Mental Attitude, The Believer’s Thinking

The believer’s mental attitudes are reflected in what they say and what they do. The Christian is commanded in Philippians 2:5 to gain the thinking or attitude of Jesus Christ. Today Jesus Christ is absent. He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God, but He left behind His thinking, the written Bible, the inspired Word of God. 1 Cor. 2:16.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 2:5, NASB)

“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NASB)

The believer is to be occupied in their thinking with the person and Word of Christ. Heb. 12:2.

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, NASB)

A believer is what they think. This opens the whole realm of mental attitudes. A believer’s whole outlook on life is dependent upon what they think. Prov. 23:7; 2 Tim. 1:7.

“For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you.” (Proverbs 23:7, NASB)

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7, NASB)

There are two ways of thinking - divine viewpoint and human viewpoint. Isaiah 55:7-9. In Romans 12:2, “by the renewing of your mind” refers to thinking with divine viewpoint.

“Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:7-9, NASB)

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, NASB)

You need divine viewpoint to please the Lord. The only source of divine viewpoint is the Bible. 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that the Bible is the mind of Christ. Therefore, you must know the Word of God to know His mind and apply it to realize His will. The Bible is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the right lobe of the soul or heart. Heb. 4:12.

“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NASB)

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, NASB)

Mental Attitude of Grace and Forgiveness

The most important mental attitude of one believer toward another is that of grace. God treats the believer in grace. Grace means that we do not earn or deserve this treatment. God treats you in grace because of His character, because of who and what He is. Matt. 18:23-28.

“"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. "When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. "But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. "So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.' "And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. "But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.'” (Matthew 18:23-28, NASB)

Grace thinking is divine viewpoint from Bible doctrine in the soul and leads to grace action. When someone wrongs you, you should forgive as Christ forgave. Col. 3:13; Luke 23:34.

“bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” (Colossians 3:13, NASB)

“But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.” (Luke 23:34, NASB)

You are to put problems and situations in the Lord’s hands. No retaliation. Forget it and move on. Psalms 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7; Rom. 12:9; Phil. 3:13.

“Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” (Psalms 55:22, NASB)

“casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NASB)

“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9, NASB)

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,” (Philippians 3:13, NASB)

When another believer hates you, you are to keep on thinking Bible doctrine – divine viewpoint. They have the same position in Christ that you have. They are subject to the same divine discipline that you are and God knows perfectly when to administer divine discipline and to what degree. He does not need your help. If you interfere, you are subject to triple compound divine discipline. Matt. 7:1-3.

“"Do not judge so that you will not be judged. "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1-3, NASB)

You are to treat people in grace because of who and what you are and you should be thinking grace. You don’t treat them on the basis of their actions, but you treat them on the basis of what you think, what is in your soul, not on the basis of what they think. You are in control of the situation when you think divine viewpoint, but you are out of control when you get down on the mental attitude sin level - their level. See category on Forgiveness.

The Believer’s Thinking Patterns

All believers, more or less, have trouble with their thinking. A believer may be able to control overt activities and look fairly good outwardly, but be completely shot through with human viewpoint thinking. A believer can be bothered greatly by the horrible things they think, yet outwardly, they may appear to be a very wholesome character. 2 Corinthians 10 answers many of the problems of a believer’s thinking patterns.

This is a mental attitude message in which Paul responds to criticism. Paul was one of the most criticized people who ever lived. He made a wonderful patsy because he travelled and knew so many people. The criticism of the legalistic Judaizers gained so much ground that they were believing their criticism in Corinth. When Paul was in Corinth, he spoke like a mouse. When he was away, he roared like a lion in his written epistles (letters).

Meekness is not weakness, being a doormat to people, or being sweet and gentle. If someone comes into the local church to straighten out the pastor-teacher, that pastor-teacher may grab him by the arm or shirt sleeve and say, “Stop it!” And maybe he says, “Well, I thought ministers were supposed to be meek.” Being meek is having a grace mental attitude. Everyone seems to think of a minister as a doormat. Meek means a gracious mental attitude and it doesn’t come without Bible doctrine.

