The Carnal Christian – 15th February 2017

“You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? (1 Corinthians 3:3 ).

At the outset let’s define the term “carnal.”The word “carnal” is translated from the Greek word sarkikos, which literally means “fleshly.” The Scriptures contain many references to living in the flesh or by the lust of the flesh. Canal pertaining to or characterized by the flesh or the body with its passions and appetites pertaining to sensual/ carnal pleasures. They are NOT spiritual but merely human; temporal; worldly behavior of a man of secular, rather carnal, leanings. At first glance the phrase “carnal Christian” seems to be impossibility, a contradiction. Because by its definition a Christian is a person who practices a monotheistic religion based on the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. A working definition is someone who has accepted the work of Jesus at the cross and have taken up their cross to follow Him.

One important question that arises is: Does the carnal Christian exist or are all Christians living carnally in some areas of our lives? The Bible gives us an understanding when we read in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? In this passage, the apostle Paul is addressing the readers as “brethren,” a term he uses almost exclusively to refer to other Christians; he then goes on to describe them as “carnal.” But can a true Christian be carnal? When we read the above passage above in 1 Corinthians, we can conclude that Christians can be carnal.

People who are unconverted or those who have NOT steadfastly worked towards receiving salvation would be living worldly lives that are deferent to the behavioral patterns of people who are close to God. They live worldly lives filled with anger, evil and sinfulness. We can learn this from 1 Corinthians 3:3, “You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? They are represented as of a "carnal mind, which is enmity against God"

We can learn this from Romans 8:6-7, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” This is because the enjoyments that minister to the wants and desires of man's animal desire is NOT in keeping to Gods teachings for us. As an example the ceremonial of the Mosaic Law is spoken of as "carnal," because it is related to things outward. They were in the habit of sacrificing animals for the purification of the flesh. On the contrary the weapons of Christian warfare are "not carnal", that is, they are not of man's device, nor are wielded by human power. We can learn this from 2 Corinthians 10:4 , “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” The Bible is absolutely clear that no one is sinless: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”(1 John 1:8). We are sinners and therefore as Christians we need to bear in mind that every time we sin, we are acting carnally.

The key thing to understand is that while a Christian can be, for a time, carnal, a true Christian will not REMAIN carnal for a lifetime. Some have abused the idea of a “carnal Christian” by saying that it is possible for people to come to faith in Christ and then proceed to live the rest of their lives in a completely carnal manner. When one comes to faith in Christ there will be evidence of being born again

or becoming a new creation in Christ. The evidence of being ‘born again’ is a “new you” having Gods requirements from us as our main priority. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17). The person who steadfastly seeks and receives salvation CANNOT revert back to his or her old mannerisms. We can learn where James 2 makes it abundantly clear that genuine faith will always result in good works (deeds). We can learn this from James 2:26, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” In his letter Paul also states that while we are saved by grace alone through faith alone, that salvation will result in good works that God wants us to do. We can learn this from Ephesians 2:8-10, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Another important question would be: Can a Christian, even in a time of failure appear to be carnal? Yes. But if one is asked will a true Christian remain carnal? Answer is No. Since eternal security is a fact of Scripture, even the carnal Christian is still saved. Salvation cannot be lost, because salvation is a gift of God that He will not take away: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” The important question is not whether a person who claims to be a Christian but lives carnally has lost his salvation… The answer to this will be clear to us when we read from 1 John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” We can learn that he or she who values their salvation will remain, continuing to have a close relationship with God while the others will fall short in numerous ways!

But we can also learn that Christians in a time of failure become Carnal in their behavior can expect God to lovingly discipline them. They can be restored to close fellowship with Him and be trained to obey Him. With Gods assistance they will become increasingly spiritual and decreasingly carnal, a process known as sanctification. Until we are delivered from our sinful flesh, there will be outbreaks of carnality. For a genuine believer in Christ, though, these outbreaks of carnality will be the exception, not the rule… as one progress with one’s walk with God.

We must bear in mind that God’s desire is to enable us to progressively grow closer to the image of Christ as stated in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”