1 Cor 3:3 – For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
One thing that becomes pretty clear early on in the Apostle Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians is his frustration and concern with the fact that many there had not “grown up” in their Christianity and were stuck in a state of perpetual spiritual infancy.
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ (1 Cor 3:1).
Many had made an initial profession of faith and commitment to the Lord, but had not really taken that commitment seriously enough by submitting themselves to the daily work of the Spirit in their lives to transform them and make them new. Or if they did initially submit to the work of the Spirit, somewhere they had veered off course and lost their way.
One of the primary goals of Paul’s first letter to the Church there was to alert them and warn them and to get them back on track. What the Apostle Paul was NOT trying to do was create a new class of Christianity called “carnal” Christianity, yet many times, sadly, I have heard Christians make that very assertion. I have heard some say “Do you see!, the Apostle Paul chastised them for their carnality but he still called them brethren…so that means you can be a “carnal” Christian”, completely missing the whole point of the epistle. I think the Apostle Paul would be shocked and saddened at that misapplication. The point was not to try and comfort them in their carnality, but to wake them up and warn of the consequences if they continue on that path. In fact he tries to reason with them 1 Cor 6:9 by saying “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?” and then gives a sample list of sins and behaviors of those who will not inherit the kingdom. That warning was not directed at unbelievers, but squarely at those who were in the Church, to those who professed Christianity, but yet walked in unrighteousness. He wasn’t referring to those who lacked the application of Christ’s righteousness, but to those who were failing to walk out that application and impartation of His righteousness by faith in how they lived their lives.
Modern day evangelical theology has utterly failed to convey this truth and has even given the idea that because we are “clothed” in Christ’s righteousness, somehow our behavior is detached from that. That even if a Christian continues to walk in unrighteousness, they need not worry because they are “covered” by Christ’s righteousness and God just sort of overlooks and dismisses their behavior. This a serious and egregious error and is likely the same mentality that was in the Corinthian Church which is why Paul warned them that their future entrance into heaven was at stake if they continued on that path. We don’t hear those warnings today, instead we tell Christians that “should” be godly in their behavior, but don’t worry, you will still be in heaven regardless. Is it any wonder that we have the same or even worse rampant carnality and ungodliness in the Church today amongst those who profess to be followers of Christ? Telling Christians, who are going to face intense warfare from the devil and their flesh to return to their sin and forsake righteousness, that in the end it doesn’t really jeopardize their salvation, does it then surprise us that many give up the fight and give in to temptation?
The Apostle Paul said this in 2 Tim 2:19 – Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. That is the mark, that is the seal of those who know the Lord and belong to Him, they fight the good fight of faith, they depart from iniquity, they walk in righteousness, they don’t accept “carnal” Christianity.