Monday, June 4, 2018

Renewing Your Mind Series: Are You Carnal Minded?



Romans 8:5-8

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

What do you set your mind on everyday? Is it pursuing your dreams? Your spouse? Children? Work? Girlfriend/Boyfriend? Movies? T.V. Shows? Video Games? Sports? Social Media? Etc.......

If you think about any one or more of the above things all day long, your mind is carnal! 

Paul had to deal with carnal Christians in the first century church.

1st Corinthians 3:1-4

"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 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; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

So what does carnal mean?

"not spiritual; merely human; temporal; worldly: a man of secular, rather carnal, leanings." (dictionary.com)

Paul's goal as a minister of God was to present the saints perfect or mature in Christ and he wanted all the saints to have the same mind.

Colossians 1:27-29

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily."

1st Corinthians 1:10

"Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

So what do you talk about after your Sunday morning service? The next professional sports game? What restaurant to go to for lunch? Politics? Who wore this or that?

If you don't pray consistently, study the scriptures, and meditate on the word of God daily, then your mind is carnal!

In Jesus,
Tyrone