“The devil counts a fit occasion half a conquest, for he knows that the corrupt nature hath a seed-plot for all sin, which being drawn forth and watered by some sinful occasion, is soon set a-work to the producing of death and destruction. God will not remove the temptation, till we remove the occasion.”
excerpt for Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks
Mr. Brooks wrote all this “stuff” introduced by 2 Cor. 2:11, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us–for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
“Devices” in the Greek is actually “nohma” (Strong’s # 3540). Moulton and Milligan suggest the word is best rendered in the plural by “thoughts”. “Ways of thinking” also seems similar. In 2 Cor. 10:5, Paul wrote of “…bringing into captivity every thought (# 3540)…:” In Phil. 4:7, Paul wrote of the peace of God keeping/guarding your hearts and minds/thoughts (#3540). (Remaining concordance–2 Cor. 3:14; 4:4; 11:3)
Paul understood all too well the false doctrines of the Judaizers in conflict with his gospel. Rampant examples continuing through time include forms of sacerdotalism, Arminianism, Covenantal Calvinism, and “evangelicalism” soi dissant.
The distinctives of the Body of Christ were more of the focus of Paul’s concerns. The Judaizers, as reprobates, were/are the children of Satan. The battle in the elect of the Body is more directly with their own flesh (Gal. 5:17) than with Satan, who does not own them. The direct battle with the demons comes at the Rapture.
After writing all that “stuff”, Mr. Brook still needed a great deal of “reproof” and “corection” in the simplicity of Paul’s Gospel, as we all do.