"I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ" 2 Cor. 11:3.
Paul was afraid the Corinthians were being led astray by false apostles (11:13). His description of the true way is both beautiful and instructive. He did not say they were being led astray from the "gospel" or the "truth" or the "way" or the "church." He said they were being led astray from their original "devotion to Christ." I only make this distinction to point out that sometimes we get side-tracked into thinking our devotion is to the church or to the Bible. We can separate those entities from the Person of Jesus Christ. Our devotion is to our Lord and Savior!
True devotion is simple. There is no convoluted, complex body of information we must memorize or understand. True devotion to our Lord is a simple matter at its core. False apostles make things much more complex than they are. They add extra burdens to the simple plan Jesus laid out for us. Jesus said, "My yoke is easy, My burden is light," but false men pile on the weight to make entering into a relationship with Jesus extra-difficult.
True devotion is pure. There are no ulterior motives. One who is truly devoted to Christ is not out to make his own name, but to magnify the name of Christ. These false apostles boasted according to the flesh (11:18). They wanted others to notice them, to praise them, to follow them as true apostles. But only Jesus Christ could appoint apostles. These false apostles preached and taught out of impure motives, and they threatened to rob the Christians at Corinth of their own pure devotion to Christ!
What does my devotion to Christ look like? Is it pure? Is it simple? Is it right? Am I devoted to Him and to no other (including myself)?
Let's all take a moment today to consider where our heart is in relation to Christ, our Lord.
God bless,
Nathan