In 2 Corinthians 10-13, Paul responded to accusations false teachers were making against him. They said he was not as powerful in Christ as he seemed in his letters to the churches (cf. 2 Cor. 10:10-11). These false teachers wanted to draw the Corinthian Christians after themselves into false doctrines they had crafted. They sought to destroy Paul’s credibility and magnify themselves.
Paul fought for the souls of these Christians as he wrote and hoped severity would not be necessary when he arrived in Corinth (cf. 2 Cor. 13:10). Paul was dedicated to the Corinthians’ spiritual health and was concerned at how readily they were accepting false doctrines brought by others:
“For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.” (2 Corinthians 11:2-4, NASB)
The gospel is simple. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus saves from sin all who are baptized in His name and continue in righteousness (Acts 10:34-48). The Corinthians needed to cling to the original, inspired message, and every Christian today needs to do the same. Cling to the gospel presented in the New Testament and accept nothing else!
“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” (John 8:31-32, NASB)