It’s A Heart Issue, Part 10, A Look At Carnality

We all have heard of Christians being Carnal. What does that mean exactly? Is this something that should be of concern?

Absolutely! This is something that we need to be on guard with our hearts. It is something that leads us away from Christ.

Let’s take a look at a definition from bible.org of what this means:

According to the Greek dictionary, it means to have the nature and characteristics of the flesh (or more simply, it means “fleshly”).

What, then , is the flesh? Sometimes it refers to the whole material part of man (1 Corinthians 15:39 [NKJV]: All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.; Hebrews 5:7 [NKJV]:  who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,),

and based on this meaning, carnal sometimes relates to material things like money (Romans 15:27 [NKJV]: It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.) or to the opposite of our weapons of spiritual warfare (2 Corinthians 10:4 [NKJV]: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,).

But the word flesh also has a metaphorical sense when it refers to our disposition to sin and to oppose or omit God in our lives. The flesh is characterized by works that include lusts and passions (Galatians 5:19-24 [NKJV]: Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ^23 [gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.; I John 2:16 [NKJV]: For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.);

it can enslave (Romans 7:25 [NKJV]: 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.);

and in it is nothing good (Romans 7:18 [NKJV]:  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.).

Based on this meaning of the word flesh, to be carnal means to be characterized by things that belong to the unsaved life (Ephesians 2:3 [NKJV]: among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.).

So Great Salvation, Charles Ryrie, Victor Books, 1989, pp. 59-60.

So, if we are to have a Relationship with Jesus, it means that we need to flee carnality, or carnal thinking. Remember, we are encouraged to deny the flesh (Matthew 16:24 [NKJV]: Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.)

He wants us to give our all to Him and not fulfill the desires of our flesh, but the desires of God (Galatians 5:16 [NKJV]: I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.)

Are you following Jesus? Or are you following your flesh and saying you’re following Him?

Let’s deny our flesh and walk closer to Him today.