BY DAVE SEIVRIGHT, NOVEMBER 7, 2019.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Corinth:
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3: 1–3, NKJV).
The interpretation of this passage should be obvious.
PLEASE NOTE:
1. He assumes that he is speaking to genuine Christians. He calls them “brethren”.
2. He makes it clear in verse 3 that “envy, strife, and divisions” is carnal behavior.
3. Carnal behavior is befitting of non-Christians (they are behaving “like mere men”)
4. He is NOT saying that they are not Christians.
5. He is NOT saying that if they continue in carnal behavior indefinitely that they they can be sure that they are real regenerate Christians, as this would contradict the rest of Scripture.
In 1 John, the Apostle John makes it clear that:
(a) Genuine regenerate Christians are sinners “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8
(b) Genuine regenerate Christians cannot “continue in sin”. (present continuous tense in the Greek). See: 1 John 3:6; 5:18) and “What does it mean that believers do not continue to sin “https://www.gotquestions.org/continue-to-sin.html
It is helpful to ask certain questions on the topic of the so-called “Carnal Christian” and to also read and listen to all or some of the recommended resources below.
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WHAT IS THE “CARNAL CHRISTIAN” HERESY? This is sometimes referred to as the “Lordship Controversy”.
1. Can you be a genuine Christian if you have accepted Christ as Savior but not as LORD? Of course not‼️ This is no difference to the faith of demons who believe without repentance (James 2:19)
2. Are you a Christian if there is no change in your life after professed conversion to Christ? Do you continue a life CHARACTERIZED by sinfulness or carnality?
Are there are 2 types of Christians:
1. The SPIRITUAL Christian and
2. The CARNAL CHRISTIAN. ????
Speaking BIBLICALLY we must say “Of course there can be no such thing as a “CARNAL CHRISTIAN”, although the genuine Christian life is one of hills and valleys and from time to time Christians do behave like non-Christians. Yet no true Christian is CHARACTERIZED by a life of carnality!
Because of the process of Sanctification, Christians gradually are conformed to be more like the image of Christ, and the change in their thoughts words and deeds should be evident to themselves and also to others.
God does not tolerate unrepentant sin in genuine Christians indefinitely. In 1 Corinthians 11, God makes it clear that if genuine Christians continue in unrepentant sin some will get sick or even die. The Book of Hebrews tells us that God disciplines those whom he loves! This is a certain promise for His children who willingly live outside of His will.
In the Psalms David asks the Question “Why do the wicked prosper?”. God’s answer is that their end will be worse than their beginning. In other words if a professing Christian continues in rebellion against God and still prospers, he or she is not a Christian at all. Such a person will end up in the Lake of Fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
FOR MORE ON THIS SUBJECT:
SEE: “What should we think of ‘THE CARNAL CHRISTIAN” by Ernest C. Reisinger [PDF]What should we think of ‘ THE CARNAL CHRISTIANrediscoveringthebible.com/Carnal.pdf
ALSO SEE: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/rethinking-the-carnal-christian
PLEASE PARTICULARLY LISTEN TO:
“A WARNING TO PROFESSING CHRISTIANS BY JESUS” – Sermon by Al Martin
21 “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. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23
The above Al Martin Sermon has affected me personally deeply and profoundly‼️
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For more detailed sermons by Al Martin on the subject of the “Carnal Christian” SEE:
The Carnal Christian Doctrine #1
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?m=t&s=11110485122
The Carnal Christian Doctrine #2
https://www.sermonaudio.com/saplayer/playpopup.asp?SID=11110485918
Albert N. Martin concluded 46 years of ministry at Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey, in June 2008, and he and his second wife Dorothy relocated to Michigan (he lost his first wife Marilyn in 2004 after 48 years of marriage and a six-year battle with cancer). A recognised evangelist, counsellor, pastor and preacher, Al Martin had his first experience of street preaching before the age of eighteen, under the guidance of elders at the Mission Hall he attended. He taught all the courses in Pastoral Theology in the Trinity Ministerial Academy for 20 years until it closed in 1998. In his ‘retirement’, he is now working to put these lectures into permanent DVD format, as well as having several writing projects in the pipeline. Al Martin is the author of four booklets published by the Trust – A Life of Principled Obedience, Living the Christian Life, The Practical Implications of Calvinism, and What’s Wrong with Preaching Today?
