Simplicity Removes All Boasting

Iron sharpens iron... these thoughts proceed from a long talk with a friend yesterday.

"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."  (NASB) 2 Corin. 11:3  

"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."  (Webster's Bible) 2 Corin. 11:3

The NASB translation is honest with you, it puts "of devotion" in italics to indicate to you that those words are not in the original words that Paul by the Holy Spirit wrote to the believers in Corinth. They added those words to make the sentence flow better, but in doing so (IMO) they perpetuated some of the serpents subtle, deceiving ways.

Read the NASB again slowly.  By adding "of devotion" isn't there a subtle twist putting the emphasis on something that you are doing?

Read the Webster's again slowly.  The Messiah is the simplicity of where our minds dwell.  He has completed all the works, we dwell in a place of fullness, and rest and trust in Him.  When we dwell there we are free from the serpent's lies that God is with holding love from us.  Satan says, "God doesn't want you DOING this because He knows how great it will make you."  The flip side of that subtle lie is, your devotion to Christ is paramount, No, no, no, a thousand times no!  From a place of resting and trusting in the Son's devotion to the Father - we LIVE!  That is a truly unshakeable place, that is a place of rest from striving, that is a place of simplicity.  It's Him, It's Him, It's Him!!

THE SIMPLICITY AND PURITY IS IN CHRIST, IN THE MESSIAH!  The simplicity and purity is not in our devotion to Christ, that puts the emphasis back on us and what we are doing, that is subtle.

This is not just semantics, this is life and death.  I pray that the eyes of our hearts are open to the truth.