A Pastor's Fear

2 Corinthians 11:2-3 KJV

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

The apostle was both jealous and fearful for these believers at Corinth. He knew that, just as Satan had tempted Eve (recall that he begins this chapter by calling this church a bride) and led her astray, he had many means to attempt to do the same to this church.

A pastor has legitimate and Biblical precedent to have those same fears and jealousies for those he watches over. 

• Satan has a hold on the peer pressure of the world to corrupt pure faith
• Satan has the sword of the philosophical and academic realm to corrupt souls from simple faith
• Satan has a plethora of substitute doctrines to lure people from simple faith

We have witnessed enough Christians being lured away from sound doctrine

• Sometimes into the world
• Sometimes into intellectual confusion
• Sometimes into various religious denominations

Indeed, we have witnessed whole churches and even whole church movements turn from the simple faith to some other, that we are sure there is reason for both our jealousies and our fears. 

Some may think us alarmist. We have been accused of clinging too tightly to the traditions we have received. But the watchful pastor is wary. He has been charged to present his care to Christ a chaste virgin. It is his job to fight off whatever would spoil his work.