As we have seen in the past two chapters, 2 Corinthians gives us a full portrait of a person living in the presence of God, that is, in the Holy of Holies. After chapter one, the Apostle Paul starts to tell us what kind of person he is as he is living in the Holy of Holies. He mentions a number of aspects of such a person who is living in the presence of God, in the Holy of Holies, all the time.
The first aspect of a person living in the Holy of Holies all the time can be seen in 2:14 where Paul says, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in the Christ.” W. J. Conybeare, in his translation of 2 Corinthians, tells us that the Greek word for “leads us in triumph” was a special word used in ancient times to describe a triumphal procession. In the Roman Empire, when a general won a battle, he captured many captives. Then in the capital there was a celebration of the victory, and in that celebration there was a triumphal procession with many captives to make a show of the victory gained by the general. The Apostle Paul adopted this expression to show that Christ is the General who gained the victory and that God today is celebrating Christ’s victory.
Among so many who have been captured by Christ, Paul was one. He was one of the biggest opponents to Christ and to His gospel. One day on the road to Damascus, he was conquered, subdued, captured (Acts 9:1-9). From that day he became a captive of Christ. We may think that Paul was going out to travel here and there as a wonderful preacher. But according to his feeling, he was in the triumphal procession of Christ as a captive. God is celebrating the victory of Christ with a triumphal procession, with a train of captives. Paul was a captive in the celebration of Christ’s victory. He had been captured by Christ.
The first aspect of a person living in the Holy of Holies is that of a captive. First of all, we have to be captives of Christ in the train, in the procession, of the celebration of Christ’s victory. If we are going to live in the Holy of Holies, to enjoy Christ as the good land, to be in the spirit, we must first be captured by Christ. Christ has to conquer us, subdue us, and capture us. Truthfully speaking, many of us must admit that instead of us being captives to Christ, Christ is a captive to us. All day you are celebrating your victory, with Christ as a captive in the train of your celebration. In your experience who is the captive-Christ or you? Who is celebrating the victory? Who is defeated-you or Christ? Many of us have to admit that nearly all the time, Christ our Savior has been defeated and captured by us, becoming our captive in the train of the celebration of our fleshly victory.
This is the challenge in this chapter-a person living in the Holy of Holies must be a captive in the train of Christ’s triumphal procession, celebrating Christ’s victory on the cross. In so many things and nearly in all things we are not subdued or conquered by Christ. It may be that our will, the human will, the self-will, has never been conquered. On the one hand, you as a believer are a slave to Christ. But on the other hand, you are still an opponent, an enemy, to Christ because even until now your will has not been subdued or conquered. We should consider whether or not our desire has been conquered by Christ. I realize from my own experiences that even in seeking spiritual things we may still be an enemy of Christ. While we are seeking spiritual things, we are still an opponent to Christ because we seek spiritual things in our way according to ourselves, according to our desire. You may be seeking the Lord, yet be seeking Him according to your will. On the one hand, you are a seeker of the Lord, but on the other hand, you are an opponent to Christ. We all must realize that we first have to be conquered. We have to be defeated, praying from the depths of our being, “Lord, defeat me. Be merciful to me and never let me have the victory. O Lord, how dangerous and how pitiful it would be if You would allow me to have the victory. Lord, keep me defeated.”
Day by day there are many struggles, not between you and the world, but between you and the Lord. Day by day there are many battles, not between you and sins, but between you and the Lord. Do not focus on the world or sins, but take care of the battle between you and the Lord. If you would only be willing to be defeated by the Lord, all the world and all the sins would be under your feet. Why are you defeated by the world? Because you defeated Christ. Why are you defeated by any besetting sin? Because you are defeating Christ all the time. I hope that you would concentrate your prayer on this one thing-“Lord, make me Your captive. Never let me win. Defeat me all the time.” After praying in this way, you will see what will happen to you. All the self will, self desire, self emotion, self thoughts, and so many things of the self are still existing with you, and day by day, hour after hour, Christ has been defeated by you. This is the problem.
We may think that we are called to serve the Lord, that we are going to do some work for the Lord. We may think that we are serving the Lord in an absolute way, but we do not know how many rebellious elements are within us. The germs, the elements of rebellion are still within us, so we have to be defeated, conquered, subdued, and eventually carried away as a captive in the triumphal procession of Christ’s victory. Second Corinthians is not a book of doctrine but the autobiography of a person who considered himself as a captive in the train of the triumphal procession of God’s celebration of Christ’s victory over His enemies. Paul said that God “always leads us in triumph.” When I was young, I thought this was my triumph. Today, though, I realize that this is not my triumph but His triumph. God always leads us as a captive in the triumph of Christ.
Are you willing to be a captive? You need to tell yourself and tell the Lord that you are willing to be a captive of Christ. If only a small number of people would be willing to be captives of Christ in His triumphal procession, the entire United States would be greatly affected. Many seek for gifts of power, but what the church needs, what the world needs, is not a gifted person but a captured person. Today what the church needs is not a spiritual giant but a little captive. In this universe and on this earth, God is celebrating the triumph of His Son, Christ. Are you willing to be just a little captive in this celebration? If you are willing, then wherever you go something will happen. Person after person will be captured. Just as you are a captive, they also will become captives of Christ. We may consider the Apostle Paul as a great preacher, but he considered himself as a captive. God leads us as captives in the triumph of Christ, celebrating His victory. We all have to be willing to be Christ’s captives.
I believe that a great number of young people today are ready and willing to serve the Lord, but I am greatly concerned that their seeking is along the lines of power, gifts, teachings, and knowledge. This seeking is on the wrong track. First, you have to be conquered, defeated, and captured by Christ. We all need to bow our knees and say to Him, “Lord, I am willing to be Your captive.”
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