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Logic is a tool of our minds, but is not truth in and of itself.
II Corinthians 10:3-5 Ephesians 6:12-18
Please make sure you’ve read the last study, Godly Logic (How to Serve God), before you read this conclusive study on the subject. We are seeking to understand exactly what is our responsibility and what is God’s in this spiritual quest for a Godly life.
II Corinthians 10:1a Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ……,
I included this half of verse 1 so that you could see the similarities in what Paul wrote in Romans 12:1-3. He is beseeching (lovingly imploring) the believers, like he did in Romans.
II Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh;
As verse 3 tells us, we do walk in the flesh. But our struggle is not according to the flesh, according to what the flesh tells us is the problem, the argument, the conflict. If we react to what the flesh is telling us, we will conform ourselves to the world in order to deal with it. And that is the devil’s hamster wheel of going nowhere except downhill!
We will worry, fear, fight, box against shadows, attack with fear and with strife of words, we will withdraw behind hardened walls of disgust, isolation, rebellion, pride, offense and bitterness. We will seek our love in the flesh of others, and when that doesn’t work, we will go further and further afield into uncleanness and perversion of every sort. We will believe the thoughts that attack our very beings, bringing us into the bondage of guilt and shame and condemnation. Obsessions and oppressions and depressions of every sort will become our soul mates.
II Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds);
carnal is the word meaning “of the flesh.” Our weapons are not fleshly, they are not psychological. Yelling at someone to stop, or trying to bully them into stopping whatever they are doing is not a weapon of spiritual warfare. Arguing or debating someone is not a spiritual weapon. Emotionally abusing someone is “of the flesh” and is not a spiritual weapon. Worrying about what someone we care about thinks of us or what we’re doing is not successful spiritual warfare. Condemning someone to hell is not a Godly instrument. Thinking evil thoughts is not a weapon in the spiritual warfare in which we are engaged. Worry, fear, envy, lust, pride, lack of forgiveness…. these are not the weapons which God has given us with which to engage and defeat our spiritual enemy.
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle (grapple) not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers (kratos – overcoming wielders) of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in the heavenly places.
In order to engage the enemy, we have to see (not physically, but mentally) the enemy. (See the work that Jesus Christ did in exposing the enemy in the study Discerning Devil Spirits). Without an enemy, life would be euphoric. Being able to discern our enemy and then stand against him allows the power of Christ to work in and to rule our lives, causing joy, peace, love, kindness, and other euphoric feelings. Trying to cause these euphoric feelings in ourselves is self-defeating, fruitless, futile and illogical.
Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day (today); and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word (rema) of God; Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
These are the weapons of our warfare. As our enemy is spiritual, so too is the battle in which we are actively engaged. In order to triumph in this spiritual battle, we’re going to have to become familiar with the use of the spiritual armor and weapons we’ve been equipped with. Following I list each part of the armor of God mentioned above, along with a teaching from this blog which at least partially delves into its understanding.
Truth – What is Truth? Righteousness – The Gift of God’s Righteousness The Gospel of peace – What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and How to Preach It.
Faith – The Shield of Faith
Salvation – The Helmet of Salvation
The Word of God – What is the Word of God Prayer – Speaking in Tongues in the Bible (a non-exhaustive list)
II Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
No matter what has happened in the past, the lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives has given us the ability to pull down each and every one of these strongholds in our lives.
imaginations is the Greek word logismos (just like in Romans 12:1). We are to cast down any of our own logical reasoning, and any high thing (same root as highly in Romans 12:3… these are thoughts of devils) that lifts itself up into the position of God in our lives, or even positions itself between us and God, yet in actuality, takes us away from the knowing of God by experience. Any logic that takes us away from knowing God, cast down. Any thought that says it’s more important than experiencing God, cast down. Any feeling, any passion, any emotion.
Logic is a tool, not a truth. It is a tool we use to make truths, facts and figures useful. Any logic which leads us away from knowing by experiencing the God of peace, of patience, of love and joy… cast down. Don’t argue with it, play with it, mull it over, consider it; just cast it down!
Rather, bring every thought into the blessed captivity of being in Christ. Being in Christ is the obedience of Christ. Judge the rightness or wrongness of your thoughts and your logic by whether or not they bring you into the sweetness and love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Don’t let the world tell you how to think, what to think, how to behave, how to react. Rather, as God teaches you by the the holy spirit of Christ within, walk in those thoughts, plans, desires and behaviors.
Cast down your logical reasoning that ignores the experiencing of Christ. Cast down thoughts that are not of Christ, which seek to exalt themselves into the place of God in your lives. Present your whole being to God, allowing yourself to be held captive by the thoughts of the spirit of Christ within. You owe it to God. That is where logic should be taking us. I Corinthians 1:24 says that Christ is the wisdom of God. Believe it, because it is so true! As you train your logic to bring you into Christ, you become truly wise.
So, you see, what thoughts we hold on to and allow to roam around in our heads – that is our responsibility. What thoughts we choose to spend our logic on, That is our responsibility. Spiritual growth and the flowering of fruit in our lives? That is God’s responsibility.
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Related studies:
Pruned by God.
Fruitfulness in Christ – Colossians 1:1-15
