Sermon:  Thralldom  ...or how not to become a thrall
by Chris Cumming                                                                        printer-friendly     MP3

The title for this sermon is, “Thralldom” or how not to become a thrall.  Have you ever been a thrall?  I guess we have to ask the question first, “What is a thrall?”  If we have been a thrall, what was the cause and what steps can we take to never be a thrall again?

Today we will answer these questions as I encourage all of us to avoid being a thrall.  Let us begin with some definitions.

Thralldom
The state of being a thrall; bondage; slavery; servitude.  The antonym to [or opposite of] "thrall" is mastery.


Thrall

A person who is morally or mentally enslaved by some power and/or influence.


The definition of, “Thralldom” here is easy to grasp.  One is either a thrall in bondage or they are masters of their domains [physical, mental, emotional and spiritual].

However, there is much more involved in the definition of, “Thrall.”  Clearly the thrall is enslaved but then it says, “by some power and/or influence.”  The list we could create for powers and/or influences is legion.  If we were to set ourselves to this task, we would have to make four separate and surely, overlapping lists.  We would need a list for the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  What elements in each area could morally or mentally enslave us?  Let me quickly give you an example or two of each:

1] Physical:  An addiction to liquor, smoking, drugs, gambling, sex or food would be definitely enslaving.

2] Mental: The addictions I just mentioned for Physical could affect us here. We could list here all the anxiety, attention, memory, mood and mental disorders.  Then there are childhood psychiatric disorders, stress and trauma disorders.

3] Emotional:  We could list any number of behavioral disorders.  Some call this, “acting out.”  One example I am learning more about is passive-aggressive disorders.  These manifest in many ways and generally are the result of things that happened in childhood, such as divorce, loss of or abandonment of a parent, and various means of abuse or neglect.  Any of these things can enslave a person and can interfere with the life of a Christian.

4] Spiritual:  Up to now, this is where we have had [and will continue to have] our focus.  We are doing everything we can to avoid false doctrines, backsliding and generally going off into vain jangling.

If these examples seem a little complex, let me give you a more simplified list of elements that can and do exert power and influence over us.

1] The world, which is full of influence—individuals, leaders, media, entertainment, literature, education, philosophies, worldly religions, corporations, friends and family.
2] Satan, who rules the world and runs the list I gave you from the world and who is the prince of the power of the air.
3] Our human nature, which embodies our childhood and full life experience, which affects the way we think and reason.  That is, everything that has ever happened in your life from birth has made you what you are today.  I am talking about your birth, your upbringing and family life, your education, early religion and every relationship you have ever had.  You are the sub-total of all these things.  Many elements can affect the way you think.

Virtually every one of these elements reside in thoughts.  Indeed, even a behavioral disorder will generate a thought.  What does the Bible say about all this?  What does the Bible say about our thoughts?  Turn to our key verse for this sermon.  It is found in 2 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 10:5 
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;

Commentary:
First the general and then the specific:

The reference here is to the pride of human reason, which takes upon itself to judge of things supernatural and spiritual on purely natural principles. This was working perilously in the church of Corinth; but, says the apostle, the weapons of our warfare are able to cast all that to the ground, and bring every thought (‘every conception’), like a captive, into absolute obedience to what Christ demands in thought and action. ~Popular Commentary of the New Testament

Notice this from the Forerunner Commentary covering verses 3-5:

In the New Testament, the most common Greek word for self-control (temperance, KJV) is enkrateia. Its root meaning is "power over oneself" or "self-mastery." Self-control, in its widest sense, is mastery over our passions. It is the virtue that holds our appetites in check, controlling our rational will or regulating our conduct without being duly swayed by sensuous desires. Moderation is a key element in self-control. ~Forerunner commentary

The verse is broken out in 3 parts:

1] Casting down imaginations.
2] And every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.
3] And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

1] Casting down imaginations.
Casting down imaginations - Destroying all vain reasonings. ~John Wesley Explanatory Notes

Casting down imaginations - Rather, as margin, reasonings (consilia, Vulgate, counceilis, Wiclif).The rendering ‘imaginations’ comes from Tyndale. Paul refers to the efforts of human reason to deal with things beyond it, the best corrective of which is and always will be the simple proclamation of God’s message to man. ~Cambridge Bible

Casting down imaginations - Margin, reasonings. The word is probably used here in the sense of device, and refers to all the plans of a wicked world; the various systems of false philosophy; and the reasonings of the enemies of the gospel. The various systems of false philosophy were so entrenched that they might be called the stronghold of the enemies of God. The foes of Christianity pretend to a great deal of reason, and rely on that in resisting the gospel. ~Barnes Notes

Casting down imaginations - Reasonings or opinions. The Greek philosophers valued themselves especially on their ethic systems, in which their reasonings appeared to be very profound and conclusive; but they were obliged to assume principles which were either such as did not exist, or were false in themselves, as the whole of their mythologic system most evidently was: truly, from what remains of them we see that their metaphysics were generally bombast; and as to their philosophy, it was in general good for nothing. ~Adam Clarke

