Ye Are Carnal Part 1

BLJ: A born again believer still has the carnal or sin nature in them. We will look at what that is and how to have it removed.

"YE ARE YET CARNAL"

1. What is the state of the Christian who has been born again?

He is conscious of a new spiritual life, but he is also conscious of a remaining inner disorder, or a proneness to evil -- an inner strife between these conflicting principles or natures.

2. What is this nature in man which is contrary to the spiritual life?

It is the sinful nature, which as his misfortune was within him when he was born into the world; the same nature of sin which as a natural man caused him to do wrong. While as a child of God he is forgiven of all the wrongs he has done and he has become a partaker of the divine nature, nevertheless this nature of sin remains within him as the enemy of the spiritual life.

3. What are the Bible terms used to designate this remaining nature of sin? There are numerous terms used to designate this nature of sin: the old man, the carnal mind, the flesh, the body of sin, the law of sin, sin that dwelleth in me, sin as used as a noun in contrast to "sin," the verb.

4. Do holiness churches alone teach that sin remains in the nature of the child of God after he is born again?

No. It is the universal teaching of orthodox churches, and the universal experience of born again Christians.

5. Was this sinful nature manifested in the lives of the disciples of Jesus?

It was. Even though they were disciples of Jesus, were members of the true Vine (John 15:5), had their names written in heaven (Luke 10:20), were not of the world even as Christ was not of the world (John 17:9, 14), yet they were revengeful (Luke 9:54 - 55), were bigoted (Mark 9:38), filled with indignation toward each other (Matt. 20:24), self-seeking (Mark 9:34), and were vacillating in their relation to Jesus -- Peter denied Him and the others followed afar off.