2 Corinthians 11:3
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."
Throughout the Apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthian church, he expresses concern that they may be led astray from the simplicity of the Gospel message in Christ. He compares their potential deception to how Eve was deceived by the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Paul warns against false teachings that could corrupt the Faith revealed to them in the preaching of Christ and His death as their justification before God. He emphasizes the need for steadfastness in the Truth of the Gospel. This verse highlights the dangers of spiritual deception and the importance of remaining true to Christ exactly as He is revealed in the Gospel.
The greatest counterfeit is that which is closest to the original. When Satan beguiled Eve [literally ‘cheated by deception’], it was by turning her eyes away from the Tree of Life (a type of Christ) to desire something more! What more could have been necessary for her enjoyment, comfort, and peace? What could the tree of the knowledge of good and evil offer her more than she already enjoyed in the Tree of Life? The deception was in thinking that something more was needed than what Adam and Eve were already given to enjoy (Genesis 2:9). The fruit of the Tree of Life was unto Life, and the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was unto eternal death and condemnation. No matter how good the fruit appeared, it was forbidden by God not to eat or even to touch it (Genesis 3:2, 3).
The apostle Paul warned the church of Corinth of the same deception in being drawn away by those who presented themselves as Gospel preachers, preaching Christ and professing to be speaking by the Spirit of God and yet who were false prophets, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. What was the issue? Like Satan’s subtleties with Eve, they would draw sinners away from the One Perfect Substitute, Christ crucified and their perfect standing in Him by His imputed righteousness, to another "tree of the knowledge of good and evil, " another righteousness, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:3). Paul wrote that they are transformed as ministers of righteousness but not the ONE TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, established by Christ in His death at the cross and imputed to every one of God’s elect there, by the Father.
It was no light matter for Eve in the beginning, and it is no light matter for us today. The question is: On what basis does God declare poor, worthless, condemned sinners righteous?
Some say that Christ ‘guaranteed’ our righteousness by His death, but it is only realized when we appropriate it by our ‘faith.’
Others say that this righteousness is imparted in the sinner when the Spirit grants life, given a ‘sinless nature’ upon believing. They call it an ‘imparted righteousness,’ worked in you, although that is not the language of Scripture.
Others say it is by righteousness worked out by you, whereby by His death you are given the ability now to grow it by sanctifying yourself and improving on what Christ accomplished for you, but that now you achieve. They say His was the down payment and your faith and dedication complete it.
Either way, it is to declare righteousness IN us, or BY us, and not IN and BY CHRIST ALONE! Subtle error, but lethal to the soul.
There is much interest in this ‘tree of knowledge’ and much explaining as to what this supposed righteous nature is but ultimately, it is drawing attention away from the ONE TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, outside ourselves, in the LORD Jesus Christ and His finished work alone, Who is now seated in Heaven, His work complete (1 Corinthians 1:30; Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 2:2)! Even as Adam and Eve were deceived in thinking they needed something more than that perfect standing they enjoyed with God already, let us not be deceived in thinking that our acceptance with God and fellowship with HIM is by any other means than the blood and righteousness of Christ alone, fully accomplished at the cross and imputed there, which the Spirit of God, in time, does REVEAL (not impart) to sinner’s hearts (Luke 10:21-22). He causes us to rejoice in Him alone for all our salvation, in Christ Who finished the work!
" For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16,17).
Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone. If you try to contribute anything to your salvation except for your sin, you're going to spend Eternity in Hell regretting it.