The knowledge of God - The doctrine of the unity and eternity of the Divine nature, which was opposed by the plurality of their idols, and the generation of their gods, and their men-made deities. It is amazing how feeble a resistance heathenism made, by argument or reasoning, against the doctrine of the Gospel! It instantly shrunk from the Divine light, and called on the secular power to contend for it!. ~Adam Clarke

Casting down imaginations - Or "reasonings"; the carnal reasonings of the minds of natural men against God, his providences and purposes, against Christ, and the methods of salvation, and every truth of the Gospel; which are all disproved, silenced, and confounded, by the preaching of the word, which though reckoned the foolishness and weakness of God, appears to be wiser and stronger than men; and whereby the wisdom of the wise is destroyed, and the understanding of the prudent brought to nothing: ~John Gill

Casting down imaginations - The sophistries [sof-uh-strees] (false reasoning) of philosophy. By these weapons the soul is rescued, delivered, and brought to the obedience of Christ. ~People's New Testament

2] And every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.
And every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. - Every exalted opinion respecting the dignity and purity of human nature; all the pride of the human heart and of the understanding. All this is opposed to the knowledge of God, and all exalts itself into a vain self-confidence. People entertain vain and unfounded opinions respecting their own excellency, and they feel that they do not need the provisions of the gospel and are unwilling to submit to God. ~Barnes Notes

Note:  This commentary is important, for it is pointing out two distinct elements:

1) “All the pride of the human heart and of the understanding.
2) How we act—what we do on that understanding.

Throughout our lives, we have often taken in false information [
physical, mental, emotional or spiritual].  Sometimes it is just false facts and in some cases we have been preprogramed from childhood to think and respond in certain ways.  Those thoughts and those actions will therefore be wrong, false and/or negative.  Many, if not all of these would be flying in the face of God, His truth and real facts.  God is saying that we are to cast down these things.

The false facts we carry around can, for the most part, be easily corrected.  What is hard is getting rid of all the programming we have existing in our hearts and minds.  There is a way to destroy them as we will see.  


3] And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
And every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. - every proud thought of the heart, every great swelling word of vanity, every big look, even all the lofty looks and haughtiness of men, with every airy flight, and high towering imagination, reasoning, and argument advanced against the Gospel of Christ; which is here meant by the knowledge of God, and so called, because it is the means of leading souls into the knowledge of God, even into a better knowledge of him than can be attained to, either by the light of nature, or law of Moses; to a knowledge of him, and acquaintance with him in Christ the Mediator, in whom the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is given; and with which knowledge of God eternal life is connected, yea, in this it consists; it is the beginning of it, and will issue in it. ~John Gill

The obedience of Christ - Subjection to idols was annihilated by the progress of the Gospel among the heathens; and they soon had but one Lord, and his name one. In like manner the doctrines of the reformation, mighty through God, pulled down - demolished and brought into captivity, the whole papal system; and instead of obedience to the pope, the pretended vicar of God upon earth, obedience to Christ, as the sole almighty Head of the Church, was established. ~Adam Clarke

This next one really says it well and gets to the heart of the matter.

And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. - The figure here is evidently taken from military conquests. The idea is, that all the strongholds of paganism, and pride, and sin would be demolished; and that when this was done, like throwing down the walls of a city or making a breach, all the plans and purposes of the soul, the reason, the imagination, and all the powers of the mind would be subdued or led in triumph by the gospel, like the inhabitants of a captured city. Christ was the great Captain in this warfare. In his name the battle was waged, and by his power the victory was won. The captives were made for him and under his authority; and all were to be subject to his control. Every power of thought in the pagan world; all the systems of philosophy and all forms of opinion among people; all the purposes of the soul; all the powers of reason, memory, judgment, fancy in an individual, were all to come under the laws of Christ, All doctrines were to be in accordance with his will; philosophy should no longer control them, but they should be subject to the will of Christ. All the plans of life should be controlled by the will of Christ, and formed and executed under his control - as captives are led by a conqueror. All the emotions and feelings of the heart should be controlled by him, and led by him as a captive is led by a victor. The sense is, that it was the aim and purpose of Paul to accomplish this, and that it would certainly be done. The strongholds of philosophy, paganism, and sin should be demolished, and all the opinions, plans, and purposes of the world should become subject to the all-conquering Redeemer. ~Barnes Notes

Note:  With this explanation we are beginning to see a procedure for both the “casting down of imaginations” and “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Before we can come up with a working procedure, we must know the primary principles we will invoke:

1. Identification of object - We must identify whether the thought or action is of the Word of God – God’s Will.
2. Identification of cause – We must identify what it is manifesting the thought or deed.
3. Casting out – We must develop a method of casting out wrong thoughts and eliminating negative/evil causes.
4. Living by Assiduity – Giving everything to God and asking Christ to be the Captain of your warfare.

