What Ministry Is All About, Part 13
In our message, TAKING THOUGHTS CAPTIVE TO CHRIST (2 Cor. 10:1-11), we entered into the third and final section of the book of Second Corinthians. While chapters 1 through 7 primarily dealt with the ministry of reconciliation (i.e. the gospel of our salvation) and chapters 8 and 9 focused on the grace of giving, chapters 10 to 13 emphasize the defense of the Bible. Christians are called to “contend earnestly for the faith” with both lost people and also in our own lives by guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Jude 1:3-4; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:3-5, etc.).
Paul fights for the truth of the Bible here by defending the apostleship given to him “by the will of God” (2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 2:20; 3:5; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21, etc.). Because the Lord wrote His words through Paul, when “false apostles” attacked his apostleship, they were simultaneously casting doubt on the Bible and maligning God (2 Cor. 10:7; 11:13-15, etc.). This is the oldest trick of Satan as seen in the Devil’s opening words in Scripture (Gen. 3:1, 4-5, etc.). And these unregenerate men did this here by saying Paul was a pushover so he did not need to be listened to (2 Cor. 10:1b, 10) as they said the “meekness and gentleness” seen in his life after he came to Jesus was weakness (2 Cor. 10:1). At the same time, they accused him of walking “according to the flesh,” that is, being a liar and doing things out of selfish ambition (2 Cor. 10:2b).
Paul admitted that he walked “in the flesh” in that he was human possessing the same weaknesses as others (2 Cor. 10:3a), but he clarified he did “not war according to the flesh” (2 Cor. 10:3b). As a godly man, the apostle walked in the Spirit (Eph. 5:18), and it was Christ in him the hope of glory that he fought his battles with (Col. 1:27, etc.). The weapons Paul used “were not carnal [i.e. of human origin] but MIGHTY IN GOD for the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4, caps my emphasis).
All Christians positionally “have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16), but the enemy can, if we yield to him, place “strongholds” in our minds that attack the truth of God’s Word in our lives (Gal. 5:1; Eph. 4:25-27, etc.). These “arguments… [and] every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” reflects the spiritual “warfare” (or all-out campaign) we are in (2 Cor. 10:5; Eph. 6:10-12, etc.). The powers of hell are still trying to destroy the work of God (Matt. 16:18, etc.). All of these things, “every thought [must be brought] into captivity to the obedience of Christ” through the spiritual armor God has given us (2 Cor. 10:5; Eph. 6:13-18, etc.). There are principalities of darkness today (i.e. “high things”) that exalt themselves against the truth of Jesus in our lives (Eph. 6:12, etc.). Carnal (or human) wisdom and strength will be of no use against these enemies (2 Cor. 10:5). Only spiritual power given to us by God Almighty can pull these “strongholds” of the enemy down (1 John 4:4; John 10:10; 2 Cor. 10:3-5).
This means we must judge sin in our lives as God’s children (i.e. be “ready to punish all disobedience” 2 Cor. 10:6a; 1 Cor. 11:31-32, etc.) so we can be powerful for Him today and ready for His return one day (2 Cor. 10:6b). Just as Paul urged the Christians at Corinth to deal with these false apostles now so that he wouldn’t have “to be bold… against some” of them when he came (2 Cor. 10:2a), the Lord wants us also to be ready for Jesus’ return, which can happen at any moment (1 John 2:28; 1 Cor. 9:24-27, etc.). Scripture shows us here, our actions reveal our thoughts, and while we positionally have the mind of Christ, we must fight the good fight of faith to run the race well in terms of the judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:13-18; 15:33-34; Heb.12:1-2; 2 Tim. 4:7-8, etc.). This is what Paul also explains in our passage today as we are called to “take every thought captive” so we are doing what the Bible says today and when He returns (2 Cor. 6:5, 8-11; 1 Cor. 4:20-21; James 1:21-25; Rom. 12:1-2, 9, etc.). *For more information on this message, please see SBFC’s May 4, 2025 sermon above.