Sincere and Pure Devotion

II Cor. 11:2-3

For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 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.

 

If Paul was afraid of this for the Corinthian believers who had just recently received the gospel, I think it must be a legitimate concern for us in out time and culture. How will Satan try and pull my thoughts away from my sincere and pure devotion to Christ? In this passage Paul was concerned about having a different gospel proclaimed to them, or having a different spirit from the one they received from Jesus. Today there are many gospels or interpretations of the gospel, how do I cling to the one true gospel? I must know it and be saturated in it. It must be the manual for my life! In it are the words of God Himself, and He has promised His Spirit who indwells me will be my guarantee, my seal keeping me until the day that Jesus comes back for me.

 

Sincere means without any flaws or cracks. My devotion must be seamlessly in love with Jesus and the Word. If I am sincere, I am holding nothing back. When someone or something new comes into my life, I must respond to them in sincere devotion to Christ. That means that my feelings or needs will not be more important than what He has for me to do that day. How do I keep my devotion pure? I can't allow any admixture of idolatry or self-worship. Every day is a new opportunity for others to see Christ in me. Devotion, purity and sincerity all speaks to me of 100% dedication to Christ. To be on this course means that hold nothing back and allow for no harboring sin no matter how justified I feel. I deal with sin immediately and completely. Jesus is more important that anything I might experience for feel.

 

Father,

Reveal to me when my devotion has become insincere and impure. Teach me more each day how Christ can live in me.

In Jesus name,

Amen