“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 Western Civilization, and one could argue humanity in general. We live in a busy, complicated, and cluttered world. That is by our own design. Convenience can breed complexity. Our efforts to automate everything forces us to rely on our automation (for example, does anyone own a map these days?). The modern world is a busy world, a complex world (I still don’t understand Bitcoin). We can be corrupted by complication and subtlety; pulled away from the simplicity of a thing (example: what was wrong with a simple gas can and a pour spout?). This is a danger that every Christian must guard against. Corruption, complication, confusion, and subtly may be without, but manifest from within. The devil works on the mind; if a contented mind is a continual feast, then a corrupted mind is starvation.
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 humanity in promising that they will be “as gods.” Until their fall, Adam and Eve lived a simple and pleasant life while walking and communing with God the Father. Maintaining their fellowship was a simple task; requiring only love and obedience. Satan complicated that task in their minds by transforming it into something that they lacked; and therefore, began to lust after. “You will not die; you will be as gods.” Their choice to sin only furthered the complication and confusion in their lives. The devil is no different today. The message to the masses is preached in many different forums and fashions, but the corruption of it is essentially the same. That sermon is this; you are the master of your own life. It appeals to lust and pride; we find it in movies, television, music, magazines. We find it in others, and in ourselves. Unless Jesus Christ reigns on the throne of your heart, no amount of culture or education. Modernity or convenience is going to remove us from this basic truth. That we are sinners who love our lust and our sin. Only Jesus can break those chains. 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 an easy road, but the contrary is true, it is complicated and difficult. It is filled with darkness, depression, despair, and hopelessness; brought about because 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 each 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 loved 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 through the power of the Holy Spirit. 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.
