Are you a Carnal Christian or a Spiritual Christiam?

Are you a Carnal or a Spiritual Christian?

Preface: This article contains strong meat of the Word. Ii is not for those who have chosen their place and believe they do not need or want to know more about their place and role in the Kingdom of God.

Now to the Meat

Are you able to eat meat or are you still drinking Milk? carnal * christians are not well spoken of as they can not eat the meat of the Word they only are able to digest simple mothers milk. Milk is designed to support the baby but a mature (Spiritual) man ** needs meat, milk alone will not provide complete nutrition, Spiritual Christians eat and can digest the heavy meat of the Word. This means they need to understand ALL the truths of the scripture to be fully fed, to have proper nutrition.

Why is this , what is the difference?

Lets let scripture speak to us on the subject.

First lets build a background to work from.

1 Cor 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

We can see by these verses that the issue of unity among the brethren is of the utmost importance to the Kingdom of God. Paul pleads with them to all speak the same thing. Do you see that, why does Paul require them to all speak the same thing? Are they supposed to be robots, puppets, programmed to be all alike? No, of course not, He is talking about understanding the scriptures. Paul understands that there is one and only ONE correct understanding of the scriptures. He is telling them if they have different understandings then someone or all sides are wrong and it is up to them to find the One and Only correct understanding so that they all agree, are of one mind. There can be no disagreement on the meaning of the scriptures, we MUST all be in agreement. That does not mean all in our little group must agree, it means all that profess to be of Christ must agree , and if we do not then we have to search -together- until we do. . There is to be NO DIVISION in the Body of Christ.

ICor1:11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.

Look at what is happening already, people are starting to follow the different leaders instead of Christ. Why, because someone has their own private understanding of scripture and it feels good to certain people so they are following the one that pleases them. They are saying, I am a baptist, I am a methodist, I am “whatever sect.”. They are being carnal, they are wanting to please their flesh instead of crucifying it as Jesus requires. Sound familiar? What is happening? They are starting to do what is an abomination in the eyes of God, they are forming what we today call denominations, and Paul is REBUKING them. He tells them that it is wrong to have any kind of division within the body. Did the baptist church die for you, did the methodist church die for you, did the ????? church die for you, did your pastor die for you? NO, Only Jesus Christ died for you and allegiance to anything or any one other than Him is a sign of carnality and NO carnal people will enter the Kingdom. Can you see this is so important to understand. It is the most important thing you must understand about being a Christian. It is all about the One who has the only keys to the Kingdom and not about His helpers, His under shepherds. How do we keep this from happening? It is simple , we just follow the scriptural plan, so lets go on.

1 Cor 2:9-12 9 But as it is written:

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

You have seen this scripture, probably heard a sermon on it, but have you ever decided to look and see what it really means? Many think this refers to the power gifts, others that they are to become wealthy , others have other opinions. LETS look and SEE what it Really means.

I Cor2:10-12 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things.

Do you see that, it says that He HAS revealed them to us already. (The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." ) It says he has revealed them through His Holy Spirit. And see the other scripture , it says “His Holy Spirit will teach us ALL things”. Every thing we would ever desire and need to know, and much more, about God and His ways has already been given to us and is available to us now, THROUGH His Holy Spirit. And Only through His Holy Spirit.

I Cor 2:13-16 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For "who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

These things cannot be understood by the carnal man, they must be received from the Holy Spirit directly and only a Spiritual man can receive them. But remember we are now of Christ and we as scripture says to, have put on the mind of Christ so we now have the mind of Christ. That is if we have been baptized in His Holy Spirit. *** The baptism of the Holy Spirit is also the infilling of the Holy Spirit. We who have been filled with His Spirit are now full of the mind of Christ. We are equipped to learn the proper understanding of ALL things pertaining to Him and His Kingdom. So then How could we be carnal any longer?

I Cor 3: 1-4 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?

But Paul says “in spite of all this you are still carnal. What is the problem, you are fully equipped to learn all things correctly yet you are not using your spiritual equipment you are using your natural fleshly will. That is why you are in trouble. Instead of using your ability to eat meat you are refusing to give up the milk container, you are doing what pleases your flesh-- YOU ARE CARNAL. What makes them carnal, he tells them. It is because that rather than submit to each other and the Holy Spirit together and learn the truth, you would rather have STRIFE, ENVY AND DIVISION to make your flesh feel good, so that you can feel you are better than the others that disagree , or you are more enlightened or superior, when in fact you are acting the fool. You are actually showing yourself to be the opposite of what you are feeling because of you disobedience to the Holy Spirit.

re you a “carnal christian” or a Spiritual Christian, only one kind will enter the Kingdom. Only one is a true Christian.

WHAT ARE we do when we disagree, when we do not see the scriptures the same way? There is only one thing we can do, and it is not to agree to disagree. We must agree to all together seek the Holy Spirit to give us the truth , until we are ALL in agreement. We are not supposed to go and start a new denomination as over 10000 people have already done. We are to lovingly submit to each other and the Holy Spirit until the truth is confirmed by the Holy Spirit in all of our spirits. This will meet much opposition from your flesh and the flesh of others that have “chosen” what they wish to believe. It will be a difficult place place to walk, until you do it and then you will truly find the joy of the Lord because you are being faithful and obedient to His word. BUT, first you have to learn to lay down your life, that is the part of you that makes you want to do your own thing. The part of you that wants to be special. This can be accomplished , but it requires a sacrificial commitment to the Christ and His truths. Are you willing? Or will you continue to cater to your flesh? Remember calling yourself a Christian requires your submission to Christ. That's what a Christian is, one who submits to the Lordship of Christ instead of the lordship of their flesh or any thing else, Christ alone.

That may take time, discussion and hard work , but with the Holy Spirit of God given free reign it will be achieved. ALL denominations were begun over a disagreement that was handled in a manner not keeping with the scriptural admonition of, NO DIVISIONS in the body of Christ. And the reasons are all about strife and envy which are are fruit of following the flesh of man - any man or man made doctrine.

When you are asked about your religion what is your answer? Tell me your religion and I can tell if you are a “ carnal christian”. What is your answer? If your answer is anything other than “I am a Christian”, then you are a “carnal christian”.

If you say I am a Baptist , or any other sect, you are a ”carnal christian”. I you say I am a “my church christian”, you are a “carnal christian”. No, we do not all agree yet but we are required to and our goal is not to learn the differences in the sects and choose the one we like, but we are REQUIRED by scripture to submit to the Holy Spirit and learn the TRUTH of the meanings of scripture that only He can show us. NO, it will not please our flesh, but it will please God if we do this. Which is more important to you? Pleasing God or flesh. There is ONLY one true church, will you join us and be part of it or will you disobey God and help promote the un-Godly sects (denominations) that only drive us further apart from each other and God. Your choice, remain carnal or become part of the Spiritual group called the Kingdom of God.

Now you know the truth, which will you decide to be ? Carnal? Spiritual? Your choice, choose this day who you will serve, your flesh or our risen Lord.....

copyright celafoe 2013

may be freely used in its entirety . Must not be sold.

* carnal = natural man, fleshly, self pleasing

** remember in scripture, man means man- both male and female

*** If you have not received the baptism in the Holy Spirit as described in the Book of Acts, with the accompanying signs then you CAN NOT understand these things, nor can you do them as you have not been fully equipped, according to scripture. I entreat you to study the scriptures pertaining to this and partake of this free gift so that you can become a Spiritual Christian, fully equipped for every good work.