We’re always looking for the red horns and trident.
The problem is, wickedness commonly reveals itself incrementally, disguised in innocence, and concealed behind a neutral pretense. As a result, the Great Deceiver is able to methodically obscure the focus of many of Jesus Christ’s disciples in their daily battle to resist his tactics.
But we don’t have to fall for it.
In his letter to the church of God which [was] at Corinth with all the saints who [were] throughout Achaia, the apostle Paul confirmed just how diverse Satan’s techniques can be:
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but powerful in God for the destruction of strongholds [so that] arguments are being dismantled along with every lofty [thing] raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive [in order] to maintain the obedience of Christ…” [2Cor. 10:3-5] [my emphasis]
[ὕψωμα: (hoop-sō-mâ) height; stronghold or proud obstacle]
The list of things being raised up against the knowledge of God today is endless. But Satan would have me believe that the important conflicts are limited to what he’s made very evident to the world. However, these obvious struggles seem to serve as distractions, able to help conceal a more crucial battle being fought on another front.
And that battle, the battle of relevance, is supreme in it’s ability to render Jesus Christ’s disciples weak and fruitless.
Because the goal of “lofty” knowledge is to somehow convince me that striving to live in obedience to Christ’s commands isn’t actually necessary at all, but instead irrelevant to being His disciple. Yet Jesus told His disciples, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” [Jn. 14:15]
[Why I should be concerned about being obedient to Christ’s commands: Steering Clear of ‘That Place.’ [1]]
So if I can be pursuaded that, because I’m living under His grace and therefore shouldn’t really be expected to obey His commandments, then the deception of irrelevance has prevailed. My captive thoughts would be insignificant, no longer needing to be contained and analyzed from a true Biblical perspective.
Yeah, but I’d still be a Christian. Right?
Voila! says the Evil One.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” [Eph. 6:12]