CARNALITY

The word carnal (Sarkikos from Sarx, flesh) signifies fleshly, governed by human nature instead of the new nature with the idea of unspirituality, of human wisdom (Vine).

The carnal saint is one who behaves, and relates to fellow saints, in a fleshly manner in the sphere of spiritual exercise, i.e. with language and conduct characteristic of the unregenerate, like natural man (1 Cor. 3:3).

God’s people are a spiritual people and so it is the spiritual walk of the believer that is in view, not secular life in the world. The world is the sphere of the flesh, human nature in its widest sense, and in daily life the believer exercises natural abilities and exhibits natural traits in common with his fellows. However, walking in this way in the house of God is indicative of spiritual immaturity (1 Cor.3:1), the spiritual eyes of understanding not being enlightened (Eph.1:18), the mind not renewed (Eph.4:23, Rom.12:2).

Carnal tendencies may be excused in those young in the faith who are learning how to behave in the spiritual sphere, but they are tragic and regrettable in believers of mature years in divine things, the stunted growth of the spiritual cretin. Clearly, saints in this condition have never progressed to the point of understanding that the Adam nature, the flesh, has been terminated in divine purpose, spiritually put to death in the death of Christ. The carnal believer thinks and acts according to the dictates of the old nature, a waste of divine resource (the new nature) and a challenge to godly order, whether male or female.

Regrettably, we have to acknowledge that carnality has become a common feature in assemblies of the Lord’s people in parallel with spiritual decline. Where it is manifest in the leadership it sets a carnal example to the young and has a spiritually demoralising effect on mature saints as they witness those who claim to be elders conducting themselves in a contrary manner in the house of God. Rudeness, bad temper, refusing to listen to or debate a different point of view (quenching the Spirit), interpreting Scripture in a naturalistic way (the Christendom ethic), etc., are all manifestations of the old man, carnality in the spiritual sphere. Similarly, where sisters dress immodestly or attend the gatherings without a head covering, it promotes a spirit of anarchy, the carnal activity of the god of this world.

God’s assembly was designed to be a spiritual Eden in an ungodly world, the ideal environment for the new man, one from which the oldman, the flesh, is excluded, a divine sphere for the exercise of spiritual gifts. Human nature in all its aspects including the gifts and abilities of natural man, be they intellectual, musical, artistic, etc. have no place in the sphere of the Spirit. To operate in the flesh in the house of God as though it is legitimate behaviour, when God has declared it dead and finished with, is to make God a liar (1 John 1:6) and to cause division. It is a serious matter, as the saints at Corinth discovered (1 Cor.11:30).

Where believers are obdurate in naturalistic conduct in the sphere of spiritual things they should be avoided (Rom.16:17). This is in order to leave them in no doubt that their behaviour is unacceptable. It is one of only three instances in which believers are instructed to avoidfellow saints. Carnality is alien to the house of God and those who practice it are guarantors of division in the company.

To be carnally minded is (spiritual) death and enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be (Rom.8:6,7). Though we walk in the flesh in secular daily life, exercising human gifts of wisdom, common-sense reasoning, etc., we do not war according to the flesh in divine things, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual (2 Cor.10:3-4). Every aspect of the flesh, whether naturally good or bad, is excluded from spiritual considerations by the death of Christ. By walking according to the flesh in the sphere of spiritual things, the carnal believer unwittingly acts in denial of the crosswork of Christ and, like Peter (Mark 8:33), becomes a tool of satan.