Let us look at two more commentaries on the last part of our key verse [2 Corinthians 10:5]:

And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. - An amplification of this spiritual power, which conquers the enemies in such a way, be they ever so crafty and mighty, that it brings some of them by repentance to Christ, and justly avenges others that are stubbornly obstinate, separating them from the others who allow themselves to be ruled. ~Geneva Bible Translation Notes

Note:  This commentary is speaking to how God destroys real human enemies/armies or otherwise brings them to repentance.  The commentary then says that what God does to wrong thoughts and actions [enemies of both us and God] is an amplification of this spiritual power.  We are fulfilling this verse by spiritual power.

And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. - or "carrying captive the whole understanding"; that is, so illustrating it with divine light, that it clearly sees Christ to be the alone, able, willing, full, and suitable Saviour, and so becomes obedient to him, both as a Saviour and a King; such an enlightened soul looks to him alone for life and salvation, ventures on him, and relies upon him, and is desirous and willing to be saved by him in his own way; he receives and embraces all his truths and doctrines with faith and love, and obeys them from the heart, and cheerfully and willingly submits to all his commands and ordinances; for though he is taken by the grace of God, and all his strong holds, reasonings, and high thoughts are demolished by the power of God in the Gospel, and he himself is carried captive, yet not against, but with his will, to be a voluntary subject of Christ, and cheerfully to submit to the sceptre of his kingdom. ~John Gill

Note:  This John Gill commentary gives us an interesting way of viewing our mission of casting down imaginations.  We immerse ourselves into this subject with the Word of God, as well as, independent study into the causes of our thinking and by getting professional help if needed.  We then look to Christ to complete this mission as we “embrace all his truths and doctrines with faith and love.”

I now want to use the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge to see what other verses are linked to our key verse today:

Casting down:
1 Corinthians 1:19
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

Note: We should be about the same mission as God regarding our character and thought processes.

Imaginations: or, reasoning

And every high thing that exalteth against the knowledge of God:
2 Kings 19:22

Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.

Job 40:11-12
11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

Psalm 10:4
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Note:  Any element not of God is against God and must be eliminated.  It must be cast down.

And bringing into captivity:
Romans 7:23-25
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Continue on into the next chapter.

Romans 8:1-6
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Note:  The casting down of imaginations/reasonings and the bringing into captivity of every thought is accomplished by the Spirit of God with the Word of God.

Every thought:
Psalm 139:2
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Note:  God will lead us to the knowledge regarding our thoughts.

Proverbs 15:26
The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.

Note:  Pure words lead to pure thoughts.

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Note:  Again, immersion in the Word of God will aid us in discerning our thoughts.

To the obedience of Christ:
1 Peter 1:14-15

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

1 Peter 1:22
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

How do we make this admonition work?  How do we proceed?

How to Proceed [this will accompany our final Procedure below]
1] Do a study in which you identify faulty beliefs and faulty reasoning.
2] Identify if you are invoking faulty beliefs and reasoning.
3] Keep a diary or journal where you identify and catalog reactions, emotional and mental reasoning as well as beliefs.
4] Immerse yourself in the Word of God and compare everything in your journal against it.
5] Cast out all false reasoning.
6] Bring every thought/reasoning into obedience to Christ.

Key finishing verses that make the procedure work.
John 16:13A
Howbeit when it, the Spirit of truth, is come, it will guide you into all truth…

Philippians 4:8
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 report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

There is a text that has been around a long time.  I have modified it to fit this sermon and our key verse.
“Sow a righteous thought and you'll reap a righteous action;

Sow a righteous action, and you'll reap a right habit;

Sow a righteous habit and you'll ultimately reap the Kingdom of God.”

Let us finish with the final procedure to fulfill 2 Corinthians 10:5 in our life.

Procedure:

1] Begin thinking about your thoughts and actions.  Meditate on them.  Catalogue them or keep a thought/action journal.
2] Ascertain why you hold that thought and/or took that action [or inaction].  Take special note of how you react to everything.
3] Cast down the negative thought or action.  At this point they are identified.  Cast them down or out as they come.  Do not accept bad thoughts.  Cast them out in the name of Jesus Christ, the Captain of your warfare.
4] Give the underlying causes to God.  He is the only being who can ultimately destroy them.
5] Watch as your thinking and actions change.
6] Identify the thoughts and actions that reflect the gospel---God's way of truth.  Rejoice in these.
7] Give all thought and actions to God in Assiduity.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

1] Read Romans 6.

2] Here is that list of faulty thinking:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies  Take special note of the Informal Fallacies and the Faulty generalizations.  Look at the links in the “See also” section at the bottom.  Lots of studies here.

3] Regarding that video I mentioned, here is the excerpt from our posted list of videos.  We have 263 now.

Edification videos – Edifying others -1
How you can break-up traffic jams and edify others. 7:01
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGFqfTCL2fs

 
 

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