Sunday, February 22, 2015

2 Corinthians 10:15

2 Corinthians 10:15 - We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Every time I read this verse it strikes me a little differently.  At first the thing that stood out was "taking captive"  all my thoughts. Wow, I am almost 30 years old and it was a complete revelation to me that my thoughts were within my own control. My worry, or doubt, or envy didn't have to be just a part of who I am.  It seems so plain, but it had genuinely never occurred to me that God never planned for me to just have to deal with it.  He made me able to take these thoughts captive.  This was big news to me, BIG.

However, tonight as I read this verse again the thing that strikes me most is the fervency in the language used.  In my mind tonight, it read more like this...*Que Wrestle Mania Announcer voice* We DEMOLISH arguments and even every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive EVERY thought to make it obedient to Christ. This sounds not just like a freeing idea but a serious directive.  It sounds to me like my job is to wage war on sin my own mind.  To take and avid, and active role in keeping even my mind obedient to Christ. 

In this world we are up against so much as Christians.  We have decided that we can't control our thoughts because we are sinful in nature.  They aren't our fault, right?  We aren't supposed to speak about Christ and what he has done in our lives, and what he means to us, because that would be divisive.  We shouldn't argue our points, because that wouldn't be loving.  That all seems to me to be a pretty easy way out of doing what we are evidently called to do.

We are meant to argue for our Lord, but to do it in love and not out of criticism or judgement.  We are expected to put away any doubts or even a thought alluding to something that would get in the way of our personal relationship with him.  We are told to take captive our thoughts.  To be in control of our own minds.  To keep our minds obedient to Christ.  You have no less control over your thoughts than you do over your arms, and we are told to wage war on any idea we might have that would be contrary to that fact.

I live my life like a victim of my own human condition.  I was not made for that wimpy way of life.  We were all made to be warriors.  We are made to make choices not fall victim to them. I personally see this as the Lord calling me out.  "Destroy these doubts you have about me, don't even allow yourself to have and assertion of a claim against even your knowledge of me, and if you do, get it under control and bring it into my obedience. " I feel like this is a start to a new way of thinking that seems so freeing to me.  Christ has given even little old, sinful, me power to obey him completely.  I want to get after it.