"Bringing Into Captivity Every Thought..."

"Joy" should certainly be a part of a Christian's life; it is the second of the "fruits of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-23) and a frequent theme of Bible writers (e.g., Psalm 30:5; John 15:11). But Christian joy is not some better felt than told experience or some outpouring of gushy emotion. It is based upon the fact that we have been forgiven of our sins, the greatest blessing man could possible have. We ought to pour out our hearts in joyful thanksgiving for the redemption found in Jesus Christ.

And while that joy is an underlying happenstance in a Christian's life, the forgiveness that produces it brings responsibilities. As noted in an earlier post, Psalm 130:4 reads, "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." Not "that thou mayest have joy," but that, first of all, God is to be feared and obeyed. And the Christian life is not easy and anyone who truly tries to live it will indeed discover just how difficult it is.

In Luke 13:24, Jesus said, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." Two thoughts here. The Greek word for "strive" is agonizomai, from which our English words "agony" and "agonize" come from. And notice the word "strait"--not "straight," but a narrow, difficult passage, full of treacherous obstacles. The fight against sin is agonizing and the way to glory is strenuous and demanding. Rewarding, yes. But difficult? Absolutely.

If you think Christianity is easy, check out the following verses:

"Blessed are the pure in heart in heart; for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). How many of us can truly claim that every motive from within is holy before God? No one can rightfully make that claim. And "if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psalm 66:18). If our hearts are pure, we we'll see God. An impure heart causes God to close his ears. What can we imperfect humans do?

Here's one you can work on for the rest of your life: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good resport, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:8; the New King James version reads "meditate on these things."). As the title of this post reads, from II Corinthians 10:5, "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Every, single solitary thought--not just action--is to be pure, holy, righteous before God. Try that for a day and see how successful you are. And be honest with yourself because your salvation depends upon it.

And it doesn't get any easier: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Mt. 5:48). In this powerful, awesome, frightening verse, Jesus brings us face-to-face with the perfect ethical standard, with what we ought to be, exposing every fallacy and iniquity within us by the harsh light of the absolute truth and holiness of the Christian moral code. We are created in God's image and nothing short of being exactly like Him is acceptable.

How many of us do that? It isn't hard to understand why the apostle Paul, when comparing his own life to the perfect law of God, could moan, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 8:24). Anyone who truly tries to overcome sin in their life will understand the agony of trying to enter in by the strait gate.

Do you understand now why there is joy in forgiveness? It's the only hope we've got.

Psalm 13:5 reads, "But I have trusted in thy mercy." From Psalm 130:4, we learned that the mercy of God is no justification for presumption on man's part. God demands our obedience, our effort, our purity of heart and mind, that we think (meditate) only upon godly, righteous things, that we lasso our every thought and subject it to the will of Him Who formed us from the beginning. That we be perfect as He is perfect. Impossible? Theoretically, no, because we are free moral people who could make the right choice, every time. But we don't.

And that is why, at the end of each day, when all is said and done--and thought--when we have agonized through another day's battle against the sin that so easily besets us, we should "not lift up so much as [our] eyes unto heaven," but smite our breasts and say, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13).

"The king shall joy in thy strength, O God; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice" (Psalm 21:1).