In 2 Corinthians 10:1, Paul is in fellowship and he has the mental attitude of “meekness and gentleness.” This is the attitude of grace. Paul begins by quoting his critics, the ones who maligned him. They were calling him “two-faced” or in plain language, a hypocrite.

“Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!” (2 Corinthians 10:1, NASB)

In 2 Corinthians 10:2, Paul is saying, “I’m the same when away as present and I can get tough in either element if I have too.” Paul was criticized for being dogmatic. People were saying he was carnal. However, dogmatism while teaching the Word of God is legitimate and not carnality.

“I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 10:2, NASB)

Paul got tough with the Corinthians who had said you can’t be tough with people and be spiritual. They thought a spiritual believer would just fold their hands and becomes a doormat and turn the other cheek. Paul cleared up that misconception.

In 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, Paul was telling them that the believer is not meant to operate in the spiritual realm with our human abilities and resources furnished at physical birth. Although we live in this life, we do not war according to the standards of this life. We don’t solve anything by violence or by negative mental attitudes. We are to operate using God's grace resources and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit in our spiritual life.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4, NASB)

We’re in a great spiritual battle and you can’t punch Satan in the nose or shoot down demons with a 357 Magnum or even a 440 Magnum. Our weapon is the “sword of the Spirit” which is the Word of God. Heb. 4:12; Eph. 6:17.

“And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17, NASB)

You do not load your weapon until you put the Bible, the mind of Christ, in the right lobe of your soul. How do you load your weapon! Nothing is worse than an empty weapon. The most useless thing in the Christian life is an empty soul with no epignosis Bible doctrine in it!

The weapons of our warfare are spiritual. They are promises, techniques, doctrines, and principles from the Word of God. If the weather is bad, some people are depressed, irritable, miserable. If the weather is fine, they say everything is great! Thus the weather dictates your thought pattern. Good? No!

How many of you are slaves to your emotional pattern? We all have emotions, but since you discovered Bible doctrine, you should really enjoy your emotions. We are not to let our emotions rule us. The weather changes, but we don’t have to if we have the Word in our soul. When depressed, does that have to rule us? Not at all!

Don’t let the circumstances of life dictate to you, let the Holy Spirit control your life. Emotions will say to you that your situation is rough, you should get disturbed, you should think about hitting the panic button, punch your way out of it, get even, tell them off, be miserable, be hysterical, or look at life from human viewpoint. Some say that no one is going to tell them how to live my life or run my business. But yet circumstances run you!

In 2 Corinthians 10:4, “fortresses” refers to systems of evil thinking in Satan’s world system. They are the circumstances of life. We must not be dominated by circumstances around us. We must dominate them.

Mental Attitude Victory

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, “destroying” is the present active participle of καθαιρέω (kathaireō) and comes from κατά (kata) meaning norm or standard and can also mean down plus αἴρω (airō) meaning to lift up. Therefore, it means to lift up and tear down, to destroy. This word was used of military conquest and means to assault and tear down an enemy fortification. The present active participle reads every believer into the Angelic Conflict. Whether or not you know it as a believer, you have been inducted in to the Angelic Conflict at the point of salvation.

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NASB)

Kathaireō is a word of offense and it tells us immediately that during the Church Age, the devil is on the defense. Satan has lost the offensive since the Cross. You are the assault troops to destroy the Satanic fortifications. Apostate believers cannot do this and they are fantastic liabilities. Apostates in the Angelic Conflict is like attacking a reinforced seasoned army division with troops that are untrained, unmotivated, unprotected, and unarmed. To be effective in the Angelic Conflict, it takes a tremendous concentration of Bible doctrine in your soul.

The Corinthians were neutralized by their carnality, emotional revolt, and reversionism. We must use spiritual weapons in the demolishing of Satanic systems of thought (doctrine of demons).

