WHEN AN APOSTLE IS CONCERNED -- Tomorrow:
"Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: 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 minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 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, ye might well bear with him." (2 Corinthians 11:1-4)
THROUGH HIS SUBTLETY
" . . . through his subtlety . . . "
Other versions read, "by his craftiness" (NKJV), "the serpent's cunning" (NIV), "by the deceit of the snake" (BBE), and "by his craft" (DARBY). Those who insist upon making religion more cerebral and intellectual than spiritual must "give the more earnest heed" to this text. If Eve, armed with a pure mind, and an intellect that was at its highest level, could not meet Satan on his own ground, what folly it is to suppose that man may do so today!
When you choose to enter the arena of subtlety, you are in the devil's territory. The only person that has ever defeated him in his own domain is the Lord Jesus. Everyone else had to be delivered from his clutches.
The word "subtlety" is worthy of special note. It comes from a word which means "specious or false wisdom . . . skill in undertaking and carrying on affairs" (THAYER). "capability for every work . . . in a negative sense cunning, craftiness, trickery" (FRIBERG), and "knavery, roguery, villainy" (LIDDELL-SCOTT). This is wisdom and shrewdness devoted to evil. With Satan, it is not that he merely wants to deceive, he is capable of deceiving. This is seen in his very first attack of humanity. Even at that time, the battle of whits was not back and forth. It was a lop-sided battle from the beginning. Men may choose to theorize about this, speculating on the possibility of Eve overcoming the devil. However, when all is said and done, and the very best arguments have been presented, the cold fact of the matter is that she did not survive this bout with Satan. There really was no battle, but she was felled with a single argument from the wicked one.
It appears from the Genesis account that Eve was near to the tree, for as soon as Satan spoke to her, she "saw" the tree, viewed it from Satan's perspective, apparently forgetting what the Lord had said. Satan still is found around the forbidden. That is the territory in which his power is enhanced, and his corrupted wisdom becomes attractive. Once a person comes into the devil's domain, he is in the midst of remarkable disadvantage and danger .If a person's religion allows him to traffic in the places occupied by Satan, moral and spiritual decline are sure to follow. This is one reason we have been "delivered from the power of darkness," and "translated into the kingdom" of God's "dear Son" (Col 1:13). If we choose to flirt with "darkness," we WILL be overcome.
WHY PAUL HAS MENTIONED THIS
The conditions among the Corinthians confirmed that they had, in fact, been listening to the devil – just as surely as Eve listened to him. There is no other way to account for their divisions, carnality, assembly disorder, lack of brotherly love, inappropriate conduct at the Lord's table, and tardiness in gathering their offering for the poor saints in Jerusalem. These are certainly not the results of believing. They are not the result of the working of the Holy Spirit. Neither love nor hope can produce such things. They are not the consequence of living unto God.
The church in Corinth was in the danger zone – like Eve standing near the forbidden tree. That is why Paul "feared" when he thought upon them. That is why he thought of what the devil was able to do instead of what the Lord could do in them. It is not that the "old serpent" was superior to Christ, or that there was really any contest between his power and that of the Lord. Rather, the Corinthians were conducting themselves with the door wide open to the devil, for that is precisely what carnality does.
More was involved than simply doing things in an incorrect manner, or not adhering to the rules. The Corinthians had done what is strictly forbidden by the Lord – made a place for the devil (Eph 4:27). Wherever there are "divisions," a place has been made for the devil! Wherever carnality is found, Satan has a place in which he can freely work! When brethren have a disregard for one another, there is a place made for Satan. Where edification is lacking, or there is disorderliness in the assembly, Satan has a place to work. If there is confusion, a place is made for Satan, for "God is not the author of confusion" (1 Cor 14:33). Satan always has a place where the Lord's body is not discerned. If, as in Corinth, there are questions about the resurrection of the dead, a place is made for the devil himself.
Paul is fearful of the Corinthians' complete overthrow because they had managed to create an environment in which it was easier for the devil to work. That is why sin surfaced among them. They were in imminent danger!
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from the wicked one. I know that, of myself, I am no match for him.