What is the Simplicity that is in Christ?

[spiritmech]

1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity[a (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=54&chapter=11&version=50#fen-NKJV-28987a)] that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

What exactly is Paul referring to?

[spitndirt]

1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity[a (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=54&chapter=11&version=50#fen-NKJV-28987a)] that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

What exactly is Paul referring to?
Hey spiritmech,

Hmmm....I would say that Paul was in essence expressing what might be the Lord's jealousy concerning His Church (bride). It is writtten that God is a jealous God when it comes to His people running after - or being enticed to run after - other God's; in this case other Gospels.

Concerning '...corrupted from the 'simplicity' that is in Christ.' My guess would be that Paul was comparing the simple command in the garden to the simplicity of the Gospel command, and also the deception of the serpent to the deception of those with 'other' Gospels - complicating things with, in the one case in the garden 'the gaining of knowledge, and the attaining of something higher', and in this case 'things that might be gained from a foriegn Gospel' - whatever the false Apostles might be promising.

Corrupting [from] - maybe the same as saying: 'away from' or 'led astray' perhaps. Certainly not that 'the simpicity of the Gospel itself corrupts.'

What do you think?

Peace in the Lord