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, “speculations” is λογισμός (logismos) and means systems of thought or reasonings, calculation, reflection, thoughts and sentiments that occupy the mind - human viewpoint that is sin. This refers to assaulting and demolishing Satan’s world systems of thought. This is Satan’s outer perimeter of defense.

“Every lofty thing” is the accusative singular of πᾶς (pas) plus ὕψωμα (hupsōma) and means obstacles of pride. In your soul, you have mental attitude sins and at the same time you produce human good. These things exalt themselves against divine viewpoint - the knowledge of God. This is the devil’s inner perimeter built up with obstacles of the mental attitude sins of pride and human viewpoint. These are Satanic towers analogous to the towers of ancient forts. Satan’s setting up a dual defense in the Angelic Conflict of an inner perimeter and outer systems of defense is admission that he is prepared for a desperate fight or a desperate situation.

Satan is desperate today. Our Lord’s strategic victory in the Angelic Conflict resulting in His substitutionary spiritual death on the Cross for all mankind has made Satan desperate. The victory of the Cross is the resurrection, ascension, session of Jesus Christ today! Once Jesus Christ was seated at the right hand of the throne of the Father, the devil has been on the defensive.

Some people say the devil is after them or the devil did this or that. That implies that Satan is on the offensive and that he is carrying the ball. He is not on the offensive. No one seems to realize it because they don’t have enough Bible doctrine to know this.

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, “raised up against” is the present middle participle of ἐπαίρω (epairō) plus κατά (kata) and means to elevate, to assault, to attack. Human viewpoint and Satan’s world system always stand on the inner perimeter and are ready to counter-attack and remain always in opposition to the “knowledge” or γνῶσις (gnōsis) of God which is divine viewpoint.

Satan will throw out a counter-attack from his defensive position and when he does, he takes prisoners. Where does Satan attack Bible doctrine? The word gnosis (knowledge) gives us the entire picture. Gnosis is subject to counter-attack. Not so with epignosis or full knowledge in the right lobe of the soul. Gnosis is spiritually understood Bible doctrine in the left lobe of the soul. It is learned and understood, but it cannot be applied because it has not yet been believed. When the believer accepts gnosis as God's truth, it is then transferred to the right lobe of the soul by the Holy Spirit as epignosis. Only epignosis Bible doctrine is usable in the spiritual life and only while filled with the Holy Spirit.

“Taking” is the present active participle of αἰχμαλωτίζω (aichmalōtizō) and means to make a prisoner. In every generation, certain believers become prisoners. “Every thought” is νόημα (noēma) and means every system of thought, a thought that is consolidated. Learning the knowledge of God makes human viewpoint a prisoner. Divine viewpoint slaps down human viewpoint and makes it a prisoner. When you have made a prisoner of every thought, you have staved off the counterattack. Noēma is divine viewpoint. This is what happens when you move away from human viewpoint thinking.

How do you take every thought captive? Very simple - study the Word, getting the Word into the right lobe of your soul. To have one’s mind captivated by the knowledge of God, one’s thinking is captivated by divine viewpoint. How? Stay in fellowship, learn Bible doctrine.

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, “to the obedience of Christ” is the preposition εἰς (eis) plus ὑπακοή (hupakoē) and is a directional preposition plus the word for authority. How does the believer “make a prisoner of every system of thought toward the authority of the Christ?” Through learning and applying Bible doctrine. How can a nation change their thinking? How can a nation recover its standards? How can people change from one system to another? The answer is Bible doctrine!

A corrected translation of 2 Corinthians 10:5 is, “Assaulting and demolishing Satanic systems of thoughts (outer perimeter) and every obstacle of pride (inner perimeter indicating desperation) attacking against the objective knowledge of the God (and even though there is a counter-attack it is staved off) and making a prisoner of every human viewpoint system of thought to the authority of Christ.”

