The following excerpt is taken from What Every Christian Should Know About Satan. Order your copy in print, Kindle, or Audible versions here.

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The apostle Paul writes: “Anyone you forgive, I do too. For what I have forgiven ​— ​if I have forgiven anything ​— ​it is for your benefit in the presence of Christ, so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:10-11, emphasis added). 

And: “Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11, emphasis added).

In each of these passages, Paul points to the evil one’s schemes. First, as believers, we are to educate ourselves about Satan’s plots so we may prevent him from gaining an advantage over us. The Greek word translated “schemes” in 2 Corinthians 2:11 is noemata and basically means “thoughts,” “purposes,” or “designs.” No doubt, these are malicious schemes intended to cause harm. 

Second, we are to wear God’s protective armor, which enables us to stand tall in the face of the devil’s blistering attacks. Paul employs a different Greek word for “schemes” in Ephesians 6:11 – methodeias, from which we get the English word “methods.” The evil one hatches plans and devises great strategies to bring us down in his never-ending spiritual assault.

In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul may be referring to his first epistle, in which he offered instructions concerning a church member having sexual relations with his stepmother (1 Cor. 5:1-5). The apostle had urged the Corinthians to exercise church discipline against this man. Evidently, they followed Paul’s command to “hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh” (1 Cor. 5:5). 

Now, however, the church seems reluctant to forgive the repentant sinner and restore him to fellowship, which is the goal of church discipline in the first place. The Corinthians’ unforgiving spirit unwittingly grants Satan an opportunity to gain advantage over them, or defraud them of the warm fellowship that is graciously theirs. 

This story illustrates how important it is for the Christian community to balance church discipline and charity. One without the other plays into the evil one’s hands. Satan can ruin a church that fails to rebuke sinners. At the same time, he can just as easily triumph when a church refuses to forgive chastened sinners who repent. As David Garland notes, “Paul reveals that showing forgiveness is one way for the church to close the door on Satan’s evil designs to destroy it…. Satan is powerless before a united community filled with love and humble forgiveness.”

In Ephesians 6, Paul stresses the necessity of spiritual armor – truth, righteousness, readiness with the gospel, faith, salvation, and the Word of God – by which we take our stand in the struggle against Satan and his armies (Eph. 6:11-17). We explore the armor of God more fully in future posts. 

Until then, it’s important to remember that Paul is under no delusions about the Christian life. It is an ongoing battle against a ruthless foe who is well-armed, wily, and relentless. Satan is a brilliant military strategist. Nevertheless, Paul exhorts us to study the devil’s ways so he won’t outfox us, and to leverage the armor and weapons the Lord supplies so the evil one won’t retake sacred ground.

Next: A cunning seducer (2 Cor. 11:3-4)