Simplicity that is in Christ- by Joseph A. Cortes

II Corinthians 11:3 reads, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent [the Beguiler, the Deceiver] beguiled Eve through his subtilty [lit. cunning craftiness]” Paul is saying: “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent…” —meaning false prophets, false teachers, these false preachers, and whatever damnable heresy they are using on you—Paul is hoping that you won’t be deceived by their cunning craftiness (as Eve was) “so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” All these false plans, and all these false teachers proclaiming these false plans are no better than the serpent that beguiled Eve, because they bring another damnable heresy that takes away from the simplicity that is in Christ.

We have seen that Greek word translated simplicity here before in Matthew 6:22, when I preached the first message in the giving series Where Is Your Heart? It means generosity (that is what simplicity there means) “that is in Christ.” That is why it is a free gift; it’s because of Christ’s generosity, of God’s generosity who sent His only begotten son and because Christ was a willing and obedient son of God. He was willing to rescue us, because of that generosity and love for us

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“For if he that cometh preacheth another [lit. another of the same kind] Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another,”—here the word is a little bit different; different and altered, and that is what they have done, they have altered it—“spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” The Gospel involves, I believe, four things. Some think it’s only three: the death, because Jesus died on the cross; buried, the burial; and the resurrection. I believe we recognize one other thing when we go to the Table of The Lord: that He is coming back again. All things are not final yet. That is the good news, which is what the Gospel means, my friends. Unless you recognize that you are a sinner in God’s eyes and there is nothing you can do to change that fact, except by having a change of mind about what Jesus did for you. And if you do, then hold on to that. Trust that. Have confidence in it. Put your faith in it. You’ll remain a sinner, but now a redeemed sinner, now a sinner that has become right with God.

We all deserve to burn in hell—if that is what happens there—for our sins. Scripture says, “For the wages of sin is death,” —not life. If you are on the fence and you’re not sure about this salvation stuff, that is where you start, recognizing that you are a sinner. You must see yourself as a guilty sinner in the eyes of God in order to be saved, my friend. If you don’t, you are not saved, because you are relying on your dead works to get you there. That somehow, for some reason, you believe that your human effort can measure up to what God expects. I’m sorry, you must come to the knowledge that you are a sinner, otherwise, why would we need a Savior?

“What happens if I admit I’m a sinner in God’s eyes and start believing in the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ?”

It’s very simple: immediately you are saved. Period. You don’t need fanfare. You don’t need everybody in the church to come and say hallelujah and do all their shouting and praising. I’m not saying those things are wrong—I’m just saying you don’t need all that. That is the simplicity that is in Christ. He immediately saves you. One of the wonderful promises is in the Gospel of John, chapter 6 verse 37 reads, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” You come to Jesus because you recognize you need to be rescued. You recognize you are not right with God. You recognize that you are a sinner, a guilty sinner. There is nothing you can do to change that fact other than to trust and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Believe in the simplicity that is in Christ, the generosity, the free gift he provided for you. He died for you. He rose from the grave for you. He paid the penalty of eternal death for all of us.

“So, what are you saying?”

There are no works required for Gospel salvation. “You mean it is that simple, just believe in Christ and what he did?” Well, let’s go to John 6:28. “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe [pisteuo, trust and confidence] on him whom he hath sent.”

Jesus is referring to himself as the answer to the question. The “work of God” to be saved is to believe Jesus is the Christ whom God the Father sent, who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose up three days later—and He’s coming back again for us.  It’s as simple as that and you’re saved. And we have a greater possibility of seeing that return as He pierces through the heavenlies to receive His own. That is a promise we can hang on to right now.

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In 2 Corinthians 9:7 it reads, “God loveth a cheerful giver.” The Greek word for cheerful is Hilaros which means when someone is prompt to do something, they are ready in mind, with a joyful heart. In the Septuagint it also means to cause to shine. Today I am looking for Hilaros Givers who are ready and full of joy for the opportunity to cause others to shine by hearing, learning, and growing in God’s Word.

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