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 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. ⁴ We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. ⁵ We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. ⁶ And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient. NLT

In this passage Paul shows that the battle for repentance (the struggle against wrong thinking; the fight to capture every thought and make it obey Christ) is to be waged not only outside the church, but also within it. He makes it clear that he is ‘all in’: fully committed to the purity of the church, and therefore to discipline.

‘The battle for the mind remains central to the church’s task, in this and every age. But it doesn’t just have to be fought by Christians against those outside the church. It has to be fought inside the church as well, and that’s what Paul is beginning once more to do in this section of the letter. He now knows that the church as a whole is well disposed towards him (7.5-16). But there are still some teachers who might be inclined to rebel, to say about him what they’d always said: that he wasn’t half as good a speaker as he was a writer, and that, though he sounded imposing when he was far away, he was actually insignificant in person. He was, in any case, just another human being doing what all human beings do, not a truly ‘spiritual’ person as some of them claimed to be.

The point of this present passage is to say: if that’s the challenge, I’m ready to take it on. My whole ministry, after all, is all about opposing proud arguments that set themselves up against the true knowledge of God. If that’s my speciality in my teaching towards outsiders, do you suppose I won’t do the same if I’m confronted by people in the church itself?’ Tom Wright

…and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. NIVUK

In Romans 5:6,7 Paul writes:

 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 

However, as we saw last time, Christianity starts with repentance, and repentance entails, we might say, taking captive enemy thought soldiers. But repentance is not a one-off thing, where you can exclaim, ‘There we are, done and dusted!’ Not at all. Repentance must become a lifestyle because hostile thought soldiers are constantly lifting their heads above the trenches, and seeking to invade our lives; lives which are now Christ’s territory. So we have to capture them, and bring them under the Lordship of Jesus. Every Christian will testify to the reality of this ongoing battle – one that does not diminish with the passing of years. It may change, but we may also find that in certain ways it intensifies.

So repentance must be proclaimed in evangelism. But the need for it is always right here among us in the church. Tom Hale writes helpfully, as always:

‘Let us ask ourselves: Have all our thoughts been ”Taken captive” and brought under the control of Christ? Perhaps outwardly we obey Christ; but do we obey Him in our thoughts?

Everyone agrees that to speak evil thoughts is wrong. But to keep such thoughts in our minds is also wrong. We can hide our thoughts from other men, but we cannot hide them from God.

But from time to time evil thoughts come suddenly into our minds. How can we get rid of these thoughts? We can ”take them captive.” That is, we can bring them under the control of Christ. Evil thoughts are Satan’s soldiers. We can overcome these with the spiritual weapons…For example, these evil thoughts-thoughts of anger, jealousy, greed, unrighteousness, worry, etc. – are like birds flying around our heads. We can’t stop the birds from flying over our head, but we can certainly stop them from building nests in our hair!’

 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…ESVUK

Our battle is to bring down every deceptive fantasy and every imposing defence that men erect against the true knowledge of God. J.B. Phillips

I seem to remember a well-known Bible teacher saying that, ever since the time of John Wesley, holiness teachers have tended to emphasise the need for a clean heart; but the New Testament majors on the necessity of a clean mind.

Both within and without the church, the battle for the mind rages. But using our divinely appointed weapons, we can burst the balloons of godless philosophies. If repentance is a change of mind, leading to a change of behaviour, then this battle for the mind is fundamental. There can be no conversion/salvation without repentance

‘We can say that, in a sense, the mind of natural man is Satan’s ”stronghold,” and the thoughts of natural man are Satan’s messengers and soldiers. Only with God’s spiritual weapons can Paul demolish Satan’s strongholds and take captive (bring under control) man’s evil thoughts.’ Tom Hale

”Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Rom.12:1,2: NIVUK.

 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. NIVUK

The very weapons we use are not those of human warfare but powerful in God’s warfare for the destruction of the enemy’s strongholds. J.B. Phillips

‘It is useless to fight Satan with weapons that only work against men.’ Tom Hale

Paul writes about these spiritual weapons elsewhere: e.g. in Rom.13:12; 2 Cor.6:7; Eph.6:13-18. The important thing for us is to recognise – to really believe – that they are powerful and effective, and use them! They are no use if kept locked away in a weapons cupboard.

Wear the armour, and use the armoury provided.

Someone writing about Eph.6 entitled his chapter, ‘What to wear to the war.’

‘There is a battle going on. Keep your eyes open and your sword sharp.’

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. NIVUK

The truth is that, although of course we lead normal human lives, the battle we are fighting is on the spiritual level.  J.B. Phillips

Here are three incontrovertible facts:

1. Christians are at war;
2. Christians have to fight in the world;
3. Christians don’t (or shouldn’t) fight in worldly ways.

