Spiritual Warfare against Sophistic Falsehood

We aim at what is good before the Lord and also before men. For that God knows the purpose with which we serve is not in doubt; but we must also take thought for men — lest they be deceived by impostors and sophists — and that takes earnest striving. But note that one who sets out to please God first and then men is no man-pleaser; the man-pleaser is rather he who has resolved on just this: to live acceptably to mortals even if God does not approve. And having praised him for his own achievements, he now extols him for his love toward them, sowing beforehand among them seeds of love for the Corinthians, so that the contribution may thereby become greater. And since he has moreover demonstrated to them his virtue, he exhorts also those under them.

I, myself, your teacher, writing on the matter at hand, urge you — by the virtue Christ has given me, that is, gentleness and forbearance (2 Cor 10:1) — to take courage, though I am still far from your obedience, so as not to seem lowly when present; for when I come and find you turning my exhortation into deeds, I will dwell with you in a moderate spirit, with much gentleness (2 Cor 10:2). Therefore I beg that I may not, when present, have to be so bold as to wear the face of a teacher who rebukes and strikes — lest I be forced, with a teacher's frank confidence, to act boldly against some who suppose that we walk according to the flesh. Or would anyone decline to suppose that we walk according to the flesh, if he supposes that we wrote this not for the cause itself but to be thought great men — while you yourselves prove obedient and contribute even more? For God testifies — and most men with him — that this counsel was given so that the ministry might abound, and not for any other human end (2 Cor 10:3).

The present passage means what is written in another letter: 'Though we walk on earth, our citizenship is in heaven' (Phil 3:20); for walking 'according to the flesh' is the same as walking 'on earth' — and, conversely, not warring 'according to the flesh' is having our citizenship in heaven (2 Cor 10:4–7). But by 'warring according to the flesh' he does not mean all who are equipped for battle, but also the fleshly, who for that reason have been sold under sin — such were those of whom it was said: 'My spirit shall not abide in these men, for they are flesh' (Gen 6:3).

My spirit is among these men because they are flesh. Having risen above these, they fight again according to the flesh against Christ, the King of all. Therefore, in order to please the one who fights, they do not involve themselves in the affairs of life, that is, the material things.

For certainly, the weapons they carry are not perceptible and bodily—for these are weak—but they are powerful to God. For those using these things cast down the strongholds of the deceitful words most sophistically constructed by the heterodox, and also the things exalted in these words against the knowledge of God. For those opposing the knowledge of truth, introducing impious and atheistic doctrines, building strong fortresses with the intensity of words, and finding space within them, think they are invincible. Toward these things, which they present as if through teaching with apparent proof, they bring a vain loftiness, exalting false thought as if it contains more than the ecclesiastical opinion called 'knowledge of God'. For He Himself provides to those worthy.

Therefore, in order to cast down the aforementioned exaltations and strongholds, having put on the armor of God according to the spirit, we fight in the said manner. For we dissolve their sophistic words and refute their doctrines. Certainly, every thought of the deceived held by the deceivers, but also having it overturned in their own land, we bring it toward obeying Christ.

It is possible to take it also in this way: every thought brought in any teaching, we bring by necessity and force, relocating it toward persuading them to obey Christ. For just as the inscription lying on the altar in Athens shows the thought of many gods, he who writes these things has drawn it toward the only true God, saying: 'Whom not knowing, you worship; this I proclaim to you.' But the inscription showed a multitude of gods. Therefore, when every thought is captured into obedience to Christ, we will be ready to bring such a thing as a vengeance against all disobedience, just as captives, having taken a certain nation in victory, become bold to undermine the land of those people.