Sincere and Pure Devotion

Satan unceasingly uses deceit to subtly draw you away from “a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

Four statements to apply this passage:

1. The essence of a godly life is a “sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
2. The Devil unceasingly employs deceit (lies, deception) to compromise your devotion to Christ.
3. There are some very public deceits manifested in the burning social issues of our day.
4. But there is an even deeper, more subtle deceit that Satan uses to draw you and me away from our devotion to Christ.

 

Context

Four letters of Paul to the church in Corinth, in chronological order:

(from ESV Study Bible, “Intro to 2 Corinthians”)

1. The previous letter mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:9 (lost to us)
2. Our 1 Corinthians
3. The tearful, severe letter mentioned in 2 Corinthians 2:3-4 (lost to us)
4. Our 2 Corinthians

 

The Genuine Gospel

 

Deceit!

 

Life in Christ