Soul Harvest Ministries of Minnesota
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Some have taught that one can be a follower of Christ and live in sin. Often they say they are carnal Christians. First we must define* carnal and Christian to better understand if this is possible.
The term was first used in the book of Acts to describe a follower of Christ.
Christian: a believer in Jesus as the Christ, or in the religion based on the teachings of Jesus. Professing the religion based on the teachings of Jesus. Having the qualities taught by Jesus, as love, kindness, ect.
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
1 Peter 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
Carnal: of the flesh, worldly; material. Sensual; sexual.
James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Jude 1:18-20 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
James 3:15-20 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly (which is worldly), sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
No longer under the Law? To justify their teaching they will often quote scripture that says we are no longer under the law, hence sin, although not good, it can’t affect our relationship with God. They take it out of context. Let’s read what the bible teaches on it.
Galatians 5:16-21 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Here it tells us those who are lead by the Spirit (not under the law), and it doesn’t say those who believe in Jesus are not under the law, it instead gives a list of sins as the determining factor of those who are lead by the spirit. If your practicing sin in your life you are not lead by the spirit, you are under the law.
What it is saying is if we are lead by the spirit we won’t practice a sinful life and won’t be judged by the law. For the law was designed for sinners:
1 Timothy 1:8-10 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
Some think once we put our trust in Jesus sin isn’t counted against us, meaning we can sin and it’s no problem. If that be the case why does it use as a test to show whose under the law by listing sin? Why not just say trust Jesus and your fine. As long as your practicing sin your still under the law.
1 Peter 4:3-4 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. So much for being a worldly Christian.
Titus 1:16-2:1 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: Professing to know God doesn't mean your saved, but it’s your works/fruits that show who are truly His.
Matthew 7:13-27 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by there fruits you will know them. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to me that day, *‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name?’ And I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!(All lawlessness is sin-1 John 3:4)’“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house; and the house fell. And great was its fall.” They served God and confessed Jesus as Lord, yet their sinfulness kept them out of heaven.
1 John 2:4 He who says, “I know Him”, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Sin was so important to Jesus that he said it would be better to cut off our hand, feet, or gouge out our eye to prevent sin from sending us to Hell (Matthew 5:30, Matthew 18:8, Mark 9:43).
I could give more scripture, but the bible is so clear on this subject that when one denies the scripture it is usually their own desires to sin that makes them twist the scripture, not the lack of evidence. To be carnal and to be Christian is not possible they are polar opposites!
*Definitions taken from Webster’s dictionary
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