Carnal vs. Spiritual

“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?” – 1 Cor 3: 1-4

“Are ye not Carnal?”  As the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians, the sorrow in his heart spills out onto the page.  Not sorrowing for their loss, no; but sorrowing for their state.  There was division, envying, and strife; one person saying “I of Paul” another saying “I of Apollos.”  They were boasting of their conversion and worse still, they were ascribing the doctrine of Jesus to a man!  This being proof positive, right off the bat, that they were clearly carnal.  So, what is meant by this rhetorical question “Are ye not carnal?”  How does it apply to us today?  

The book of 1 Corinthians (specifically chapters 2-6) like the story of Samson is a wonderful example of what not to do.  Yet, with the scriptures readily available to all men, we still find many falling into the same trap as the Corinthian’s were ensnared in.  The sum of which is this; their focus was on self, and on the physical, natural things of this life.  A short list of the Corinthians short comings as set forth by the scriptures is this: they were ascribing their salvation to a man, boasting of his teachings rather than searching the scriptures and finding out what Christ had in store for them.  Furthermore, there was fornication among them, and “brother was going to law against brother.”  That is say one person in the church taking another in the church to court; over some matter.  Does this not happen today?  Someone will have a death in the family, and a marvelous squabble will break out over that lost family member’s possessions. Or a business transaction goes wrong between two persons in the church, and one sues the other for the sum of money.  Paul writes on the subject: “Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?”  Clearly we begin to see the characteristics of one who is carnal.  A great amount of emphasis put on self, and on the natural, physical things.  Furthermore it is a complete unwillingness to abase oneself, and perhaps the most disturbing of all, the inability to see past the physical, therefore rendering oneself incapable to understand the spiritual.  Ask yourself: “What draws my attention?”  “What governs my life?”  Is it yourself, another man, or something that is tangible?  Or perhaps, what drives you is something unseen; perhaps you are serving the Lord Jesus Christ.  Are ye yet carnal or spiritual?  Carnal, we know well what this is, and if still you are unsure, look around how “men walk” (that is to say conduct their lives) that is carnal.  So, what is spiritual? 

Spiritual is not the same as “spirituality”.  There are many today who sit in classes, read philosophy novels, meditate, etc. and this is considered a quest for greater spirituality.  But what saith the scriptures?  That “God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)  The Bible says God is a spirit, and we know through the scriptures that he is the creator and maker of all things; therefore if any spiritual experience can be obtained it must be obtained by him and through him.  Spirituality (in my opinion) is a trinket you add on to your current lifestyle; spiritual is the overhaul of the lifestyle itself.  It is a total yielding to the gospel of Christ.  It is a complete surrender of your will and a total adhering to the will of God.  Spiritual or he/she who is spiritual is the opposite of carnal.  In short, one who is spiritual is one who is Christ-like, Bible-like, focused on heaven; one who is a pilgrim and stranger here.

To be spiritual is to be Christ.  However, we do not adopt Christ, his “ideals and philosophies” are not an addition to our life; no, rather, he IS our life, and if he is our life we cannot be our own.  This is why we cannot and should be carnal, because carnal is pride and the exalting of self; which flies in the face of all that is Christ, and therefore prevents us from being spiritual.  One must renounce their self, their pride, their will, their wishes, and plead for Jesus in the person of the Holy Ghost, to come in and take the helm of their whole life.  He is not an addition to life, but life itself.  So, flee all things carnal, and cleave to that which is spiritual.     

       “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” -Matthew 16: 24