In Philippians 4:11-12, contentment is a peace that is a stabilized relaxed mental attitude. You learn contentment! Because Paul knew Bible doctrine, he always had this inner contentment. We should not be slaves of our inner circumstances, either great or dismal. Circumstances do not make you! You as a believer make the circumstances. This is the power of divine viewpoint.

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” (Philippians 4:11-12, NASB)

A Garrison of the Soul

There must be a garrison in your soul against the instability of swallowing the human viewpoint of life. To build a garrison in your soul, you must confess sin biblically and continue consistently with the intake and application of the Word. Keep stockpiling epignosis Bible doctrine in the right lobe of the soul. 1 John 1:9.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB)

Forget your confessed sins and then isolate your sins and operate without a guilt complex. Phil. 3:13; Heb. 12:15.

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,” (Philippians 3:13, NASB)

“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;” (Hebrews 12:15, NASB)

You then need the consistent perception of the Word of God. You won’t get much at the start, but keep at it. Avail yourself of categorical teaching as much as possible so you can grow spiritually. 2 Tim. 2:15.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15, NASB)

Then armed with Bible truth, the believer is to challenge the human viewpoint of life. This can only be done when you are in fellowship and stabilized by daily intake of Bible doctrine. The more complete your edification complex, the more complete your challenge to human viewpoint.

In 2 Corinthians 10:6, “and we are” is the present active participle of ἔχω (echō) and means to have and to hold. It refers to a way of life as indicated by the participle - having and holding a guard mount. You must mount guard continually in your soul. For example, every time a military organization stops, it must have security. God has two securities - eternal security whereby you can’t lose your salvation and temporal security which is the mounting of a spiritual guard organization in your soul.

“and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:6, NASB)

“Are ready” is ἐν (en) plus the locative of ἑτοιμος (hetoimos) and means in the sphere of a guard mount. This is actually a military term used to describe a garrison of troops grouped at a point to stop revolution. Here it is used of the providing of a garrison in the soul to prevent revolution in the soul.

How can you have revolution in the soul? Negative volition toward Bible doctrine which begins the buildup of scar tissue in your soul, emotional revolt in your soul, reversionism of the soul, and general apostacy or human viewpoint of the soul. That is it! This is revolution of the soul!

There are only two systems of defense against this. The unbeliever’s defense is positive volition to the Gospel. The believer’s defense is positive volition plus Bible doctrine. This is talking about the defense of the believer’s soul.

In the Angelic Conflict, the primary battleground is the soul. You will think human viewpoint when your soul is under revolt. You can think divine viewpoint only when your soul is garrisoned and protected with the filling of the Holy Spirit and applying epignosis Bible doctrine.

The analogy between the changing of the guard and the grace apparatus for perception is quite unique in that things must always be observed. Your frame of reference is your primary sentry box or inner perimeter. From there you move to an outer perimeter which is the vocabulary of Bible doctrine, the norms and standards of Bible doctrine, the viewpoint of Bible doctrine.

Every believer must do this or they will suffer revolution of the soul. Revolution of the soul is worse than carnality. It is the sum total of negative volition, scar tissue, emotional revolt, reversionism and apostacy. If allowed to run long enough, it will end in the Sin Unto Death where God will shorten the believer’s life on this earth and take them home early. This is total take-over of the soul by demon doctrine, not demon possession. Do not fear the one who can kill the body, but fear the one who can control the soul. Matt. 10:28

“"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28, NASB)

Revolution is always bad in the biblical sense. The old sin nature is a Satanic force on the battlefield. However it can only tempt the believer to produce in carnality, human good, and sin from their volition. In carnality, the believer is motivated by the old sin nature lust patterns. Satanic doctrine can come into the soul as an outside force and really foul things up. 1 Tim. 4:1.

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,” (1 Timothy 4:1, NASB)

The protection against it is not witnessing, not prayer, not doing your little good deeds, and not trying to turn Christianity into a boy scout troop. The only protection is Bible doctrine which is the guard mount! Bible doctrine is the garrison that protects the soul!

