“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.” – 2 Corinthians 11:3
Complexity seems to be
a trademark of humanity. We live in a busy, complicated, clutter filled
world. While it affords us comforts and ease in this life, certainly the
“cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches” choke the Word and it becomes
unfruitful. This is a danger that every Christian must vigilantly guard
against. We must be ever watchful of the
corruption, complication, confusion, and complexity that would separate us from
the simplicity that is in Christ.
Adam and Eve had but
one commandment in the garden: “do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil.” Satan corrupted that commandment in Eve’s mind; he convinced
her that the implications of disobedience were not what God said they would
be. Furthermore, he appealed to her vanity, promising that they will be
“as gods.” Until their fall, Adam and
Eve lived a simple and pleasant life; walking and communing with God the
Father. Maintaining their fellowship was not a complicated task; truly
his “yoke is easy, and his burden is light.”
Satan complicated that task in their minds, and once they sinned; the
complication and confusion in their lives only increased. Paul the
apostle was met with the same issue.
Satan, continuing to play the same trick. Using the corrupt and complex to preach false
doctrine and woo away the mind of those who would be tempted. The same is true for us today. Satan is consistently using someone,
something, or some thought; attempting to convince and persuade those to depart
from the simplicity in Christ. This can be done “by any means.” The world (and the devices in it) today is no
different than the false prophets and teachers of old. The false teachers of ancient times preached
in a different way than the false sermons to the masses preached today, but the
crux of it is essential the same. That
sermon is this; you are the master of your own life. It appeals to lust & pride; we find it
in: movies, television, music, magazines, and social media. We find it in others, and unless Jesus Christ
reigns on the throne of your heart, we find it in ourselves. The church
of YOU is organized, aggressive, evangelistic, and outspoken. They shout the loudest and the longest, but
at its core, it is empty. Choosing to be
a disciple of this church may seem like the easy road, but the contrary is
true, it is corrupt, complicated and difficult.
It is filled with darkness, depression, despair, and hopelessness; brought
about as a result of all kinds of bad choices.
These choices are ones that you made, because, you thought you could be
the master of your own life. You thought you could own sin, but sin owned
you. The only power that can banish sin
out of the human heart is Jesus Christ.
The simple fact is
this; no one of us can master our own life better than Jesus Christ. We are
born in sin. True, this sin can rule
you, define you, and destroy you, but it does not have to be that way.
Jesus Christ died for you, he loves you, and he wants to take away sin in your
life. You can repent, God will
forgive. You can commit to serve him all
the balance of your days, and Jesus will help you to do so. Jesus Christ changes
lives. I was once a sinner, but Christ
called me, forgave me, and sanctified me.
Jesus Christ changed my life, and he can change yours too. This simplicity should never be
corrupted.
