Deceived by Cunning

The Bible addresses real situations and acknowledges both opportunities and obstacles in our lives in the LORD. Paul was concerned for the Corinthians and their steadfastness in remaining faithful to Jesus as they navigated through life. He had a personal investment in their lives, understood the LORD’s sacrifice on their behalf and was aware of the unseen opposition they would face.

I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 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. ¹

Purity in Christ is not only physical but of that unseen spiritual realm. Paul reminds that there are deceptions beyond the mere physical and that disciples need to remain alert for the subtle deceptions of Satan and the kingdom of darkness that would draw the believer away from pure devotion to the LORD. While disciples are rooted in ‘a sincere and pure devotion to Christ’ there are those cunning rationales that can convince of ‘other’ ways to live which actually draw away from the LORD gradually yet surely.

For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. ²

Convincing arguments, smooth presentations, even charismatic speakers all have the possibility of sounding worthy of allegiance even while departing from the Truth of the Kingdom of God. ‘A different gospel’ is anything not in agreement with Jesus’s revealing of the LORD’s Truth and no matter how enticing it sounds, is to be rejected. Truth is not measured by what sounds good or feels comfortable or even what is popular to masses of sincere followers by only by the Word of God and what it plainly says. The Truths of the LORD are not hidden mysteries to disciples, needing to be interpreted for them through some secret formula.

Paul includes a further warning beyond the spiritual cunning of the enemy but includes a note about those who seek self-aggrandizement. Those who seek their own benefits above the disciples they are influencing do not follow the example of Jesus in Paul:

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God’s gospel to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. ³

Disciples of Jesus do not seek their own ‘profit’ above those they minister to in the name of Jesus and do not use their position as an argument for enhancement of themselves at the expense of other disciples.

Just maybe a fitting question for consideration would be the possibility that ‘your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.’ How are you living to recognize and avoid the cunning thoughts that could draw you away from closeness to the LORD?