In 2 Corinthians 10:6, “to punish” is the aorist active infinitive of ἐκδικέω (ekdikeō) and means to execute justice. Here, it connotes defense against Satanic attack. “All disobedience” is παρακοή (parakoē) which is a deviation from authority or a deviation from obedience to authority. Therefore, it describes emotional revolt or any other revolution of the soul. Total revolt of the soul we call reversionism and overtly expresses itself in apostacy.

“Whenever” is ὅταν (hotan) in the Greek and means on the occasion of knowing doctrine and functioning under the grace apparatus for perception. “Your obedience” is ὑπακοή (hupakoē) and means the daily function of the grace apparatus for perception resulting in the edification complex, which is the sign of a permanent spiritual garrison.

“Is complete” is the aorist active subjunctive of πληρόω (pleroo) and means to fill up a deficiency. In this case, it is a deficiency of Bible doctrine in the soul to garrison against Satanic revolt. It also means to fully possess. God intends every believer to be fully possessed by doctrine, which is the garrison that puts down emotional revolt and human viewpoint thinking.

Pleroo also means to fully influence. This is a daily function of the grace apparatus for perception in establishing a garrison in the soul. It means to fill with a certain quality. God fills the believer with the top quality of divine viewpoint through the function of the grace apparatus for perception.

The aorist tense is a constantive aorist and means to take in the Word of God day by day. The passive voice indicates that the subject receives the benefits, receives a garrison by taking in doctrine. The believer receives a defense of their soul. Believers do not have the human ability to defend their souls in the Angelic Conflict. Satan has unseen attacks and already has his infiltrators working with your old sin nature, therefore there is no human way we can resist. God has provided volition to garrison. Volition always crops up because of the Angelic Conflict. Every time you take in more doctrine, you build more soul fortifications!

No matter how much you wish to please the Lord or do for Him, you cannot do it without a garrison of the soul. The Christian life is lived daily and every day you must make decisions for doctrine. That is the passive voice. The subjunctive mood means this garrison of doctrine is potential based on positive volition. Up until then, you fight with a sling shot, or bows and arrows, or your fists. We call this faith-rest and the other grace techniques which introduce you to the edification complex of the soul. Faith-rest is a holding force until your soul can be garrisoned by Bible doctrine.

A corrected translation of 2 Corinthians 10:6 is, “And holding in readiness (the garrison) to punish all deviation from obedience (that’s revolt) when your obedience (deficiency of doctrine) has been filled so as to fully influence you (your soul).”

Pleroo is used at least six ways in Scripture. It is used of Christ’s function under the grace apparatus of perception and His edification complex of the soul erected in Luke 2:40.

“The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” (Luke 2:40, NASB)

Pleroo is used of the function of the grace apparatus of perception of the believer in the Church Age. Eph. 1:23; Eph. 3:19; Eph. 4:10; Col. 1:9; 2 Cor. 10:6.

“which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:23, NASB)

“and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19, NASB)

“He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)” (Ephesians 4:10, NASB)

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,” (Colossians 1:9, NASB)

“and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:6, NASB)

Pleroo is used of the control of the believer under the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:18.

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18, NASB)

Pleroo is used of the filling of the deficiency of inner happiness in John 16:24, John 17:13, Philippians 2:2, and 1 John 1:4.

“"Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.” (John 16:24, NASB)

“"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.” (John 17:13, NASB)

“make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” (Philippians 2:2, NASB)

“These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.” (1 John 1:4, NASB)

Pleroo is used of a pastor-teacher communicating Bible doctrine to his congregation in Colossians 1:25.

“Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,” (Colossians 1:25, NASB)

Pleroo is used of the production of divine good in Philippians 1:11. See category on Fullness.

“having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:11, NASB)

The Danger of No Garrison of the Soul

The Angelic Conflict is greater than we are! No one can fight this conflict apart from Bible doctrine in the right lobe of the soul! No matter how great you think you are! You cannot stand up under the pressures that life brings. You will live to see personal and national tragedies. Will you be ready for them? You need that garrison. Like salvation, the soul garrison comes only by God's grace.

