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What does “take every thought captive” mean?

What does “take every thought captive” mean?

Last updated on: January 7, 2025 at 8:00 am by Andrew Farley

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What does “take every thought captive” mean? 2024-10-29T13:47:11-05:00 Andrew Farley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Quick Answer: What does “take every thought captive” mean? There are many false teachings that go against the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24). In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, we’re told to combat these false teachings by taking every thought captive. We’re invited to make every thought obedient to Christ. This means we make the conscious decision to reject lies and embrace the truth of God’s grace. This keeps the finished work of Christ in focus in our attitudes and belief systems.

Diving Deeper: Lies and deception are rampant on planet Earth. Many of these lies directly contradict the finished work of Christ. Whatever the lie, God’s solution is that we make a conscious decision to reject the lie and embrace the truth of God’s grace.

In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, the Apostle Paul states that this conscious decision to “take every thought captive” to Christ has the power to “demolish strongholds” and to “destroy arguments” raised against the Gospel. The message of Jesus’ death and resurrection is our weapon against spiritual lies. Therefore, we are called to apply the Gospel as our “filter” for every thought we take in.

For example, if we hear a teaching claiming we need more, ongoing forgiveness from God, we can take that teaching captive to the truth of our once-for-all forgiveness in Christ (Hebrews 10:14, 18). After all, we cannot simultaneously be forgiven yet not forgiven. Taking such false doctrines captive enables us to avoid confusion and hold fast to the simple truth of Christ’s finished work.

In conclusion, the Christian faith is not a passive faith. We are not called to idleness. We are called to be light in the world, dispelling the lies of the enemy with the truth that sets people free (Ephesians 5:11).

Let’s Make It a Conversation!
1. What are some of the most prominent spiritual lies we believers face today?
2. How is the Gospel the answer to these lies?
3. React to this statement: The finished work of Christ is our filter.

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