"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." II Cor. 10:17-18
Three key words unlock the potential of this text: "serpent," "subtilty" and "simplicity."
"Serpent" is a synonym for Satan, the arch enemy of God, the source and personification of evil. In I Cor. 3:19 he is called, in fact, "the god of this world." The idea of a personal spirit being in whom evil finds its zenith is not popular in our secular world, but the scriptures, in both testaments, set forth a significant doctrine of Satan. Paul, John, Peter, Luke and, of course, Christ all believed in and referred to Satan and his strategies. Moses employed the title used in our text, identifying the serpent as the vehicle for the temptation of eve in the garden of Eden, where man's tragedy began.
Satan instigated the suffering of Job, tempted Christ in the wilderness and influenced Judas to betray Christ. He is identified as the believer's adversary whom we must resist and against whom we need qualified spiritual armor. He is a liar and a sinner "from the beginning," and has "the power of death." Called in Ephesians 2:2 "The prince of the power of the air," he is identified as "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience," who will ultimately "deceive the whole world [Rev. 12:9]," indwelling the Antichrist in a manner similar to that in which the Holy Spirit indwelt Christ.
Far too many Christians regard Satan in much the same light as Santa Claus—a kind of fairy tale figure who doesn't really exist. That is not the view of the apostles, especially of Paul, as expressed here. Satan not only exists, but we are here warned of his subtlety. While his strategies are many, this one is of particular importance. His most successful strategy is to use subtle means to contradict the word of God, convincing us not to take it seriously. That is what happened with Eve. He caught her off guard by quoting scripture, or, more accurately, mis-quoting it. When she indicated in her response a degree of ignorance of God's word, Satan knew she was ready for the big lie, "God is holding out on you." As an adversary, Satan is both clever and relentless. To stand against his "wiles," or subtleties, we need "the whole armor of God," and those believers who are ignorant of scripture and Bible doctrine, or fuzzy-minded regarding the same, will be especially vulnerable.
The concern Paul expresses here is that their "minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." That is the simplicity of faith, and the gospel of the grace of God. Nowhere is that danger more prevalent than in the realm of religion. As Satan used twisted scripture to seduce Eve, he does the same today through the subtleties of "christian" religion as well as paganism. Too numerous to count are the schemes by which religion invites men to follow rabbit trails to eternal ruin. Currently the man-made religion of "Scientology" is being promoted by the media as they high-profile a wildly popular Hollywood figure who has embraced it. And sadder still is the testimony of a well meaning, but misguided business man whose formula for getting to heaven, "never think of yourself, always care about others," was taught to him as a child in a religious school. That is a wonderful ideal, but it won't solve the problem of sin, and the sinner's accountability to God.
The simplicity that is in Christ is this: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus [Rom. 3:23-24]," because "Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures [I Cor. 15:3]," hence it is "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life [Titus 3:5-7]."
Yours for HIS glory,
"Pastor" Frasier
Three key words unlock the potential of this text: "serpent," "subtilty" and "simplicity."
"Serpent" is a synonym for Satan, the arch enemy of God, the source and personification of evil. In I Cor. 3:19 he is called, in fact, "the god of this world." The idea of a personal spirit being in whom evil finds its zenith is not popular in our secular world, but the scriptures, in both testaments, set forth a significant doctrine of Satan. Paul, John, Peter, Luke and, of course, Christ all believed in and referred to Satan and his strategies. Moses employed the title used in our text, identifying the serpent as the vehicle for the temptation of eve in the garden of Eden, where man's tragedy began.
Satan instigated the suffering of Job, tempted Christ in the wilderness and influenced Judas to betray Christ. He is identified as the believer's adversary whom we must resist and against whom we need qualified spiritual armor. He is a liar and a sinner "from the beginning," and has "the power of death." Called in Ephesians 2:2 "The prince of the power of the air," he is identified as "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience," who will ultimately "deceive the whole world [Rev. 12:9]," indwelling the Antichrist in a manner similar to that in which the Holy Spirit indwelt Christ.
Far too many Christians regard Satan in much the same light as Santa Claus—a kind of fairy tale figure who doesn't really exist. That is not the view of the apostles, especially of Paul, as expressed here. Satan not only exists, but we are here warned of his subtlety. While his strategies are many, this one is of particular importance. His most successful strategy is to use subtle means to contradict the word of God, convincing us not to take it seriously. That is what happened with Eve. He caught her off guard by quoting scripture, or, more accurately, mis-quoting it. When she indicated in her response a degree of ignorance of God's word, Satan knew she was ready for the big lie, "God is holding out on you." As an adversary, Satan is both clever and relentless. To stand against his "wiles," or subtleties, we need "the whole armor of God," and those believers who are ignorant of scripture and Bible doctrine, or fuzzy-minded regarding the same, will be especially vulnerable.
The concern Paul expresses here is that their "minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." That is the simplicity of faith, and the gospel of the grace of God. Nowhere is that danger more prevalent than in the realm of religion. As Satan used twisted scripture to seduce Eve, he does the same today through the subtleties of "christian" religion as well as paganism. Too numerous to count are the schemes by which religion invites men to follow rabbit trails to eternal ruin. Currently the man-made religion of "Scientology" is being promoted by the media as they high-profile a wildly popular Hollywood figure who has embraced it. And sadder still is the testimony of a well meaning, but misguided business man whose formula for getting to heaven, "never think of yourself, always care about others," was taught to him as a child in a religious school. That is a wonderful ideal, but it won't solve the problem of sin, and the sinner's accountability to God.
The simplicity that is in Christ is this: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus [Rom. 3:23-24]," because "Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures [I Cor. 15:3]," hence it is "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life [Titus 3:5-7]."
"MY hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus Name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand
All other ground is sinking sand."
Than Jesus blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus Name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand
All other ground is sinking sand."
Yours for HIS glory,
"Pastor" Frasier
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