In 2 Corinthians 10:7, Paul mentions his Corinthian critics again. They look at the outward appearance which is human viewpoint, but they should look at what is within the spiritual life which is divine viewpoint. Only with divine viewpoint can you garrison your soul.

“You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we.” (2 Corinthians 10:7, NASB)

“You are looking” in the Greek is the present active indicative of βλέπω (blepo) and means you keep on looking. It is not a question, but a statement or reality. Blepo connotes that they are all in the habit of a superficial glance. Why? They have no garrison of the soul.

“At things” are circumstances, things, people and who carries the big stick, who has the authority? They are in the habit of looking at things according to a human viewpoint norm or standard. “Outwardly” in the Greek is πρόσωπον (prosōpon) and means superficial appearance or they are in the habit of looking at things according to the standard of superficial appearance. That is the picture of a soul without a garrison! A believer alive in the Church Age, but not having doctrine, this is a soul overrun by scar tissue and worldly thinking, human viewpoint thinking.

In 2 Corinthians 10:7, “confident” is the perfect active indicative of πείθω (peithō). The present tense of peitho means to trust or obey, but the perfect tense means to have confidence. “Consider” is the present middle imperative λογίζομαι (logizomai) and means they still have eternal security, but they are in reversionism.

“Just as he” in the Greek is καθώς (kathōs) and sets up an analogy between Paul’s critics and Paul himself. They can’t be straightened out with Bible doctrine because they are in emotional revolt, so this is the way he hits them. He hits them with his own authority. He has an edification complex, but not all people who have an edification complex have the same rank or office. Not only am I once saved, always saved, but I am over you! Paul says, “You are criticizing my authority,” But he says, “I am over you.” He was going to hit them with his rank as Apostle!

The literal translation of 2 Corinthians 10:7 is: “You are in the habit of looking at things according to the standard of superficial appearance, if anyone has confidence regarding himself that he belongs to Christ, keep on thinking this to himself again that even as he is of Christ, even so we!”

He has taken his first step in throwing his rank at them. He hasn’t thrown it yet, but he will. He is in the same army. He is wearing the same uniform they are wearing. What he is saying is that we are all one big happy family, but I am in charge! And if we keep on being one big happy family, I am going to keep on being in charge!

The doctrinal principle is that all believers are in union with Christ. Therefore, all believers are the objects of God the Father’s love. Therefore criticism, maligning, and judging of other believers is not only an infringement on their freedom and privacy, but totally incompatible with Bible doctrine. Another major passage on that subject is Romans 14:4-10.

“Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.” (Romans 14:4-10, NASB)

This is both sin and violation of the priesthood of the believer. They are criticizing Paul and running him down. In addition, Paul is a communicator of doctrine. Those who teach Bible doctrine under a communication gift have their authority from God. This gives him special authority as with all pastor-teachers. Heb. 13:7; Heb. 13:17.

“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” (Hebrews 13:7, NASB)

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” (Hebrews 13:17, NASB)

Such criticism of Paul and nitpicking is a sign of no garrison of the soul, a sign of total soul revolt, therefore a sign of reversionism. Rejection of Paul’s authority is another sign of emotional revolt of the soul.

Even though people criticize us, we can’t stop and criticize back and fall apart. That is sin and an emotional reaction in carnality with zero Bible doctrine application. There are many believers who can’t take criticism. They can’t take the thought of being gossiped about. They withdraw or fight back or become bitter. This emotional revolt of the soul.

Paul, as an apostle, had the authority to judge the Corinthians, but the Corinthians, as believer priests, did not have the right to judge or to evaluate Paul. His evaluation is from the Lord. 2 Cor. 10:8.

