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The War for the Soul of the Church
Paul indicated to the Corinthians that he was ready to punish all disobedience when their obedience was fulfilled (2 Corinthians 10:6). I have to admit that until recently I never knew what to make of the apostle’s words. Did he really intend to inflict pain on people who did not respond properly to his epistle?
To answer this question, let us first recognize that proper kingdom living has to do not so much with certain activity, but with one’s relationship with the Lord out of which one lives a holy life. The word “obedience” (Greek, HUPAKOE – to hear submissively) has to do with a proper heart attitude coupled with accurate spiritual hearing leading to godly action. In other words, it is a word rooted in and expressing relationship.
As we hear submissively what the Lord is saying to us and respond accordingly, we express kingdom obedience. This is how Jesus on Earth both lived in relationship with His Father and then revealed Him accurately.
On the other hand, “disobedience” (Greek, PARAKOE – to hear amiss, to be inattentive) has to do not only with wrong action but also with improperly focused hearts. Because people are not paying attention to Christ, keeping Him their central focus, their ability to hear in the realm of the Holy Spirit is compromised. Again, disobedience is a word defined in the context of relationship, or rather the lack thereof.
Wise apostolic strategy in building God’s house will not focus on those who are spiritually compromised and not seeking to grow in their relationship with the Lord, but rather on those who want to know Him with submissive hearts. Such believers are good spiritual building material. As the Lord builds His house with godly living stones, one result is that those living in spiritual compromise are exposed. Here is where conflict occurs in many local churches.
Even though such people may speak with a certain spiritual expertise and even be quite adept in certain spiritual gifts, if they do not want to admit where they need to change, conflict will be inevitable.
Paul’s statement that he was ready to punish all disobedience when the Corinthians responded fully to Christ had to do with challenging, pleading, rebuking, and finally opposing publicly all whose lives were not aligning with the emerging clear expression of God’s will among the obedient. In other words, those who had other agendas than Christ would simply not be allowed to influence the congregation in wrong directions.
But Paul’s concern wasn’t only the disobedient among the Corinthians; his plan was to see all disobedience in God’s house exposed wherever he went.
…being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Such exposure could only occur after the Corinthian believers responded fully to Christ. Only then would Paul continue in his gospel mission among the nations taking captive the thoughts of many to the obedience of Christ.
Here is where true New Testament apostolic authority needs to be restored in the present day Church. Multitudes must be brought into alignment in their thinking with Christ. First, there is the obvious need for evangelism. Unbelievers will need to be won to the Lord and their minds renewed. But then, because the revelation of the Lord among His people is an ongoing experience, believers as well must yield to His continuing work of harmonizing their thinking with His. God’s work is a constant process.
Genuine apostolic ministries will not interrupt but support God’s strategy. They will not allow attention to be drawn to themselves, but will speak with such power and clarity that all focus will be on the One living within them. In fact, just like the people, they too will yield their thoughts to an ongoing and increased submission to Christ.
Remember, this is God’s military campaign; He is deeply committed to His present work of invading His house. As a result, a great shift is coming in our perception of His priorities; many more thoughts will be taken increasingly captive to Christ’s obedience in the coming years.
Among Christian leaders, only those whose agenda is the pre-eminence of Christ in His house will be strategically effective in the Lord’s invasion. The others will simply comprise the very ground being invaded at the leadership level. Our human tendency will be to erect walls of self-defense to protect our turf, our way of functioning in church, our reputation, etc. But our goal must be Christ’s reign in our midst, His will and priorities revealed on Earth as in Heaven, and the success of His building program among us.
The truth is that all of Hell will array itself against us in the unfolding war for God’s house. And to the degree we respond to the enemy, or to each other with fleshly heart attitudes, we will become avenues for satanic influence to bring destruction where God’s priority is to save, integrate, unify, and heal. On the other hand, to the degree that we humble ourselves before the Lord and each other, our Commander in Chief will arise in devastating and overwhelming power to eradicate from among us the influences of darkness. Pride will not be able to stand; competitive attitudes will turn to loving servant-hood; anger will be turned to intercession; and selfishness will be turned to the worship of God and the washing of feet.
The Lord’s invasion of His house will result in His people arising on earth to express both individually and corporately Heaven’s values and priorities in full view of the nations. Here is God’s goal. Just as Christ revealed to Israel God’s heart and purpose two thousand years ago, so His people shall be anointed to accurately reveal Him in every city and nation on earth.
It is not enough for us to only preach the truth; we must become the living expression of what we are talking about. And only God can produce in us such glorious results. Our only hope for success in His present endeavor among us is His grace, mercy, and power; He is our only hope.
But be assured of this: He will succeed. His success in what He has set out to do will be so convincing that it will take succeeding ages to fully reveal the glories of His amazing grace released among us in order to bring us to His stated goal.
He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.
(Ephesians 2:7 Amplified Bible)
New Testament apostolic ministry has but one main goal – to know and to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ as the designer, the builder, the foundation, the capstone, and the resident of (i.e., the one whose life permeates) God’s house. Even as only one will is being done today in Heaven, so also there is to be only one will revealed among God’s people on Earth. Simply put, everyone’s thoughts must transition into a more complete captivity to the obedience of Christ. Apostolic ministry will carry the authority of Heaven to help implement this most precious work of God.
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