Is there such a thing as a carnal Christian?

Is there such a thing as a carnal Christian?

A popular radio/YouTube personality recently posted a message and meme that stated “There is no such thing as a carnal Christian.” Is that true?

What does the Bible have to say about carnality?

The word carnal is an adjective, and comes from the Greek root word sarx, which means the physical body or flesh. Carnal, then, means belonging to the flesh, or fleshly.

Paul used the word nine times in his writing.

In Romans 7:14, Paul refers to himself as carnal, explaining he is “sold under under sin.” This statement is a part of an argument he is giving about the conflict of two natures. One nature is fleshly, and works against his desire to live under the Law. “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15).

But there is another influence living within every believer. At the moment of our salvation, the Holy Spirit came to indwell us.

His presence is a guarantee of our future salvation. He is the new life within us. He remains in us to teach, convict, and to guide. Paul calls that new life within us a “new creation” in 2 Corinthians 5:17.

We may have a new nature (in the Spirit), but it is housed in the old flesh, which is self-absorbed and set against God. This coexistence within us is a serious conflict, one we will struggle against for our earthly lives. Peter warns about the struggle in 1 Peter 2:11: “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly (carnal) lusts which wage war against the soul.”

Sometimes we win against the flesh, sometimes we lose. But the struggle is real. Paul urged the Ephesians to “be filled with the Spirit,” in other words, to allow the Spirit within us to dominate so that we would walk according to Him, and not the flesh.

So is there such a thing as a carnal Christian? Yes. At least according to Paul and Peter.

In Paul’s greeting to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:2), he acknowledges them as true believers and a part of the Kingdom of God. “To the Church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling…” There is no doubt in Paul’s mind that the recipients of this letter are saved. “In everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:5-8).

Yet, a few pages later, Paul uses the dreaded word carnal to describe their recent actions. “You are still fleshly (carnal). For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly (carnal), and are you not walking like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:3). There were all kinds of terrible things going on in the Corinthian church. There was factional fighting (1:11, 11:18), some people trying to elevate themselves above the rest. People were following men rather than God (1:11-15). There was a case of incest not being addressed (5:1) and abuse of the Lord’s Supper (11: 13-31). All kinds of carnal activities. Does this mean they couldn’t be Christians? Not according to how Paul addressed them in chapter 1.

I do have to wonder why this teacher, mentioned at the beginning of this post, was working so hard to convince anyone with carnality in their lives that they are not actually saved. How does he hope his listening audience will respond? My guess is that he wants them to start acting like a Christian. Stop the sin to show that you are saved.

There are two things that need to be asked, if that is the case:

1. How much sin must be removed from our lives so that we can actually look like we are saved? 50%? 75%? Is every time we sin an indicator of our spiritual standing with God?
2. Can this man declare himself free of carnality? Of course not. He has plenty of sin in his own life he has yet to address. So that must mean that he is discounting his own sin, and pointing a finger at everyone else. Smells like a Pharisee to me. And we all know what Jesus had to say about them.

Our lives beyond the moment of our salvation will never be sin-free. That’s why Jesus had to die for us—even with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, sin will remain an influence in how we think and act. But what Jesus paid for was not only in our past. He paid for the sin of our present and even in our future.

Grace means unmerited favor. Salvation is a free gift. There is nothing we can do can earn the grace of God. Ever.