“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
Paul gave his life in service to the Lord to reach the lost for Christ. We read of his three missionary journeys taking the Gospel message to those who had not heard of Jesus. Paul cared deeply for the people whom he led to the Lord. He not only taught the way of salvation through Jesus Christ, but he proceeded to teach those new Believers how to live that new life daily (for an example, see Ephesians 4:17-32). Because these new Believers were beginning a whole new life, there was much for them to learn. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). It would take much time and patience to teach them. God had many places for Paul to go in order for people to hear the Gospel Message. When he could not stay in one place long enough to disciple a new Believer himself, he left men he trusted in charge of these new Believers to teach them (Acts 20:28-32). These new Believers formed the first churches. Today, we call this “discipling new Christians”. This is when a new Believer is instructed how to live this new Christian life according to God’s Word, and taught the reasons why we are to live this new life in Christ.
Keep in mind that when God is working, changing the lives of people, Satan tries to thwart God’s work. Remember what Jesus warned as He taught the people. “And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts” (Mark 4:15). Satan tries to take away the Word, immediately. Paul understood this. Paul knew that God wanted him to continue on missionary journeys (even when he wanted to stay with the people), and Paul obeyed God. However, he warned the people of dangers when he could not be with them. “2. 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. 3. 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 11:2-3). Chaste means “chaste, pure; predominantly used to express freedom from defilements or impurities.” It is important to remember that Believers, collectively, are the bride of Christ (“espoused you to one husband”). Paul was jealous for new Believers, for he understood that Satan would try to steal the Word from them. If he could not steal it from them, he would corrupt their understanding of God’s Word, just as Satan did to Eve in the garden. Paul so wanted them to be presented to Jesus as pure and free from defilements. So Paul warned them of the subtlety of Satan. Subtilty means “adroitness (shrewdness, clever skill, or high ability), that is, (in a bad sense) trickery or sophistry (the use of clever, deceptive reasoning or argumentation that sounds superficially plausible and logical, but is actually false or intellectually dishonest, typically used to trick or mislead).” Paul did not want their minds corrupted. Corrupted means “to corrupt, that is to seduce to evil company or corrupt opinions.” They must be grounded in their faith.
Paul’s warning: “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 11:4).
There are three specific things of which Paul warned them:
- Some would preach a false savior: “if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached”: Jesus warned of this: “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:24).
- Some would come having a false spirit: “if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received”: There are deceiving spirits. Remember the test of the true Spirit of God: “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (1 Corinthians 12:3).
- Some would teach a false salvation (gospel message): “or another gospel, which ye have not accepted”: There are false teachings of ways to be saved other than Jesus. We know: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Paul also wanted them to consider, “ye might well bear with him.” Paul did not want them to listen to, or tolerate, these teachings. This would be wrong. Paul warned them again: “13. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). They are wrong and very dangerous.
Pastors, teachers, and Christians mature in their faith should be discipling new Believers – and even those who have never grown in their faith. They need to know how to live, why we live this new life, and be warned of Satan’s subtlety.
Are you grounded enough in your faith to be able to disciple a New Believer?
Are you faithfully doing it?
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