Mind Renewing through 2 Corinthians 10:5
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; {imaginations: or, reasonings} (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV)
When we bring a thought or an imagination or our reasoning’s into captivity we make it a prisoner. This also means we must be the guardian of our mental faculties. We must guard not only what enters our mind but what we imagine, reason and justify. This is not only a good practice for renewing our minds but watching over our motives to serve God. Oswald Chambers says in “MY Utmost for His Highest”,
“How much Christian work there is today which has never been disciplined, but has simply sprung into being by impulse!” “This is a day when practical work is overemphasized, and the saints who are bringing every project into captivity are criticized and told that they are not in earnest for God or for souls. True earnestness is found in obeying God, not in the inclination to serve Him that is born of undisciplined human nature. It is inconceivable, but true nevertheless, that saints are not bringing every project into captivity, but doing work for God at the instigation of their own human nature which has not been spiritualized by determined discipline.
We are apt to forget that a man is not only committed to Jesus Christ for salvation; he is committed to Jesus Christ’s view of God, of the world, of sin and of the devil, and this will mean that he must recognize the responsibility of being transformed by the renewing of his mind.”
We must remember that Jesus did His Father’s will and said “The Son can do nothing of Himself” (John 5:19). When we line up with God’s will we will do God’s will. Whether it is in word, thought or deed. Sometimes our projects are of a religious spirit. I want to please God by doing … You may think it is okay to do work for God, no matter what, but let us look at Aaron’s sons, they had this religious spirit. They thought they could offer up sacrifices for God, which He had not commanded the priesthood to do, and God would be pleased by their offerings. Maybe they also were thinking they could be thought of more highly if they offered up additional sacrifices to God.
Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, and put incense on it, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them not to do. And there went out fire from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, It is that which the LORD spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. (Leviticus 10:1-3 MKJV)
Aaron’s son were offering up what they thought would be well pleasing to God, but it was an unholy offering. God is Holy and only a sanctified offering will be accepted. If we start to offer to God what is only common then it is strange, unholy, not sanctified and is out of the will of God. Let us make sure that our hearts and minds line up with God’s will, so we can bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Let us offer up sacrifices well pleasing to Him i.e. “let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” (Hebrews 13:15 KJV)
In Christ,
Greg