Scripture Reading: Romans 8:5-9

Are You Carnal?

Intro.

1. Question: What does it mean to be carnal? What is carnality? (How does carnality show itself in our lives? What does carnality look like?)

2. Carnal: “Anything related to the fleshly or worldly appetites and desires rather than to the godly and spiritual desires.”^[1]

a. Physical, sensual pleasures of sin, Jas. 3:15.

b. Worldly lusts, 1 Jno. 2:16.

I. WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CARNAL.

A. To be Under the Control of the Flesh, cf. Rom. 7:14.

1. Sold under sin, cf. 1 Kgs. 21:20, 25; 2 Kgs. 17:17.

2. Ruled, dominated by sin; The servant of sin, Rom. 6:12-13.

B. The Carnal Mind and Life is Controlled by the Flesh, Rom. 8:5-8.

1. Mind and life are set on worldly things, 8:5 (Col. 3:2).

2. Produces spiritual death, 8:6 (Rom. 6:23).

3. Enmity against God, 8:7 (Jas. 4:4).

4. Not submissive to the law of God, 8:7.

-Not guided by revelation. This person lives on the basis of human reasoning and fleshly desires, 1 Cor. 2:14.

5. Cannot please God / No fellowship with God, 8:8-9 (2 Cor. 5:9).

C. What it Means to be Spiritual, Rom. 8:5-8; 1 Cor. 2:15 (Gal. 5:22).

-Submissive to the law of God, the inspired revelation (Scriptures).

II. CARNALITY: SINS OF THE FLESH.

A. To Not Develop Spiritually Means One is Still Carnal, 1 Cor. 3:1-2.

1. Unspiritual, still babes when should have grown, Heb. 5:11-14; 2 Tim. 3:6-7.

2. Thoughts are not on spiritual things, Gen. 6:5; Psa. 10:4.

B. To be Against Spiritual Things is to be Carnal, 1 Cor. 3:3.

1. Anti-spiritual, cf. 1 Jno. 2:18.

2. The “natural man” (controlled by the flesh) – Things of God are foolishness to him, 1 Cor. 2:14; 1:18, 23.

3. This mind is set on the things of men, not God, Matt. 16:23.

C. What Forms do Carnal Sins Take? (What does carnality look like?)

1. The works of the flesh, Gal. 5:19-21.

a. Sins of sensuality; Driven by the flesh, Col. 3:5; Rom. 13:13-14.

b. Sexual immorality: Pornography (Matt. 5:28), pre-marital and extra-marital sex (Lev. 18:20; 1 Cor. 7:2), homosexuality (Gen. 19:5), 1 Thess. 4:3-8.

c. Lustful, lewd behavior (modern dance), lustful longings, inordinate affection, Col. 3:5. (cf. Entertained by lewd behavior)

d. Immodest clothing is carnal, displaying the flesh without decency and the restraint of a sense of shame, 1 Tim. 2:9.

e. Idolatry and superstitions: Covetousness, greed, false gods... (Col. 3:5)

f. Discord, Gal. 5:20; 1 Cor. 3:3-4. Envy, strife, division.

g. Intemperate excesses, 1 Pet. 4:3-4. Intoxicants leading to excess, riotous conduct associated with such excesses.

h. Lack of self-control over the mind and body, 1 Cor. 6:12, 19-20. (cf. Gluttony, smoking, etc. – being controlled by the flesh!)

2. Violates the authority of Christ, Rom. 8:7; Matt. 28:18 (Col. 3:17).

III. OVERCOMING CARNALITY.

A. The Weapons of Our Warfare, 2 Cor. 10:4. (Admit the battle!)

1. The cross of Christ, Gal. 6:14. (crucify the world, 2:20)

2. The truth of God, 2 Cor. 10:5. (knowledge and obedience)

3. Repentance of sin, 2 Cor. 10:5. (change the mind)

4. The armor of God, Eph. 6:10-17.

B. Ways of Escape, 1 Cor. 10:13.

1. Prayer and peace, Phil. 4:6-7 (Jas. 5:16).

2. Worship, Jas. 5:13.

3. Fervent spirit of service, Rom. 12:11.

4. The Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3:16-17. (Spiritual growth to maturity)

5. Help of fellow Christians, Gal. 6:1-2.

Conclusion

1. Carnality is living for the lusts of men, 1 Pet. 4:1-2.

2. The world and its lusts are passing away; do the will of God and abide forever, 1 Jno. 2:17.

^[1] Brand, C., Draper, C., England, A., Bond, S., Clendenen, E. R., & Butler, T. C. (Eds.). (2003). Carnal. In Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 270). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: March 17, 2015