“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.” (Romans 8:5-8 NLT)
Every human being has a carnal nature. We were born with it and will die with it. That’s the issue with which Paul was wrestling in Romans 7:24, but one over which he found victory in Jesus. Without that victory our end is death – eternal separation from the One who died to free us from bondage to ourselves.
On the one hand, the expression “Carnal Christian” describes every person who has ever begun a faith journey with the Lord Jesus; however, it must not and cannot be the end of our story. To be devoted to Jesus and to self is like trying to ride a bike in two directions at the same time. When the Lord called Peter, James, and John, He made a simple, yet all consuming command: “Follow Me!” And the words immediately following His invitation are these: “And they left their nets at once and followed Him.”
“Nets” has reference to their livelihood, as they were fishermen. Jesus asked them, as He asks us, “Leave it all behind and follow Me wherever I lead!” Jesus’ invitation demands a decision. We can’t stay where we are and follow Him; we can’t follow Him and not obey Him; we can’t continually disobey Him, choosing rather a life of sinful disobedience and still be in a healthy, growing relationship with Him.
So, what am I saying? The term “carnal” is used 10 times in the King James Version of the Bible and in 8 usages, including Romans 7, it has reference to our literal flesh, related to the condition of our birth and life before Christ. In the other 2 verses, including verse 7 above and the other in Hebrews 9:10, the word is contrasted with the new nature we’re given when we’re born again. What are the implications?
Obviously, we die with the sinful nature with which we were born, so, the journey for us, as it was for the first followers of Jesus, is one of transformation which is instantaneous, yet progressive. What does that mean? It means we’re immediately saved, filled with the Spirit and set on a new course in our lives; however, the reality is, the only One who knows our heart is the Lord. He alone knows who is truly “born again” and who is trying to play a part.
Perhaps a clarifying question is: “Can you love Jesus and not obey Him?” In John 14:15 Jesus clearly states: “If you love Me, obey My commandments.” A common phrase when I was growing up was: “The proof is in the pudding!” You can brag all day about how good your pudding is or your life in Christ is, but the proof is in the product – how does your pudding taste? What is your life speaking?
My sense is many who use the term “Carnal Christian” are either trying to justify their sinful behavior or to distinguish themselves from those they don’t perceive as “spiritual” as they are. In either case, it’s motivated by sin and indicative of someone who is or very well may be walking in disobedience to the clear commands of the Lord.
Here’s the bottom line as I understand it: if our carnality is more evident than the life of the Spirit moving and living in and through us, we’re not living pleasingly before the Lord and should spend some extended time with the Lord allowing Him to clarify whether we’re walking in the Spirit, thus filled with His life, or walking in the flesh, separated from Him and heading to a Christless eternity.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 