Carnality is the way of thinking of the natural man. Another word for carnal is flesh. In other words, carnality is a flesh ruled way of living. When a Christian refuses to grow up spiritually, he or she would be carnal. This explains why some Christians live like unbelievers. Another word used to describe carnal Christians is baby Christians or unspiritual. In 1cor.3:1-3, while reproving the Corinthian Christians for their carnality, Apostle Paul had this to say to them:
“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
From this text of scripture, we learn the following about carnality and spirituality.
1. Carnality is the opposite of spirituality and as such they do not live together in the same place.
2. Carnality is the demonstration of the Character traits of the world like envying, strife, divisions etc.
3. Carnality is a state of being where a Christian walks as a mere man.
4. The carnal minded cannot receive strong bible based teachings that can help to straighten their character and as such cannot bear the fruit of the spirit. Heb.5:11-14 says:
“Heb 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
This explains the existence of many gullible believers today running around seeking miracles and healings when they can step up to the higher ground when they can work the miracles and administer the healings.
Another scripture that brings out the distinction between carnality and spirituality clearly is Gal.5:16-22. That text reads:
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Those who walk in the spirit are not carnal like I have already pointed out. They therefore bear the fruit of the spirit as shown in Gal. 5:22-23. When you live like this, you cannot be bound by any law. Carnal believers on the other hand, manifest the works of the flesh or human or sinful nature listed in Galatians 5:19-21.
The good news here however is that the Carnal believer can change and become a spiritual one. He or she is only a decision away from the change. The story of the bible that best illustrates this is the story of the Prodigal son told by the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 15:11-32. From this story we learn the following lessons:
1. The carnal believer never wants to serve, but wants the blessing. Because it is a service habit which can only be promoted by spirituality that guarantees that we retain the blessing, a carnal believer cannot retain the blessing or increase the fruits of the blessing. As such, would waste it all on meaningless living.
2. Carnality leads to the death of a man’s ability to release and maximize his potential as it cuts him off his source which would have guaranteed that he stays filled with all the spiritual resources required to live abundantly.
3. When carnality empties a man, he ceases to enjoy favor and so he comes to want.
4. The point of want is God’s mercy being expressed in the hope that the situation will move him to repent. If he comes to himself which is the new man in Christ and repents, the father will take him back and restore him.
5. The prodigal son went home and his father took him back. Note how the father described his situation in verse 32 of Luke 15:
“It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”
Understand that to be carnally minded is DEATH and LOSS! We shall say more on this when we look at the consequences of Carnality and the benefits of Spirituality.
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