Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries |
The simplicity in the church at Corinth revealed by the divine order of authority.
Friday, December 10, 2010
2CO 11:3, But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
It is not really revealing that basic doctrines are in any way simplistic or what
HEB 6:1 says a part of the elementary teaching about the Christ,
The simplicity that is in view actually in the context of 2Co 11 has to do with the divine order of authority which was under attack in the church at Corinth.
The simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ that Paul talks about really has nothing to do with going back to the simple doctrines of the Christian faith because there are no simple doctrines in Christianity.
1CO 2:16, For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
PHI 2:5, Have this mind in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
COL 3:2, Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
Although we have the opportunity to have His mind within us, He has total knowledge of everything about us including those thoughts in our mind concerning Him.
JOH 12:48, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My sayings [My doctrines] has one who judges him; the word or the doctrines I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”
The word simplicity is the Greek noun haplotes; which really means:
1. Single-mindedness or devotion.
2. Complications or confusion.
3. Without additions or modifications.
4. Deceitfulness.
1. Paul does not want them to be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
2. Paul does not want them to be led astray by the complications and confusions that are coming forth from those teachers who were anti-Paul and really anti-authority.
3. Paul does not want them to be led astray by the additions and modifications of those who were trying to discredit his pulpit by discrediting his authority.
4. Paul does not want them to be led astray by the deceitfulness of those who are knowingly or ignorantly but being very subtle attacking the man and then the message.
There is a conspiracy going on in the invisible realm whereby Satan and the kingdom of darkness are using the visible realm, namely believers under the influence of evil, as their mouthpiece.
In 2Co 11, verses one and two, we have the first expression of Paul’s care for the Corinthians and the principle of right pastor, right congregation.