“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.
4 For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4.
The simplicity that is in Christ lays waste the methods of man created by satan to corrupt and complicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is more appealing to the flesh to read a book and fast for 21 days or conjure up 40 days of purpose. What happens during the 325 days without purpose? Perhaps the seduction of ancient Jewish mysticism or extra biblical revelations and prophecies from the vanities of man’s mind deceives the carnal mind into believing such things are Scriptural.
“5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and Salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and Salvation.
7 And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the consolation.” 2 Corinthians 1:5-7.
The sufferings and afflictions that abound in born again Believers who are determined to know nothing else except Jesus Christ and Him crucified ARE the offence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At some point in the Believer’s life, the Lord has dealt with them. HIS Truth offended their “truth”, which was not Truth but a lie. HIS Gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Who came to die on Calvary’s Cross to pay our sin debt and free us (whosoever will believe) from the law of sin and death offended our efforts to overthrow the evil before us. The law, which condemned man to eternal death and sin’s dominion, was blotted out and nailed to the Cross so that we who believe can be made free… and we who have been made free are free indeed.
I am not speaking here of the horrible physical sufferings and afflictions many Believers have endured around the world at the hand of evil man. I’m speaking of the “sufferings” and “afflictions” which were a result of the Gospel’s offence when the Lord, through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, brings one to the point of decision. That point when Jesus Christ, Who HE is and what HE has done for the sinner to be reconciled to God and for the Saint to follow God, is lifted up among the captive, bruised and brokenhearted (Luke 4:18) and HE draws them to the point of decision (John 12:32). The point when they can no longer stand under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and the GOSPEL, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, lays waste their methods, their ceremonies, traditions, and the like; THEN does their consolation also abound.
This consolation, which brought our sufferings and afflictions through the offence of the Gospel to the Believer is effectual…”It”, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, which offends but brings consolation and Salvation will do the same for others…but we have to trust It, we have to believe It and allow It to offend. Otherwise the lost will remain lost and the Believers will remain bound in their ineffectual and unprofitable sufferings with no consolation, no hope and no light.
There is a simplicity that is in the Gospel of Christ Jesus. Let no man beguile you with wisdom of words and lustful deceits. It is simply by faith through grace that we are saved from eternal death and sanctified from sin’s dominion.
“And He (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15.
-Donna Clark Warren
Living in The Spirit 