“For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame,” (2 Corinthians 10:8, NASB)

2 Corinthians 10:8 introduces the right for a pastor-teacher to judge his charges. “Boast” in the Greek is the aorist active subjunctive of καυχάομαι (kauchaomai) and means to glory in a good sense. For if I should boast/glory, maybe I will, maybe I will not. “Our authority” indicates more than one or anyone who has communicated with them. This would include Timothy and Titus. They did not respond to Timothy’s authority or to Paul’s, but they did to Titus’s authority.

Paul is referring to his authority and that of Timothy and Titus. Paul now reminds his Corinthian critics of his authority. He throws his rank at them. By using a third class condition, Paul makes a principle of doctrine out of it. Paul was not ashamed of his authority any more than he was ashamed of Jesus Christ or ashamed of the Holy Spirit who gave him his spiritual gift. Paul’s critics wanted him to be ashamed of his authority so that he would not use the big stick against them as he did in 1 Corinthians - the first Corinthian epistle started all the trouble.

Emotional revolt and reversionism always reject the authority of a pastor-teacher. The legalists at Corinth sought to destroy Paul’s authority by making it appear as though he was bullying. Legalism must lure believers from grace by attacking the authority of those who teach grace. It is Paul who provided the guard mount for the soul. Therefore, Satan is attacking the one who provides the guard mount.

For if they respond to Paul’s teaching again, they will recover from reversionism and their souls will be guarded by doctrine. Therefore, they also seek to discredit this authority by making it appear in a bad light (bullying). However Paul’s authority in the writing of 1 Corinthians in chewing them out is definitely from God. 1 Thess. 5:12.

“But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction,” (1 Thessalonians 5:12, NASB)

In 2 Corinthians 10:8, “gave” is the aorist active indicative of δίδωμι (didōmi) in the Greek and means this authority is from the Lord. The Lord has given it. No man has earned or deserved this. “Destroying” is not destruction at all, but refers to reversionism. Since we are believer-priests, we have for the first time the freedom to live our lives as unto the Lord. But often we take this new freedom or established freedom in our lives and we use it as a club against authority. This is where reversionism moves in to the last part of 2 Corinthians 10:8.

If you reject the authority of your communicator of Bible doctrine, it is inevitable that you will move into emotional revolt and reversionism. Interestingly, the Word of God never commands you to have rapport with the communicator of Bible doctrine, but you are commanded to recognize his authority.

In 2 Corinthians 10:9, Paul’s critics said his letters terrified them.

“for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.” (2 Corinthians 10:9, NASB)

In 2 Corinthians 10:10, his critics say also that he is a poor public speaker and has a very weak body. Rome in that day had two criteria in judging a public speaker. He had to be a fantastic orator and have a beautiful body. Paul had neither and depended not upon his looks or voice, but Bible doctrine and his spiritual gift of Apostleship.

“For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible."” (2 Corinthians 10:10, NASB)

In 2 Corinthians 10:11, Paul indicates that he was not depending upon a beautiful appearance, but he does indicate that he was the same absent or present. Enemies of the Gospel always try to belittle the believer filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul had an effective ministry because he pleased God and not men.

“Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.” (2 Corinthians 10:11, NASB)

In 2 Corinthians 10:12, this describes a mutual admiration society where everyone pats each other on the back, obeying the proper ground rules, and making the right “clucking” noises to be “in” with the right crowd. This is a description of a bunch of carnal Christians out of fellowship and not taking in doctrine daily.

“For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.” (2 Corinthians 10:12, NASB)

In 2 Corinthians 10:13-15, Paul says, “We boast in the Lord”, and says, “our message can help even you, if you’ll heed it, but according to the measure of the rule.” This is another way of stating divine viewpoint. Paul is saying that mentally, divine viewpoint is the standard. Divine viewpoint results in outreach of the Gospel as well as spiritual growth and development in the believer.

“For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ; not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you,” (2 Corinthians 10:14-15, NASB)

In 2 Corinthians 10:16-17, divine viewpoint results in increased missionary activity. Divine viewpoint results in glorifying Jesus Christ in our thinking.

“so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another. But HE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD.” (2 Corinthians 10:16-17, NASB)