OUR SPIRITUAL WEAPONS -- Tomorrow:
"Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Cor 10:1-6)
Devotion 41 of 44
"And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience . . . "
Here we are introduced to an aspect of God's dealings with men that is most sobering. There are not a lot of details on this subject, but there is enough said about it so we can consider it with great profit.
HAVING IN A READINESS
"And having in a readiness . . ." Other versions read, "and being ready" (NKJV), "and we are ready" (NASB), "and we will be ready" (NIV), "we are prepared to" (NJB), "and we will" (NLT), "while we hold ourselves in readiness" (WEYMOUTH), "I am fully prepared" (MONTGOMERY), and "we shall not shrink from" (PHILLIPS).
To have something "in readiness," is to be ready to use it whenever its utilization is necessary, justified, and profitable. Further, such occasions are not on a revealed schedule, so that we can prepare ourselves at the last moment. Trials, by their very nature, come on us unawares. If we are not prepared to meet them, it becomes nearly impossible to survive them.
In our text, when such an occasion arises, Paul will not recoil from taking the action that is now described – revenging disobedience. He lived his life in such a manner as found him always in synch with the Divine agenda, for there is no other way to be "in a [state of] readiness." One of the fruits of being "reconciled to God" is being able to be in a state of "readiness."
From one point of view, this is NOT being out of harmony with Divine objectives, and therefore fully able to employ the weaponry supplied in Christ Jesus. Satan's agenda, from this perspective, is to lure us into a state where we are living in contradiction of God's purpose, and therefore become incapable of using the very weapons that will repel our adversary. When people "fall" into sin, it is because they were not prepared to resist the devil. They were living in a state that made them vulnerable. In other words, they were not living by faith, for faith always overcomes (1 John 5:4-5).
There is a circumference of living within which the child of God becomes capable, and outside of which he becomes incapable. Blessed is the person who knows this, and devotes himself to living within that circumference – walking in the Spirit and living by faith.
In my judgment, it is a grievous sin to live in such a way as finds one unprepared to do what needs to be done. Much, if not all, tardy spiritual responses are owing to the lack of being in a state of readiness. This condition exists because of a failure to live by faith (Gal 3:11), walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16,25), seek the things that are above (Col 3:1), and abstain from fleshly lusts "that war against the soul" (1 Pet 2:11). None of these necessities are neglected inadvertently.
There is such a thing as having a "readiness of mind" to receive the Word of God (Acts 17:11), having a "readiness to will" (2 Cor 8:11), being "ready" to do "every good work" (Tit 3:1), and being "ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in you" (1 Pet 3:15). Such a condition is not found in the dilatory, slothful, and indolent.
REVENGE ALL DISOBEDIENCE
" . . . to revenge all disobedience . . . " Other versions read, "punish all disobedience" (NKJV), "punish every act of disobedience" (NIV), "give punishment to whatever is against His authority" (BBE), "the vengeance against all disobedience" (GENEVA), "punish those who remained disobedient" (NLT), "I will use these weapons on every rebel who remains" (LIVING), "to punish anyone who has broken law" (IE), "to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience" (AMPLIFIED), and "dealing with those who refuse to obey" (PHILLIPS).
This is a most arresting word. Remember, Paul is pleading with the Corinthians not to put him in a position where this must be done – revenging all disobedience. We assume this means any continued disobedience, even though the text does not precisely say so. There is a certain ambiguity in the text that will not allow us to handle it with great ease.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, grant me grace to stay within the domain where I can use the weapons You have provided in Your great salvation.