1 Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!)— 2 now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that (I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving according to human standards. 3 For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments 5 and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ. 6 We are also ready to punish every act of disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

I work in a pretty secular workplace. Sometimes when I’m on my way into the office, I imagine the type of opposition that I might face during the day. Perhaps it’ll just be a secular manager who doesn’t like when I talk about God. Or perhaps I’ll bump into someone who I know used to go to church, and maybe even at one point used to call themselves Christian.

In the next few chapters of 2 Corinthians, Paul tackles a major problem that had arisen in the church in Corinth. It seems some outsiders had come into the church and stirred up opposition against Paul among some of the believers.

In this passage, the apostle Paul lays out two ways that he might respond to this opposition.  The first is to use “human weapons” according to “human standards”. The second is to use spiritual weapons made powerful by God. Paul makes it clear that it is these spiritual weapons that have power enough to tear down strongholds.

I wondered after reading this: why does Paul make this distinction between human weapons and spiritual weapons?  I think it’s probably because behind all human opposition to Christians and the gospel message, there is a spiritual stronghold that opposes God himself.  To contend against that sort of opposition, you need to be equipped with spiritual weapons made powerful by God.

What weapons might Paul have in mind? Ephesians 6:12-13 is helpful here: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand.”.  So I’m encouraged to fasten my belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, and to wield the Word of God.  But above all, I ought to be regular in prayer, for not only myself, but all the saints. How much bolder and less fearful would I be if, by God’s grace, I took up these spiritual weapons made powerful by God, in his Spirit and through his Son.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.