Taking every thought captive for obedience to Christ (2 Cor. 10.5)

Disciplines
Witness
Listen to Jesus as He addresses His detractors in Luke 13.15-17: The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

I suspect that when most believers today think of Jesus, this is not the first image that comes to mind. Yet this passage is rich with significance for us today. It illustrates Paul’s mandate, with which we introduce each edition of The Week, to tear down every stronghold that vaunts itself against the knowledge of God, and to take every thought captive for obedience to Christ.

Let’s take a closer look at how we are instructed by our Lord in this text.

First, concerning those who oppose the Gospel: Jesus did not hesitate to shame His detractors by pointing out that their lives did not match up to their words, and that their overall worldview was cold, indifferent, and oppressive. He took this very public action of showing up the pretensions of those who thought to put Him down, with the express purpose of leaving them with nothing more to say. He intended to shame them, and shame them He did.

The worldviews of unbelief are neither true nor loving. They promote varieties of the same basic Lie, that man is the measure of all things and we are free to figure out our own path in life, to do whatever we must or can to attain the good life as we define it. Such worldviews spin webs of half-truth and deception, capturing men and women in the death-grip of narcissism, indifference, oppression, violence, greed, lust, and despair.

This is true of those who oppose the Gospel in any age, so it is true in ours as well. We should follow the example of Jesus and take every opportunity to expose the contradictions and hypocrisy of unbelieving worldviews, especially by challenging them at precisely those points they think to embarrass and silence us. We should not be reluctant to embarrass our detractors publicly when the opportunity presents to do so, and we should make sure their hypocrisy is clear to all.

But it is not enough to win arguments. We must strive to win souls. It is not enough to show up our opponents, dazzling or at least impressing those around us with our logic and reasoning. We must show the way to the Kingdom, call people to repent and believe the Gospel, and take up the hard work of making disciples.

The crowds in Jesus’ day thrilled to see Him bring the hypocrites down a notch. They even admired His teaching and His words. But because they lacked the Spirit of God, they remained trapped in that same unbelieving, self-interested worldview; and, when push came to shove, they cried out for His death.

Jesus was not motivated, in the first instance, to put down His detractors. His motivation was love for God and for those who were suffering under the bondage of Satan.

But whoever stood up to oppose His campaign against the kingdom of darkness, He did not hesitate to confront, expose, confound, and shame. Neither should we.

Yet let’s be clear: Embarrassing the fools of our day is not our mission. Seeking and advancing the Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit is, as it was the mission of our Lord. Everything else is means to this end.

But we must by all means and at every opportunity hoist the banner of King Jesus and call our neighbors to rally around it by believing the Good News of the Kingdom. And those brash detractors who seek to embarrass or silence us, let them come under the searching scrutiny of the Sword of the Spirit, ably wielded in our ready hands, so that we may help even such as these find their way out of the darkness of unbelief into the glorious light of the Kingdom of God’s dear Son.

For reflection
1.  Meditate on Psalm 12. The world is snared in a web of lies, half-truths, and deceit. According to David, what’s the key to remaining free of this trap?

2.  In what ways are you confronted by the lies of unbelief, and what opportunities do you have for standing up to these?

3.  Meditate on Ephesians 4.15 and 29, and Colossians 4.6. How do these passages counsel us when we have an opportunity to speak for Christ and His Kingdom?

Next steps: What does your church do to equip its members for taking every thought captive for obedience to Christ? Talk with a pastor or church leader about this question.

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The Week features insights from a wide range of topics and issues, with a view to equipping the followers of Christ to take every thought captive for Jesus. Please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.