“But I am afraid that, as the serpent in his craftiness deceived Eve,
so your minds may be led astray from their single-heartedness and their fidelity to Christ.”
(2 Cor 11:3, WNT)
In the next few teachings we would like to point out how this human condition of lawlessness (as discussed in the previous teachings) becomes part of one’s daily life, often without one realizing it. This deception is in most cases so crafty that it almost seamlessly weaves itself into your spiritual life and walk of faith. Although we pride ourselves on all the wonderful things we had done in His name, Jesus warns that He will tell us – “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt 7:23).
In other translations of the Scripture quoted above Paul states that Satan manages to pervert our way of thinking, perverting the simplicity we find in Christ. Some translations declare the simplicity as purity or sincerity. The 1912 Weymouth New Testament (used in the opening quote) interestingly enough translates it as “single-heartedness” and “fidelity”. “Fidelity”, according to Websters – “Firm adherence to a person … with which one is united, or to which one is bound … Observance of the marriage covenant”. Satan thus works in believers through this mystery of lawlessness, which unseeingly perverts their lives and although still having the outer show of godliness, has lost its power (2 Tim 3:5), as it loosened them from their marriage bond with Christ. In the verse just before the opening quote Paul states – “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” (2 Cor 11:2).
The mystery of lawlessness opposes the mystery of godliness. Although we belong to Christ, having been reborn, it causes us to be linked to someone other than Him. It makes us adulterers (1 Cor 6:15-17; 2 Cor 6:15-16), and thus idolaters (1 Cor 10:7). Then Eph 5:5 becomes a reality – “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” Note that it doesn’t state that you lose your salvation, but instead that you lose your inheritance (see Eph 1:18). 1 Cor 6:9-10 makes it clear – “Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” The term “to inherit the Kingdom” does not mean “to be saved” or in the populist sense “to go to heaven”. You enter the kingdom through being born again and being baptized (John 3:3 & 5), but if you inherit the kingdom it means that you accept your inheritance in it. Those who have lost their fidelity through Satan’s craftiness have also lost their inheritance and can thus not longer rule. More about this in the next teaching.
- Sela: What immense implications does this teaching hold for your life?
- Read: Jos 13 Est 6; Isa 29
- Memorise: Isa 29:14
