QT 17 Jan 19, 1 Cor 11:3-4, Why are we so easily deceived against truth?

2 Corinthians 11:3–4 (ESV) — 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

NOTE: Again, the references to Eve concern her deception, but the references to Adam (not here) concern his sin. But Paul's real argument is that we are far more willing to question truth than we are to question error. In the case of some new idea or new thought, we grasp on to it far too quickly. We are always looking for secret knowledge. And so we fall into the hands of swindlers and charlatans quite easily. Why is truth harder to accept? Maybe we are all, like Eve, easily deceived. It is even part of the sin nature -- it does not want us to seek God's truth. It wants us to be led astray by all kinds of new ideas. Maybe, we are looking for simpler ways to live the Christian life while also satisfying our sinful nature's desire to enjoy the world. Maybe, we really don't trust God as much as we say. I think all these things are probably true to some degree.

PRAYER: Father, forgive me for doubting you. Forgive me for seeking ways to gratify my flesh. Purify my thoughts. Open my eyes to truth, not what I want truth to be, but what you say is truth. Your word is truth.