preached. It was a lot different than Paul. That's what Paul is saying. I speak it not after the Lord. In other words, Jesus didn't do this, but I am doing it. but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting." In other words, the Bible says, ye have compelled me. I'm boasting, I'm bragging because you have forced me to do it. I don't want to do it, but you have forced me to do it. Seeing that many glory after the flesh, false apostles, I will glory also. you suffer fools gladly you're putting up with them you have forced me to do this I don't want to I'd rather write a great letter saying thank you so much for living for God but you're not doing it because you're receiving you're allowing the false apostles a voice and because they are manipulating you a little bit, and they are gaining your confidence. I have to brag about myself so that you understand I am an apostle of Christ. I am. I represent God. They don't. You should understand it, but you don't. And I gotta brag about myself for your sakes. For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. Is Paul serious? Is he really saying the church at Corinth is wise? No, it's a rebuke. You're not wise, church. If you were wise, you would have kicked them out. They're deacons of Satan, and they have a voice in your church. For ye suffer. This is what the church at Corinth is actually putting up with. For ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage. That's what the false apostles were doing. They were not good people, but they had the credentials. They had epistles of commendation. They could name drop. If a man bring you into bondage, so that means that the Church of Corinth at times were being brought into bondage by these false apostles. If a man devour you, the false apostles were devouring the people there, and they allowed it. If a man take of you, that's why the apostle Paul said, I'm not taking anything from you folks. Because what did these false apostles do? They took from the people. They took a lot of liberty with the people. And the people kept giving them a voice, kept giving them an influence. And Paul said, look, I'm going to show you how I am better than the false apostles. I'm not taking a thing from you. Because the false apostles, that's what they were doing. If a man take of you, if a man exalt himself. Where I used to pastor, I was talking with Daniel about this a little bit earlier. Well, I wasn't there, of course, but I think the previous pastor, who is crazy, I never met him. One of those guys that just screamed and shouted the whole time. They said that he said, if I get rejected as the pastor, the Lord will leave this place, something like that. And it was a very arrogant statement, of course. And that's right here, what we see here, if a man exalt himself, The Apostle Paul is writing this, and yet at the same time, Paul is exalting himself. But he's exalting himself for a different reason, and how is it that he's exalting himself? You know what I love about this passage of Scripture that we see right here? Previously, the power of God had been manifested through Paul in an amazing and powerful way, in seeing people saved. Paul never brought it up. Isn't that amazing? You know, as a person here, when I came into this church, I could have said, oh yeah, one church, we had 50 people saved. Yeah, yeah. And boy, was my preaching spot on. No, that didn't happen, by the way. I'm just making it up. But these false apostles, they like to exalt themselves. Paul exalted himself too, but how did he exalt himself? We'll get to it a little bit later on about all the trials and the tribulations that he went through. If a man smites you on the face, how many have ever been punched in the face by Pastor Ketchum? These false apostles, They were so impressive, had such impressive credentials, had such impressive commendations, that they abused the people at Corinth. And the church at Corinth still believed these were men of God, still gave them an influence. Why? They were impressed by the credentials, by the rhetorical skills, Like I said, the Apostle Paul himself was not an impressive man. He was not a great speaker. He may have had other issues. Some guess he may have been ugly. He may have been short. He may have been a very unimpressive person. But no minister is about himself, a true one. It's all about God who created the heavens and the world. It was about Him. God. Verse 21, I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak, howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, I speak foolishly, I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Once again, he's comparing. He doesn't like to do this, but he feels compelled to. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. You may be talking about the false apostles or the actual apostles. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? Now, if he's speaking about the false apostles, he's being sarcastic once again. If he's speaking about the actual apostles, then he's being serious. They are ministers of Christ. I speak as a fool. That's what I said once to an individual not too long ago. I am more. Is he bragging? Yes, he is, but he's bragging with a purpose. He's trying to show that these false apostles are not people of God, but he is an actual apostle of Christ. In labors, more abundant. In stripes, in other words, being whipped above measure. How do you think the false apostles would do if they knew they were going to get whipped in the back? Probably said, no, thank you. Do whatever you want to do. I'm good. I'm going to go to pizza, get myself a pizza. I'm not going to do that kind of stuff. That's where the false apostles would have handled it. But the apostle Paul, as a man of God, did what came. In prisons, more frequent. How many times do you think the false apostles went to prison because of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Zero. In stripes of measure, in deaths. How many times do you think the false apostles were stoned with rocks? Zero. The Apostle Paul was. Of the Jews, five times received I forty stripes, save one. How many times do you think the false apostles were beaten like that? Zero. Thrice was I beaten with rods. How many times were the false apostles beaten with rods? Zero. Once was I stoned. How many times were the false apostles? Zero. Thrice I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I have been in the deep, and journeyings often, and perils of waters, and perils of robbers, and perils by mine own countrymen. in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. What's the purpose for this once again, so you understand the historical context of this? He's trying to convince the church at Corinth, I am an apostle of Christ, the false apostles are not. That's why he's bringing these things up. and weariness and painfulness, and watchings often in hunger and thirst, and fastings often in cold and nakedness, beside those things that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches, who is weak, and I am not weak." Apostle Paul is saying, I am a man of God because of all these things. He's trying to say the false apostles don't go through this. Who is offended, and I burn not. If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed forevermore, knoweth that I lie not. Here's some more trials that I've gone through. In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king, kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison desirous to apprehend me. And through a window and a basket was I let down by the wall and escaped his hands. The false apostles never went through this. You know, what Paul is trying to say, that if you're looking for a man of God, you look for a man of God not in the great things that they have done, but in the hard things that they've gone through. When I spoke as a fool a few months back in a situation that I was in, one of the things I actually said was I said, I fight against sin. In other words, I don't let sin temptations come in and take over. I fight against them. It's actually what I literally said. I was bragging. I was boasting. Because the individual needed to hear it. Like I said, it went in one ear and out the other. But I did that. I boasted. I don't know if Pastor Ketchum has ever been in a situation like that where he had to. I'm sure it wasn't fun. It's never fun boasting or bragging in that situation because people can take it the wrong way, of course, but sometimes it was necessary. Paul did it because it was necessary, because the false apostles had such an influence in the church, and the church, I don't believe, did much about it at the time. I think they did later. I believe they did. I believe they repented because they understood how bad it hurt Paul and really hurt God. Now the church is not around today, and just like a lot of churches close over time, but at the same time, how can we look at this as a person? Once again, you have your pastor, obviously, but when that time comes where you need a new pastor, there's gotta be some deep digging, and more than just digging, going to the Lord, because people can have great commendations. They can name drop for some tremendous people. They can have great credentials. But I think the question is, a good question is, have they gone through the fire?