COLLEGE OF THE OPEN BIBLE
Carnality - The Hidden Danger. The question was asked of me: What is the Christians number one problem?
Answer: While there are many problems... the number one problem with your life is your toleration of your own carnality. And in a biblical estimation; carnality is the toleration of one's selfishness. Carnality is the root cause to every downfall of Christians, and effects their relationships of whatever sort; ever captive in a perpetual state of pretentiousness WHILE REMAINING IN DEBT TO FEAR. Carnality stands in the way of every believer's godly potential.
The Holy Spirit constantly works against carnality. Why? Shallowness and pretention are the monologue of carnality. It's testimony is contemptuous, having no genuine respect for Gods will. The means of nourishment for carnality is vanity and relies exclusively on human tendencies and always results in irrational and unpredictable resolve.
The classic symptom of carnality is an unwillingness to listen and follow through with God's will (1 Cor. 3:1,2). This is a dangerous problem! Carnal believers are left to their own inclinations while lacking the ability to rightly divide God's Word. This is why carnality is the number one problem in one's life as a Believer. Carnal Believers are always vulnerable, even tolerant of misrepresentation and ill-interpretation of the Bible. Thus, their testimony is soured by unrealistic expectations.
Christians cannot afford to live in a constant state of carnality. It results in reckless pursuits that undermines spiritual growth. Discerning Believers understand that carnality is a perpetual state of counterfeiting God's will for selfish inclinations. Christians that tolerate and even accommodate carnality inflict upon themselves the ultimate price of becoming void of a genuine testimony of knowing Jesus Christ.
Note differences between Carnality & Spirituality:
The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
While carnality is bondage to self-focus, spirituality is Christ-centered focused. Note the contrast:
CARNALITY -------versus--------SPIRITUALITY
Taker ---------------------------------Taken
Assumes ----------------------------- Assured
Complains---------------------------- Constrained
Contentious---------------------------Content
Competes---------------------------- Concrete
Overcomed--------------------------- Overcoming
Given To Change ---------------------Living Changed
Divisive-------------------------------- Decisive
Trust The Visible-------------------- Trust The Invisible
Looks For Opportunity--------------- Looks To Importunity
Independent-------------------------- Dependent
Lives By Fearing -------------------- Lives By Hearing
Wants To Survive-------------------- Wants To Submit
Needs Excitement-------------------- Heeds Exactness
Preference Oriented------------------Principle Oriented
Needs Alternatives------------------- Heeds Ultimatum
Makes Demands--------------------- Takes Commands
Carnalities only purpose is to further the cause of one's self-interest. This is very dangerous. Because carnality is rooted in the process of thinking that is based on one's feelings which can only result in corruption. There is nothing more essential to the Believer than spiritual growth. The alternative is a constancy of masquerade and bareness. Thank God we have the indwelling Holy Spirit who never tolerates our personal indifference to spiritual growth but is ever transforming us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
Being spiritual is the result of thinking based on facts and principles outlined in the Bible. All that matters to the spiritually minded believer is the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ by conforming to the very likeness of Christ (Philippians 1:21).
Sincerely, Dr. Arthur Belanger
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