“For we know that the law is spiritual:
but I am carnal, sold under sin.” –Romans 7:14
Some time ago my buddies and I thought it a good idea to go, hiking. Basically, you just walk through the woods
and when it gets dark you set up a tent and sleep on the ground. Then you wake the next day to do it all over
again. In preparation for the hiking
experience a number of things that were not so important to you, suddenly
become important; things like shelter, food, water, and a map. As with any trek through unknown territory, a
map is needed to plot your course, find your path, and stay on it so you can
reach your destination. The Bible is a
map and it shows us a clear path to heaven, from birth to death. It tells us plainly the path we must follow in
order to make it to eternity. While the terrain
will vary from person to person, the path to heaven for each man will remain
consistent. What follows in this article
is the beginning of a six part series that details the Biblical path that we
all must walk in order to make it to heaven.
My prayer is that while you read about the Path, it will, through the
spirit, help illuminate what path you are on, and help guide you or affirm to
you the correct course. Furthermore,
please take every opportunity to search the scriptures and find for yourself
the proper course.
It begins at birth, within you physical man there exists a spiritual
man. An unseen, intangible being that
holds sinful characteristics like your physical man holds human traits. For example, the physical man is born and
desires milk, part of being a human, it’s in us at birth. So, the spiritual man, when born desires
wicked things that serve its own lust.
We don’t really see it in little babies, but it doesn’t take long until
they are lying, cheating, and stealing to get what they want. The carnal man exists within and it
identifies with the works of the devil.
It follows what it wants and regards little the wants of others. It is discontented, hateful, greedy,
prideful, and a myriad of other bad things.
While the fruits of this seed of carnality within may not always be seen
on the tree, you can rest assure that the seed of carnality can produce all
these unholy tempers and more given the right temperature and soil. If left unaddressed, the carnality within
will destroy the man without and then ultimately destroy the soul within. This is the lost condition that every man is
born into. Lurking deep within every new
born man (that is human) is the inherited carnal man, and this carnal man is
simply waiting for the human to reach the point of reason and logic so that it
can manifest itself. If the world truly
understood what this monster known as the carnal man was capable of, there
would never again be another church pew vacant; but, alas, Satan has “blinded
the minds.” What a blow it would be to
his kingdom if he allowed those to see and understand what the carnal man was;
and what it is capable of.
This is the beginning of our path, the inception of our
journey. At the initial step on the
trail we find ourselves lost and fallen from the fellowship. How did we get to this fallen spiritual condition,
why are we lost? We find the answer in
the book of Genesis. Adam, the first man,
was placed in the Garden of Eden and not in the garden just to exist, but to
live, to live in perfect fellowship with God his creator. Satan entered in and deceived man, man
disobeyed and was cast out of this perfect fellowship. They were not only cast out in body, but in
spirit. The image of holiness and
righteousness that they were created in, died within; and where righteousness once
existed within the spirit of carnality now reigns. For this very purpose the obedience of Jesus
was needed, from the moment of the disobedience of Adam. So, if we are to return to the perfect
fellowship we must once again have obedience.
In this we find the good news, that there is redemption for us, but that
is further along the path.
