Make Yourself Become Obedient to Christ
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July 27, 2014 |
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 "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
As we act in the Word of God after accepting Jesus Christ, we can be given spiritual faith and amazing blessings from God. We can glorify God by achieving His works greatly, receive answers to whatever we ask, and prosper in all respects.
However, some believers are living in trials and afflictions or with diseases and pain without receiving blessings though they pray and work diligently. If they really have faith, they are to live according to the Word of God and enjoy His blessing. But what stops them from receiving His blessing? It is because they have fleshly thoughts hostile toward God.
Let's delve into fleshly thoughts and ways to cause them to be the obedience of Christ and receive God's answers and blessings.
1. Fleshly thoughts hostile toward God
Romans 8:6-7 says, "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so."
'Flesh' refers to the sinful nature combined with body, that is, they are untruthful attributes intrinsic to the heart though not revealed in actions. When such untruthful natures come out through untruthful thoughts, they are fleshly thoughts from the mind set on the flesh.
Why is the mind set on the flesh hostile toward God? People hear and learn many things from parents, teachers, and friends from their birth. No matter how good their parents or teachers are, people are more likely to learn the untruth from them that is in contrast to God's will rather than the truth.
For example, God told us to overcome evil with goodness, to go two miles with one who forces us to go one mile; and when someone takes our shirt we are to give him our coat as well. He taught us that the greatest among us is one who serves and that yielding or sacrificing is the way to win. However, most people believe they should revenge offenses of their enemies and overcome evil by resisting until the end.
As said above, men's thoughts are different from God's and men's righteousness is different from God's. Men's righteousness comes from fleshly thoughts. If we deem such fleshly thoughts to be right and follow them, we can't live according to the Word of God.
Accepting Jesus Christ, we want to become righteous and lead a righteous life. But, fleshly thoughts prevent our faith from increasing and cause our hearts to ache. Romans chapter 8 says that fleshly thought is hostile toward God and that it is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.
If things we have seen, heard, and learned in the world go against the will of God and disturb our believing lives, all of them are thoughts set on the flesh and hostile toward God. I urge you to realize it and demolish them completely.
2. To demolish fleshly thoughts, we have to obey Christ
What should we do to remove fleshly thoughts hostile toward God? We should destroy speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ as read in 2 Corinthians 10:5. Here, 'to obey Christ' means doing what is right in God's sight as written in Exodus 15:26. To do so, we should cast off every form of evil as said in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 and keep the Word of God.
We have to cast away hatred, jealousy, envy, and all evil things opposed to God's Word. We should also love even our enemies, humble ourselves, and serve others just as Jesus did. It is making ourselves become obedient to Christ.
Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:7-9, "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him…"
He was a citizen of the Roman Empire (Acts 22:25) that ruled the world at that time. He was also a Pharisee of the tribe Benjamin (Romans 11:1). He was strictly educated according to the law under Gamaliel, who was the best teacher of the law in those days (Acts 22:3). He as a Jew took the lead in persecuting believers in Christ.
However, on the way to Damascus to take believers in Christ to Jerusalem, he met Jesus Christ. Through his experience, he was convinced of his wrongdoings and realized Jesus is the Savior. From then on he left behind his knowledge, education, and social status and followed the Lord.
Why did Apostle Paul count all things that were gain to him as loss after he had met Jesus Christ? It is because he realized that eternal life and true happiness are in Jesus Christ and the fountain of all knowledge is in Christ as well.
All the worldly studies are just subordinate elements to living in the world. Knowing Christ Jesus surpasses any value and can solve all fundamental human problems. Since Apostle Paul realized this, he led a truly valuable life establishing churches and sacrificing his life for the sake of the gospel.
Then what is the reason people won't count all things but rubbish and obey the Christ as Apostle Paul did?
Now people seek only their own benefits and think they are always right as the world becomes filled with sin and evil and love cools down. With such self-righteousness, they won't listen to others. Then they can't realize God's righteousness and obey Christ.
3. Fathers of faith obeyed the Word
Though Joseph, son of Jacob, was righteous, in his self-righteousness he often pointed out others' shortcomings. He didn't understand God's righteousness in making peace with others. Since he revealed his brothers' faults to his father, they hated him and they sold him as a slave to Egypt.
Joseph soon realized the will of God and obeyed. He was always with God and God caused all things to work together for good for him. God helped him cast away his self-righteousness through affliction and made him a peacemaker among all people in God's righteousness. He blessed him to prosper in all respects and to become the second ruler of Egypt after the Pharaoh.
Apostles Peter and Paul did not use their own thoughts in following the Lord. But they set all they knew aside, humbled themselves, and practiced the will of God. In doing so they were able to achieve the righteousness of God. Even when they were faced with many persecutions or difficulties, they rejoiced and accomplished the will of God. It is because they had demolished fleshly thoughts and had firm hope for eternal life.
God does His great works through a man who obeys the Christ.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I urge you to destroy speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Then God will give you wisdom, understanding, and discernment. He will guide you, and bless you to prosper in all aspects. I hope you will discover yourselves, cast off every form of evil, and obey the Christ. I pray in the name of the Lord that by doing so you will achieve God's great works.
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