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 2 Corinthians 10 - Authority

       

In Cumana, Venezuela with my friend Felix.

        This is a really interesting and important chapter.  It talks of the supernatural authority of those indwelled by the Holy Spirit, Christians.  The biggest compliance concern in any Christian organization is pride (Proverbs 11:2).  We should all be concerned about the secularization of the church.  Like King David does in Psalm 38 we need to confess our sins and be deeply sorry for our failure to honor God in what we do.

        “We are human, but we do not wage war as humans do.  We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.  We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God.  We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ” (10:3-5).  That’s not milk and water Christianity.  That is God-ordained spiritual authority.  We must be wise and innocent; wield your spiritual authority given to us through the Holy Spirit wisely - it should be used to build others up, not tear them down! 

        This chapter goes to our motives.  The motives of our church leaders and our very own motives.  Are we driven by human motives or godly motives?  Do we even recognize the spiritual authority God gives us?  It is so easy to let human motives control.  We are human!  Yet we have the Light of eternity already in us; He enables us to see and seek from God’s perspective.

        As Christians we are to wage war - but not as humans do, with guns and schemes and violence.  Instead, we use God’s mighty weapons.  We use the truth of God’s holy word, God’s royal law written on our hearts in the new covenant of Christ, prayer to capture rebellious thoughts and schemes of darkness, patience and reliance on God, gentleness, self-control, confidence in God and His angels, and obedience to Christ.

        Lord God, please show us how to pray and how to use our gifts for you.  I’m ashamed of the secularization of the church and the boasting about money and programs and everything but the Good News and the advance of your Kingdom.  May all boasting about trophies and possessions and human accomplishments be replaced with praise of God’s goodness and a desire by the worldwide church for godliness and holiness.  Amen.


Edinburg, Scotland

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