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TO TAKE OUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE
The
Apostle Paul contends, “We destroy arguments
and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take
every thought captive to obey Christ,” (2 Cor 10:5) in his second letter
to the Church at Corinth. In context, Paul was defending his ministry against
false prophets by highlighting the difference between worldly wisdom and the
spiritual wisdom of the cross, which to humankind could seem illogical or even
foolish (1 Cor 1:18). Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians seemingly doubles
down on his argument against false prophets, which he initiates in 1
Corinthians, i.e. the Apostle feels he must further oppose worldly wisdom,
which has infiltrated the church. Such a sentiment resonates with the church
today, especially in the West.
Moreover,
the key to Paul’s instructions is to take every thought captive to obey Christ.
In other words, such an action is foundational to the battle waged against
lofty (worldly) opinions. Without taking thoughts captive, it is impossible to
defeat the enemy. The mind is a powerful tool and may either be utilized for
good or for evil, which is why Paul says, in his letter to the Romans, that
God’s people are transformed by the renewing of the mind (Rom 12:2). While the
Bible teaches that the greatest commandment is to love God with the heart,
soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30), the mind is crucial to obedience. If the
heart is the seed or core of a person, the mind is the root; thus, how one
cares for the mind impacts all other areas of life. What then does it mean to
take one’s thoughts captive? I suggest three imperative:
1)
fight for rule of the mind,
2)
destroy the enemy’s attacks on the mind,
3)
obey Christ.
All aspects then are rooted in the realization that worship is war; war is waged against the enemy when God’s people worship.
Fight for Rule of the Mind
Captive is a militaristic term. The idea Paul gives is to fight for control or rule of the mind. The mind, perhaps one of the most powerful internal tools of any person, is often the root of action or inaction. Paul uses language, in the same chapter, that suggests Christians are in a fierce battle and must wage war against the enemy. Part of doing so is to fight for rule of the mind, for if believers do not fight for control of the mind, other forces (namely evil) will absolutely control the mind resulting in evil decisions. One’s actions are derived from what he or she deposits into the mind. Speaking to myself perhaps more than anyone, we must not only guard our hearts but also our minds against corruption that could potentially destroy us, which is often insidious through external forces around us, e.g. music, movies, videos, language, positive or negative thoughts (which certainly impact worldview), etc. Rule of the mind is seemingly neglected by many people, as if it is not that serious of an issue; yet, the mind must be renewed, for transformation begins with the renewal of the mind (Rom 12:2). To take thoughts captive then, God’s people must fight, i.e. wage war for rule of the mind and namely the rule of Christ, not of ourselves.
Destroy the Enemy’s Attacks on the Mind
Peter instructs believers to continuously be prepared to give a defense of the faith (1 Pet 3:15). Such instruction is stalwartly linked to the spiritual warfare all believers face. Thus, taking thoughts captive also means destroying the enemy’s attacks on the mind, which is accomplished not only by monitoring what enters the mind but also utilizing the godly material consigned to the mind for fighting against evil and false arguments, i.e. be prepared to give a logical defense for the faith. God does not call his people to inadequacy or incompetence by a lack of involvement in the spiritual war but rather to participation by preparation; yet, preparation does not mean merely being ready but also employing the mind for skillful communication. Said another way, no believer holds the excuse of incompetence as if only the most intelligent and eloquent should face the task of defense. Finding a professing Christian who creates a negative perception because of an inability to give a thorough and well-formed argument for the faith is not difficult. Part of the reason, however, is that so many professing Christians live lives that do not look any different from the rest of the world. All believers, in the process of sanctification, have moments of failure; yet, those moments do not help the task of destroying lofty arguments against the faith. Therefore, a significant part of destroying the enemy’s attacks is living a life that coincides with the argument presented. Upon that action, God’s people must then know and understand foundational elements of the faith so that false (but lofty and often well-presented) arguments against it may fall. To take thoughts captive then is to destroy the attacks of the enemy, i.e. utilize the righteous material offered to the mind for spiritual battle.
Obey Christ
In continuation of the idea of a life compatible with a righteous mind, taking thoughts captive should ensue in obedience, which effectively punishes disobedience. After instructing the Corinthians to take thoughts captive, he says to be ready to punish disobedience when obedience is complete (2 Cor 10:6), for only at that point may disobedience be punished; prior to complete obedience, punishment of disobedience is not possible, which further highlights the link between lifestyle and the mind. Paul understands the necessity of Christ’s rule over the mind. Believers must intentionally take every thought captive so that the trash trying to enter is filtered out and destroyed and the righteousness that enters is kept and utilized. Obedience to Christ then begins with the mind and yet, in a cyclic manner, continues to feed the mind, i.e. the more Christ rules the mind, the more one obeys Christ and the more one obeys Christ, the more the mind is renewed. Taking thoughts captive, therefore, certainly equates to obedience to Christ.
Worship Is War
The mind is surely connected to worship, for one’s spiritual act of worship is rooted in the renewing of the mind (Rom 12:1-2). When God’s people worship not only corporately but personally, the enemy is defeated. Worship then is a constant pummeling of Satan. Christians are in a daily battle; worship is the sure to spiritual defeat. Without worship, Satan would constantly defeat God’s people; yet, when Christians worship God, Satan is defeated and God is exalted. Since rule of the mind is a perpetual battle, believers should understand that taking thoughts captive is necessary for effective worship. Then (again), in a cyclic manner, worship is enhanced and the mind continues to be renewed. Forces of good and evil are at war for rule of the mind; God’s people are at war with evil; thus, Christ must control the mind and God’s people must worship, for worship is war waged against the enemy. To take thoughts captive is for Christ to rule the mind and God’s people to worship in an unrelenting battle, which God ultimately wins.
