Not only is man’s rebellion manifested in his words and reasons; it is manifested in his thoughts as well. Man speaks rebellious words because he has rebellious reasons. But reasons are manifested in one’s thoughts. Therefore, thought is the center of man’s rebellion.
Second Corinthians 10:4-6 is one of the most important passages in the Bible, because it especially points out which part of a man should submit to Christ. Verse 5 speaks of taking “captive every thought unto the obedience of Christ.” Man’s rebellion is a rebellion of thought. Paul said that we have to overthrow the strongholds, the reasonings, and every high thing rising up against the knowledge of God. Man uses reasonings to build a fortress around his thoughts. This reasoning must be overthrown, and the thoughts must be taken captive. Discard the reasons, but take back the thoughts. Today reason is man’s fortress, and thoughts are imprisoned in it. Spiritual warfare involves storming this fortress and recapturing the thoughts. It is impossible for man’s thoughts to submit to God without overthrowing reasons. All reasonings frustrate man from knowing God. The “high things” are like tall buildings. In God’s eyes man’s reasons are a tall building, a big obstruction along the way of knowing God. Once a man reasons, his thoughts are surrounded; they can no longer submit to God. Submission is a matter of the thoughts. If reasons are manifested, they become words. If reasons are hidden, they encircle the thoughts, and submission becomes impossible. Paul was not dealing with reasonings by reasoning. Man’s reasonings are so serious that they cannot be dealt with except by battle. The mind with its reasonings can only be dealt with by spiritual armor, by God’s power. This is a battle between God and us. We have become God’s opponent. Man’s reasoning mind is inherited from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is hard to imagine how much trouble this mind gives to God. Satan binds us through different kinds of reasons so that we become the prisoner to reasons, unable to be gained by God, and so we also become God’s enemy.
Genesis 3 is a picture of 2 Corinthians 10. Satan reasoned with Eve. When Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food, she also reasoned. She disobeyed God for a reason. Once reason comes, man’s thoughts are stuck in it. Reasons and thoughts go together. Reason preys on thoughts. Once the thoughts are captured, man will no longer be able to submit to Christ. If we want to submit to God, we must touch God’s authority and break through all the strongholds of reasons.
In the Greek New Testament, the word for thought is noema. This Greek word is used six times in the New Testament, in Philippians 4:7; 2 Corinthians 2:11; 3:14; 4:4; 10:5; and 11:3. The word is rightly translated as “thought,” which means propositions of the heart. The heart is the organ, and the propositions are its activities. They are the product of man’s mind. Man asserts himself through the liberty of opinions and propositions. In order to protect his liberty, all of his propositions must be justified as being good and correct. They must not be contended with. Therefore, he has to surround them with many reasons. A man refuses to believe in the Lord usually because of one or two reasons with which he surrounds himself as strongholds. For example, some say that they will believe when they get old, that they do not see good examples in Christians who have believed, or that they will have to wait until their parents die before they can believe. There are also many reasons for Christians not to love the Lord. Students say that they are too busy with their schoolwork. Businessmen say that they are too occupied with their businesses or that they do not feel well physically. If God does not break through these strongholds, man will never be liberated. Satan uses reasons as strongholds to keep man in. Man is outwardly surrounded by these fortresses of reasons. By himself man cannot break through to freedom. Submission to Christ is possible only through the authority of God that captures the thoughts and makes them God’s slaves.
For man to know authority, he must first break down reasons. When man sees God as He is presented in Romans 9, all reasons are shattered. When Satan’s stronghold is torn down, there is no more reason, and the thoughts are taken captive unto the obedience of Christ. It is not enough for man to meet authority in his speaking. It is not enough to remove all reasons. His thoughts must be captured unto the obedience of Christ. Only when his thoughts are captured can man truly submit to Christ.
To discern whether or not a man has met authority, we need to see if such a one has been dealt with in speaking, in reasons, and in opinions. Once a man has confronted authority, his tongue will not be that careless, his reasonings will not be that bold, and deeper still, his opinions will not be exercised. An ordinary man has many opinions, and he uses many outward reasons to fortify his opinions. A day must come when God’s authority comes in to remove the strongholds that Satan has set up through reasons and to capture the thoughts of man, making him a willing slave of God who subjects himself to Christ without any opinion. Only then will there be a thorough salvation.
A person who has never met authority always wants to be God’s counselor. His thoughts are not captured by God. When he goes to a place, the first thought that occurs to him is to “improve.” When thoughts are not disciplined, there are many reasons and no brokenness is seen. Therefore, our thoughts have to be cut so deeply that they are captured back to God. Only then can we see the authority of God. Only then will we not dare to hide under our reasons and express our opinions carelessly.
There often seem to be two persons in the whole world who know everything-one is God and the other is myself. I am the counselor. I know everything. When this is the case, it clearly shows that the thoughts are not captured and that there is no knowledge of authority. A person whose stronghold of reasons has been broken by God’s authority will have his thoughts captured by God; he can submit to Christ and be free from expressing opinions. In fact, he will not be interested in expressing his opinions. His thoughts will become the slaves of God, and he will no longer be a free man. The natural freedom is a prey for Satan. Such freedom has to be given up. We would only be obedient ones. There are only two ways in which man’s thoughts can be used. One is being under the control of reasons, and the other is being under the control of Christ’s authority. Actually, there is no such thing as freedom of choice in the whole world. We are captured either by reasons or by the Lord. We are either Satan’s slaves or God’s slaves.
To discern whether or not a brother has met authority, we first need to find out whether he has rebellious words; second, we need to find out whether or not he reasons before God; and third, whether or not he expresses opinions. Before the Lord we must take care of the shattering of our reasons, but this is only the negative aspect. The reasons have to be shattered in order that the thoughts may be taken captive unto the obedience of Christ and no longer dare express their own opinions. Formerly, I gave many reasons based on my own opinions. Today all my reasons are gone. I owe submission to whoever has captured me. A captive has no freedom. Even if he expresses an opinion, it is useless. A captive cannot present his own opinions. He can only receive opinions. It is the same way when we are taken captive by the Lord. We no longer express opinions or suggestions. Instead, we only take God’s opinion.
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