Not ignorant
“in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” 2 Corinthians 2:11
Not ignorant – Can you make the same claim that Paul did? Are you acquainted with the schemes of Satan so that you recognize his handiwork before it takes hold? The Greek word here is about perceiving, understanding and recognizing. Paul says that he is quite familiar with the plans and actions of the enemy. For this reason, Satan doesn’t get the upper hand in his life.
We’re not talking about witchcraft and overt idolatry and scary things in the dark. Those are the obvious tactics. And Satan is not so stupid as to always be obvious. My experience is that Satan tailors his schemes so that they slip under the radar in our lives.
Suppose that I see clearly that lying offends God, injures men and destroys my integrity. Satan won’t come after me with an obvious lie. He’ll use a different tactic. He’ll present me with the opportunity to lie where my lie will seem to be the right thing to do. He gets me to think, “Well, if I just bend this a little, then things will be smoother. I prevent suffering. And isn’t it better to prevent suffering if it’s just a tiny bit off the truth.” Satan will get me into a moral debate about the context and I’ll forget about the absolute.
Imagine how many “tiny” ways that Satan can slip under your radar. That time you took advantage of someone but they didn’t know (so no harm done, right?). That time when you left work a bit early but what you did was important so you were justified. Even these may be too obvious. So he comes after us with deeper deceptions. Like thinking that I can spend my money as I wish since I’m the one who earned it. Or thinking that life is all about problem-solving and getting ahead. Or buying into a culture that thinks parents are stupid and children are in control. Or believing that if I just learn more I will be a better Christian.
Paul spent time searching God’s word in order to get a good grasp on the enemy’s tactics. He didn’t want to be taken advantage of out of ignorance. What about us? Have we really examined the foundation building blocks of our lives to see if we are standing firmly on the Scripture alone? Or have we let a few things slip under the radar?
(Just in case you’re interested, I am working on an in-depth article about deep reflection into our cultural myths that are really below the radar. It will be ready soon.)
