Roman 8:6 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Paul’s epistle to the church at Rome gives many instructions on how to live a victorious Christian life. But the underlying theme is summed up by saying that in order to be a vessel which God can use we must rise above our carnal selves and take hold of the spiritual. Many Christians will tell you that carnal things have no place in church, yet do we know what carnal means? Are we aware of what constitutes carnality? Can we describe what it means to be carnal to a new believer so that they may avoid such things? Hopefully, the answer is yes. However, after meditation on what constitutes carnality, the Lord has shown me that “the carnal” is much broader than most people realize. Thus, today’s devotion is on Transcending Carnality.
To transcend means to rise above, to conquer or to remove something from your life that is beneath you. A Christian has no place for carnal things in their life. Paul makes it clear in Romans 8:7 that carnal things are at enmity with God, meaning that when we embrace the carnal we are fighting against God. So to understand how to rise above the carnal we must examine: 1) What does it mean to be carnal? 2) The danger of carnality to a Christian; and, 3) How to embrace the Spiritual Mind.
1) What does it mean to be carnal? – No one definition of carnal will encompass the entirety of what God means when He warns us to avoid carnal living. Yet 1Corinthians 3:3&4 makes it clear that carnality is the opposite of spirituality. Therefore, when God instructs us to not be carnal, He is telling us to abstain from anything that relates to the world or the flesh. Furthermore, God makes a clear delineation (numerous times) that we can do deeds in the name of Christ with a carnal focus. We must not serve the Lord for man’s applause, to consume upon our own lusts or to even attempt to serve the Lord out of the power of the flesh. All three are examples of, but not the entirety of, being carnal. Should I become so invested in a Netflix binge that I neglect to pray or study my bible, I am carnal. If for one second we stop being mindful of what the Lord would have us do, and then continue on to do what we would do, we are being carnal. So, the best definition of carnality is living in the flesh. Anything relating to satisfying the desires or urges of the flesh is carnal and I fear that so many times saved people try to live for the Lord using carnal methods and with a carnal mentality.
2) The Danger of Carnality to a Christian—When I do something in a carnal manner I am killing my relationship with God. I cannot walk after Him in the flesh, nor can I grow closer to the Lord when my actions say that my flesh is the lord of my life. The danger in being carnal is that we become used to it. Conviction grows duller the further I walk from God and the more I resist God. If I stray far enough away from God I will fall under his judgement, but even after being chastised a carnal person does not see it as for their betterment and can easily become bitter. How can someone who used to be on fire for the Lord fall into a life a depravity? Carnality. If my thoughts, actions and desires stem from the flesh then I am starving my spirit and I can come to a place where I forget that God even has a plan for my life. Carnality may not seem to be wicked on the surface, even to spiritual people, but if my desire brings anything between me and God then I am carnal. How can people lay out of church for Sunday School, Sunday Nights and Wednesdays? Carnality. How can people allow their child’s sport schedule to dictate their availability to God? Carnality. How can people think that so long as they sit on a pew 4 times a week it means they are right with God? Carnality. Hence, the danger in the carnal living.
3) How to Embrace the Spiritual Mind—In Romans 8:6&7 Paul references the carnal mind. In our text he writes that to be spiritually minded in life and peace. So how do we embrace the spiritual mind and continually walk therein? Simply, we must think (and then live) spiritually. It sounds easy because it is. Commune with the Spirit of God indwelling you. Look to the Scriptures for guidance, growth in Christ and correction. Listen to the Word when it is preached and then listen to the still small voice of God on how to apply it to your life. Without ceasing, talk with God and fellowship with the Savior. We are given access to all of these abilities, opportunities and privileges when Christ washed our souls in His precious blood at the moment of salvation. The only thing that dictates whether we embrace the spiritual or carnal is our desire. If I love God more than the world I will embrace the spiritual. It’s that simple.
I’ve said more than originally thought I would, so I’ll close quickly. A saved person who lives carnally will be miserable, controlled by the world, and ensnared by Satan. As our verse makes clear, that is not a person with life or peace. You are once again dead to the things of God and embroiled in the chaos of the world. If you desire to have a spiritual life all you must do is take up your cross and follow Christ.
Your fellowservant in Christ,
Bo. Jordan Foster
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