Sincere Hearts, Watchful Eyes

Guard Your Love for Christ

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by 

the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led 

astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 

2 Corinthians 11:3 

The apostle Paul writes with the intensity of a spiritual father who sees the Corinthians as a bride promised to Christ. His deepest concern is that their sincere and pure devotion might be corrupted by deception—just as Eve was misled by a cunning distortion of truth. This is not a mere intellectual error, but what Paul considers spiritual adultery. Our relationship with Christ is not simply about belief; it is about loyal, exclusive, wholehearted love. Loving Jesus not just with our minds, but with our hearts, our time, and our loyalty, allowing Him to be the center of our affections and the anchor of our identity. To know Him as the bride knows her bridegroom.” Paul’s jealous concern echoes God’s own desire for intimacy and undivided allegiance.

But threats to that devotion often come disguised. Paul warns that false apostles, deceitful workers, and even Satan himself can masquerade as angels of light (vv.13–15). The danger isn’t always obvious—these deceivers may sound eloquent and look holy. Their message may resemble the gospel, but it introduces “another Jesus,” a distorted spirit, a counterfeit gospel. Near-truths often appeal to our pride, preferences, or pain, making them harder to detect and easier to accept unless we are grounded in the real gospel and walking closely with Christ. Eugene Peterson captures Paul’s tone vividly: “They’re just counterfeit apostles, lying preachers, crooked workers posing as Christ’s agents but sham to the core.” We must cultivate discernment not through suspicion but by deep, abiding love for the real Jesus.

This kind of steadfast love requires simplicity. Paul is not calling for frantic vigilance but for “wholehearted, uncomplicated love for Christ.” This loyal love grows through the practices of prayer, Scripture reading, worship, silence, and service. Nouwen invites us to retreat into stillness—not as an escape, but as a sacred space where our soul can reawaken to the presence of Jesus. It is in these quiet moments that we realign our affections, rediscover our first love, and are reminded that the Christ still speaks, still calls, and still waits for us to respond with undivided devotion. The call is clear: stay rooted, stay simple, stay in love.

 Prayer

Lord Jesus,

Guard our hearts from every false gospel, every deceiving spirit, and every distortion of who You are. Keep us close to You in simplicity and sincerity. Give us spiritual insight to discern truth from error. May we walk as those devoted to you—faithful in love, courageous in truth, and pure in our worship.

Amen.