In 1Corinthians 2:14-15 and 3:4, scriptures clarify that there are three types of people in the world. These are: (1) The natural man, (2) The spiritual man and (3) The carnal believer.
For the purpose of this piece, we will focus on the Carnal Believer. Day-in-day-out, the Church is littered with people who claim to have given their lives to Christ, who claim to love God, who claim to fear God, and who claim to be walking in obedience to the Word of God.
However, the growing rate of iniquity, strange happenings in the society, and the manifestations of so many people who hide under the umbrella of Christianity are a testament that though many are in the Church, very few are in Christ Jesus, very few have the fear of God and very very few are walking in obedience to God’s Principles.
What this implies is that the Church is littered with carnal believers, people who are in Church every Sunday to raise ‘Holy Hands’ but do their biddings outside the Church. While some of them are walking in ignorance, some actually believe that ‘no one is righteous’ so there is no need carrying ‘God on their head’. Hence, they live their lives carelessly.
To drive home the point, let’s underscore some characteristics of a Carnal Believer. The aim is to expose people to who they really are, so that they can make amends.
- A Carnal Believer is ruled and motivated by the desires of the flesh. They are in Church because of what they will get and not because of love for God or fear of God. Perhaps, they are looking for the fruits of the womb, looking for a job, ideas, connections, opportunities, etc. When they eventually get what they want, they begin to make excuses. The Church is a solution ground to problems but if you’re being motivated to go to Church solely because of what you will get, you are a carnal believer – 1John 2:16. In Ecclesiastes 12:13, God commands that you should fear Him and keep His commandments.
- A Carnal Believer washes their outside garment and leaves the inside dirty – Matthew 23:25. Eye services, public show off and pretending to be Holy while secretly indulging in unrighteousness are the attributes of a carnal believer.
- They choose which deeds of the flesh to mortify. In Colossians 3:5, God commands that believers should mortify every deed that is not of Him. But, the carnal believer will choose to mortify some and leave others.
- To the Carnal Believer, no one is perfect so it is okay to be lukewarm. The slogan of ‘no one is perfect’ is a motivation to the carnal believer to continue in his carnality. They are quick to quote scriptures to substantiate their carnal belief but fail to realise that there are people in the Bible who were declared righteous. They also forget that God commands His children to be Holy even as He is Holy – Matthew 5:48.
- Envy, strife, divisions are found in carnal believers – Colossians 3:3. They are agents of division among brethren, and groups they belong to. Carnal believers see nothing wrong in keeping malice. God’s instruction for believers to be at peace with all men doesn’t move carnal believers. They want to live their lives the way they pleased. If you offend them, they trouble you in return. They reward evil with evil and good with good. And that is because they don’t have the mind of Christ.
- Compromise the word of God for personal gains. They interpret the Scriptures to sooth their purpose despite God’s warning that no one should add to or subtract from the Word. Carnal Believers will say thus saith the Lord when God has not spoken.
- It is my life so I will live it the way I want is another slogan of the Carnal Believer. They believe that they own their life despite confessing to have given it to Christ. In 1 Corinthians 6:20, Scriptures mention that every believer has been bought with a price (the Blood) so they no longer own their lives – the life now belongs to Christ and He alone should determine what should be done with the life.
If you find any of the above characteristics in your life, make haste and amend your ways. In Romans 8:6, Bible says “For to be carnally minded in death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace”.
More so, in Colossians 3:1 Apostle Paul instructs that “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God”.
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