Mai 2 Koriniti 2:11, Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, they were not ignorant of satan’s devices. Jesus knew His adversary, He was familiar with satan’s nature and satan’s devices. Jesus knew what he was up to and how he tempted people to sin and caused apostasy from the living God. Therefore Jesus warned the people and called them to repentance. Na ka rite ki a Ihu, Paul, who was born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, also knew his adversary and was familiar with satan’s nature and his devices. And so everyone, who has become a son of God (e pa ana tenei ki nga tane me nga wahine) and has received the Holy Spirit, should be familiar with the nature of satan and satan’s devices. But is this still the case? Are we not ignorant of satan’s devices?
Many Christians are blinded by the god of this world
The previous article was about the god of this world and how satan has blinded the minds of people, tae atu ki ngā Karaitiana, so that he can fulfill his mission on earth (Panuitia hoki: 'How the god of this world has blinded the minds of people’)
He has created a false image of Jesus and Christians that diametrically opposes the Word of God and therefore diametrically opposes the truth (Panuitia hoki: ‘How a counterfeit Jesus produces counterfeit Christians’)
He has placed man above God and made them the center of the church and made them believe that tolerating and approving sin, which is a work of the flesh, in church, is a good thing and shows that you care about people and love people.
And so, satan has deceived many Christians through his lies and caused them to walk in his lies in darkness, thinking that they do good works and build the Kingdom of God, while in reality, they don’t build God’s Kingdom but satan’s kingdom on earth (Panuitia hoki: ‘Destroying the works of God instead of destroying the works of the devil')
Are Christians still soldiers of Christ?
Many Christians are no longer spiritual soldiers of Christ and don’t walk in the spiritual armor and don’t fight with the Word and don’t refute satan’s lies with the words ‘It is written…’, as Jesus did. Since they don’t read and study the Bible and don’t know the Word personally and therefore they don’t know what is written.
They know a lot about other (famous) Christians and their walk with God and their doctrines and (supernatural) experiences, by reading their books, watching their programs and/or listening to their sermons. Still, they don’t know the Word personally. They only know God the Father, Ihu Karaiti, and the Holy Spirit by hearsay.
Paul knew the Word and was not ignorant of satan’s devices
But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person (presence) of Christ; Lest satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Koriniti 2:5-11)
Paul had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and obeyed God in everything. He was not afraid to tell the churches the truth and confront them and warn them of satan’s devices, since Paul was familiar with satan’s devices (thoughts) and the way he worked. Paul was a soldier of Christ and revealed satan’s works and destroyed them. Paul commanded the churches to do the same thing as he did.
Mai 2 Koriniti 2, Paul refers to a previous incident in the church, which is written in the first letter.
Mai 1 Koriniti 5, Paul wrote that it was reported that there was fornication among them, namely that one should have his father’s wife.
Instead that the church mourned and repented, the church was puffed up and allowed the sin of fornication in the church, whereby the church was defiled.
Just like today, many churches are defiled by allowing sin in the church.
Many churches are defiled by sin
Instead of submitting to Jesus Christ; the Head of the Church and obeying the will of God, many pastors and elders have put themselves on pedestals and are prideful and puffed up by their carnal knowledge and their indifferent behavior towards sin. They act piously, while they persevere in sin and/or approve the sins of others and allow (moepuku) uncleanness in the church (Panuitia hoki: ‘What does the Bible say about sin in the Church?').
Many leaders have fallen and still fall because of fornication and only repent because they have been caught and their position in the church is at risk, but not because they truly regret the thing they’ve done to God and therefore they don’t truly repent of their sins. Because many times, they fall back into the same sin over and over again.
And instead of others stopping this behavior and stop them from defiling the church and damaging the Kingdom, by removing them from their office and the ministry, they keep them in the same office and ministry, or restore them after a short period of time in the same office and ministry, because according to them, by doing that, they show their love and compassion towards them (their neighbor).
This happens, all because they are carnal and make decisions from their feelings and emotions, instead of the Word and the Spirit (Panuitia hoki: ‘What did Paul mean by lay hands suddenly on no man?')
They are not spiritual but carnal and therefore they are ignorant about the will of God and ignorant of satan’s devices. They judge what they perceive with their senses and are led by their feelings and emotions and not by what the Word and Spirit say. Because of that many churches have become carnal and defiled through the sins of people.
As long as Christians keep doing the works of the flesh and persevere in sin, it shows that they are not born again and that they have not received a new heart of flesh that produces righteous works, but that they are still the old creation and still have an unrenewed heart of stone that produces sins and iniquities (Aue. Matiu 15:19 (Panuitia hoki: ‘Why did God write His law on tables of stone?'))
Paul was spiritual and acted out of love
But Paul and the other apostles were not like that. They were not carnal but spiritual. Therefore they were not ignorant of satan’s devices, but they knew exactly what their enemy was up to and what he was trying to do.
They were spiritually awake and watchful and saw the spiritual dangers of their enemy and spoke boldly to the churches and warned the churches, despite the consequence, rejections, and persecution of people.
