Taking Every Thought Captive..

[Christsfreeservant]

“Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:1-6 NASB1995)​

Paul here was addressing a faction of people who opposed him and his ministry. And it seems to be generally held that the second half of his first sentence was him repeating something they accused him of doing and being. And it also appears that what they were accusing him of was being all talk and no action. And they also accused him of walking according to the flesh. So, he came to the defense of his own character against those who were falsely charging him with character traits which were not his to possess.

For, although he and Timothy (see chapter 1, verse 1) were human beings who existed in human bodies (flesh), they did not live and work and minister according to the flesh. They did not “fight the good fight of faith” according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. They did what they did in ministry as they were led by the Spirit, and not according to worldly and fleshly thinking and actions. They spoke as they were led by the Spirit and not from their own fleshly opinions and perceptions. God was the one leading them.

And a big part of their ministry was not only spreading the truth of the gospel of Christ for the salvation of human lives, but it engaged them having to also refute the lies of the enemy which were coming against the truth of the gospel. And they were taking every opposing thought, belief, and opinion captive to the obedience of Christ, and they were showing how those false teachings were opposed to God and to his Word. And they were revealing the truth of the knowledge of God, which stood in opposition to the lies.

Nearly 2000 years later.. We live in an era when the gospel of Christ is being so altered and diluted and twisted that it is barely recognizable anymore as the gospel message taught by Jesus Christ and his New Testament apostles. But this altered half-truth (lie) “gospel” message is what is permeating the church of today, at least here in the USA, and it is what is being now generally accepted as “the gospel of Christ.” So if you are someone who is teaching the truth of the gospel, you must also be one who refutes the lies.

And if you are someone who is teaching “the whole counsel of God,” i.e. the truth of the gospel as taught by Jesus and by his New Testament apostles, taught in the correct biblical context, you may also be one who is being treated much like were Paul and Timothy. I know that I also do face criticism and false accusations and opposition from some who have adopted a less offensive and a friendlier version of “the gospel” which does not require death to sin and walks of obedience to Christ for salvation and eternal life.

But I am no Paul, and I am in authority over no one. I am just a woman of God, called of God to share with others what he is teaching me from my times spent with him in his word each day. And I am called of God to post these writings on the internet for a herald to “run with it.” My assignment from God is just to write and then to post these writings on the internet, wherever God leads me. What happens beyond that is out of my control. And sometimes he leads me to respond to other people’s writings, too.

But now the truth of the gospel of Christ, and of our salvation, is this:

Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

Gospel:[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

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Taking Every Thought Captive
An Original Work / August 17, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love