So, Christians are at war! Warren Wiersbe said, ‘The Christian life is a battle ground, not a playground.’ Don’t we feel the truth of this – painfully – at times?

But it is a battle fought out in the world. Jesus, in His prayer for His disciples, in John 17 says: ”My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one” (v.15).

I once heard a sermon that began something like this: ‘When you become a Christian you make at least two discoveries: ‘The first is that you have made a whole lot of new friends – and that’s good; the second is that you have made a whole lot of new enemies – and that’s not so good!.’

But our enemies are spiritual, rather than physical. Although some people may seem to be our enemies, they aren’t really (see Eph.6:10). So we don’t fight with tanks, bombs, bullets etc (or even things like slander and character assassination).

This is good news, as we will see in the next reading.

And now a personal but most urgent matter; I write in the gentle but firm spirit of Christ. I hear that I’m being painted as cringing and wishy-washy when I’m with you, but harsh and demanding when at a safe distance writing letters. Please don’t force me to take a hard line when I’m present with you. Don’t think that I’ll hesitate a single minute to stand up to those who say I’m an unprincipled opportunist. Then they’ll have to eat their words. The Message.

Paul’s ”meekness and gentleness” were not to be misunderstood. There were people who were saying, in effect, ‘Oh that Paul can sound tough in his letters, but when you’re face to face with him you find he’s a bit of a mouse.’ So Paul wanted to be understood. His gentleness did not mean he was unwilling to confront and discipline church members where necessary. Let no one doubt that he was ready to take any necessary action. The truth matters, and lies must not be permitted to prevail.

In verses 8-11 he goes on to say ” I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority.

I’m not trying to frighten you by my letters.  For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!” ¹¹ Those people should realize that our actions when we arrive in person will be as forceful as what we say in our letters from far away.” NLT

Gentleness is not incompatible with rebuke, as good parents certainly know.

” Love precedes discipline” – John Owen

”Discipline is difficult, painful, and often heartrending. It is not that we should not love the offenders, but that we should love Christ, His church, and His Word even more. Our love to the offenders is not to be sentimental tolerance but correcting love” – John MacArthur

 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ…ESVUK

Sadly, there have been, and there no doubt are, aggressive and tyrannical church leaders. Some may even like and applaud this style, seeing it as dynamic and charismatic, and the way to get things done. But it was not Paul’s way, and it certainly was not the way of Jesus, who modelled servant leadership:

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
    and he will bring justice to the nations.
² He will not shout or cry out,
    or raise his voice in the streets.
³ A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out. Isaiah 42:1-3a NIV.

”Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.” – John Stott

Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! NLT

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! ESVUK

As we have seen, these two magnificent chapters about Christian giving, ultimately flow from the Person and Work of Christ. In His generous and sacrificial self-giving, He is our great example:

”For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” 2 Cor.8:9 ESVUK.

It is generally believed that this last statement in chapter 9 refers to the ”inexpressible” or ”indescribable” gift of Jesus Himself. How appropriate, then, for this Easter week-end.

Some commentators take it to refer to the gift of God’s grace manifested in the giving of the Corinthians. You can see how this fits the context.

But R.V.G Tasker thinks that it is ‘…probable, as Chrysostom suggested, that Paul, as he thinks of the divine grace bestowed on the Corinthians and remembers that all grace for the Christian flows from Calvary, because unredeemed men are strangers to that grace and because redemption was made on the cross and nowhere else, is led to burst into a cry of thanksgiving for the divine gift which inspires all gifts, the gift of God’s own Son.’ (Tyndale New Testament Commentary)

And yet further, men will pray for you and feel drawn to you because you have obviously received a generous measure of the grace of God. J.B. Phillips

And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. NLT

In early years of ministry, like many pastors, I found that money was often short (or, at the very least tight). I am thankful for every experience, because I can truthfully say, along with many other believers, that I proved God’s faithfulness time and again. He showed that He knew exactly where I was, and that He cared, and He could and would provide.

I think of two occasions in particular when I received gifts from people I hardly knew. While I was profoundly thankful to God for His supply, I also felt a deep heart-bond with these people. Still today, many years later, I remember their names, and will always be grateful for their availability to be channels of blessing to others.

I think this is something of what Paul is saying will happen when the Corinthians give.

Today, of course, is Good Friday, and we remember that Jesus is the Father’s greatest gift to us. If He gave us His Son, to meet our greatest and gravest need, surely He will provide everything else that is needful? Paul puts it like this:

”He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32 NIV

”He that did not hesitate to spare his own Son but gave him up for us all—can we not trust such a God to give us, with him, everything else that we can need?” J.B. Phillips

David Pawson told a story about a father whose son (also a David) went to China as a missionary. This dad said, ‘The greatest gift I ever gave to China was David. After that, everything was easy.’