And so Paul also wrote to the church at Corinth about the fornication that took place in the church and because Paul knew that a little leaven would leaven the whole lump, Paul had judged the person, who committed fornication, for his deed and delivered the person unto satan (Panuitia hoki: 'What does it mean to deliver a person unto satan?).
Although this deed seemed heartless, Paul gave this commandment out of love for Jesus Christ, the person, and the church.
Out of love for Jesus, because Paul knew that Jesus hates sin and would never compromise with sin and therefore Paul submitted to the will of Jesus and executed His will in the church.
Out of love for the person, because Paul knew, that sin leads to death, despite the love and grace of God. Therefore he did it, so that the person would repent.
And out of love for the church, because Paul knew, that sin would defile the church and causes apostasy from God.
The church understood Paul’s love for the church and obeyed the words of Paul and his commandment and removed the person from their midst, whereby the church proved that they were obedient in all things.
The punishment of the church brought the man to repentance, because it is thought that the person, who asked forgiveness from the church in 2 Koriniti 2, is the same person that is mentioned in 1 Koriniti 5.
Satan could not get an advantage of them
Paul commanded the church to forgive the man and comfort him and confirm their love toward him by allowing him in the church (note, it’s about allowing the man back in the church not in the office (ministry).
Paul had judged the person, and the church obeyed the words of Paul and punished the person, so that they stayed united. When the church forgave the person, Paul also forgave the person, so that the person would be forgiven, and Paul and the church would stay united, and satan would not get an advantage over them, for they were not ignorant of satan’s devices.
Paul knew his enemy and knew through the Word, whom he was battling against, and from that knowledge Paul acted and didn’t give place to the devil.
Is the church not ignorant of satan’s devices?
Kia aroha mai, in many churches, this is no longer the case and satan has entered in a devious way many churches and through false doctrines tempted them to sin. Many churches have given place to the devil by walking after the flesh and embracing sin. Satan’s territory is in the flesh. Therefore as long as the flesh is alive, he will always find a way to accomplish his mission (Panuitia hoki: ‘False doctrines that are an insult to God‘ a ‘Doctrines of devils are killing the church').
He can captivate a whole congregation, just by one person, who is carnal and remains carnal. He only needs one person to accomplish his mission and destroy the church and extinguish the light.
Therefore oftentimes, he uses people, who may seem spiritual but are carnal and have influence in the church.
He uses preachers, elders, and especially their children to create a carnal church that is led by the flesh; senses, karekau, kare-a-roto, carnal mind, and the will of man, instead of the Word, the Holy Spirit, and the will of God.
Satan knows that it is easier for people to judge the sin of people, who are far off, than to judge the sin of people, who are close to them. It’s easier to stand on the Word and obey the will of God and judge the sin of a stranger, than to stand on the Word and obey the will of God and condemn the sin of a relative.
The closer someone is related to the person, the harder it is to follow Jesus and to keep standing on the Word and do the will of God and condemn sin.
How satan enters families and churches?
Tangohia, hei tauira, a parent and a child. A Christian parent can obey the will of God and stand on the Word towards others, who stand far off and confront them with something that is not according to the will of God and condemn the sin. But if the child of the Christian parent does exactly the same thing that goes against the will of God and does the same works as the person, who the Christians parent condemned, the parent tolerates and accepts it and compromises with the works of darkness, out of fear, because the parent is afraid to be judged by others and/or afraid to lose the child.
And so satan has got a hold on many Christians and enters families and churches, through relatives, who may seem pious but refuses to submit to Jesus Christ and follow the Word and do the will of God and put off the works of the flesh, but do their own will and go their own way, and through the feelings of Christians, who by accepting the works of the flesh will deny Jesus and bow to satan and submit themselves to him and enforce his will (Panuitia hoki: 'The spirit of Eli’’ and ‘Do you confess Jesus before man or deny Him?')
Satan knows the people. He knows their strengths and weaknesses through their words and actions. No reira, he knows exactly, how he can tempt people to sin and ensure that people live in disobedience to the will of God. And because of that satan has an advantage over people and gain victory over them
Heoi ano, God revealed to His sons, through His Word, the nature of the devil and his thoughts and works, by which they should know the nature, thoughts, and works of satan. But because many Christians don’t read and study the Bible themselves, they don’t know anything about him and are ignorant about satan’s devices, which makes it easy for them to be misled through the words of people and through false doctrines and be tempted to sin.
The Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do (Hiperu 4:12-13)
Through the Word of God, you will get to know the will of God and you will gain spiritual knowledge, not only about God and His Kingdom and His will, but also about your adversary in the spiritual battle.
The Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, the Word reveals everything. Nothing stays hidden.
If you abide in the Word and the Word abides in you, then through the Truth, you shall discern good and evil and you shall discern the thoughts and works of God and the thoughts and works of the devil.
Because many times, something may look like it comes from God, and is considered a miracle, while in reality, it comes from satan, who also has power and does signs and lying wonders, but does not have the best intentions for you, but the worst.
Therefore take the Bible and study the Word of God and get to know Him and His will, so that you will be able to discern good and evil and become aware of satan’s devices and prevent him from gaining victory, by saying, ‘It is written…’.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
