Evidences of the Carnal Mind
In dealing with this phase of our subject we can mention only some of the outstanding evidences and some of the most deadly and deceptive. As we proceed with this, let everyone breathe an earnest prayer that the Spirit may give light and understanding so that if any of the symptoms are present the devil may not get us to cover up the fact, but with honest hearts confess it to Him who alone can deal with it. There are many things we could well afford to be mistaken in, and there are those questions that we might brush aside without very serious consequences; but the question of heart purity is one in which none of us can afford to be mistaken.
We take the position that anything in the human heart that is an any way adverse to, or out of harmony with, the Spirit of Christ is evidence that the carnal mind is dwelling within. Now let us consider some such symptoms; and if you find that any of them are in your heart, be alarmed, for it is evidence of a diseased condition.
All of the conditions are not necessarily true of one individual life, for the carnal mind does not manifest itself alike in all. it works in various ways, and manifests itself in different ways in different people. In one it may show itself as pride, while another may find that in his case it is a spirit of retaliation; and another may not find either of these present in any marked degree, but find within him something that wants to become angry when things do not go to suit him. Some may find that several symptoms are present, while others may find a smaller number that actually exhibit themselves.
1) In Luke 9:54 we read: "And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?" All Bible students will recall that this was uttered because the Samaritans would not receive Jesus. They acted unfriendly. Here is manifested the spirit of retaliation. Jesus immediately turned to them and rebuked them, and not only them but also the spirit in them that caused them to take such an attitude. How often do we see this spirit manifested, even in people who profess to be disciples of Jesus! It is an earmark of the carnal mind. We never find the disciples of Jesus acting in this way after Pentecost. When the fiery baptism with the Holy Ghost came upon them in the Upper Room, all this was burned out of them, and they went forth in love, blessing rather than cursing people.
When someone treats you with indifference, or does not give you the consideration you think you ought to have, or treats one of your friends in that way, do you want to avenge the deed? Do you feel that you would be glad for an opportunity to avenge it, even though you know that it would not be proper for you actually to carry it into effect? When someone criticizes an act on your part, do you become "wrought up" over it, and do you take a "fling" at him when the opportunity presents itself? Read slowly now. Do not get in too great a hurry to read the advance pages of this treatise. If you are a pastor and one of your members should venture to say something about a word or deed on your part, do you want to get rid of that person? Do you want to dismiss him from the church? do you meet the criticism by finding fault with your critic? If you are a Sunday-school superintendent and one of your teachers fails to fall in line with all your plans immediately, do you look about for some excuse to dismiss said teacher? We hear a layman say that if you do you are carnal. And we are very much inclined to believe that he is correct. Such is surely the doings of the carnal mind. But the same principle in a layman would also be carnal. We would not defend the official who displays such a spirit, but neither can the layman be defended. Of all misfits. we can think of none so pronounced as the official in a church being provoked to retaliation. To want, or actually, to crush one who offers a bit of criticism to some word or deed on his dart is certainly the work of the carnal mind; but in the end it is no more fatal to the official than it is to the layman or common citizen of the realm. If the disciples needed the sanctifying fire to burn out of them unholy tempers, we certainly all need it.
In Romans 12:17-19 we read, "Recompense to no man evil for evil ... If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men ... Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath." We have heard people say, "I don't care what folks think of me or how they feel about it," and then proceed to act as though they were sincere in their statement. Every child of God should care a great deal what people think, and how they feel; for only as long as they have confidence in you is it possible for you to help them. Confidence can be easily broken down, but once lost it is extremely difficult to regain.
2) Mark 9:33, 34: "And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest." Many have gone to the rocks because they had this same spirit of office-seeking. There are those who are always seeking the place of prominence in the church or community. If they are not elected, the people do not know how to appreciate talent, that is, to hear these office-seekers relate about it. If you are not elected to a position on the official board of the church, do you want to kick out of the traces and leave all the load for those who are elected to pull? Do you absent yourself from Sunday school when you are no longer elected superintendent, or appointed as one of the teachers? Is your place in the choir vacant after someone else has been elected leader of song? Or if you are not guilty of any of the above-mentioned deeds, do you "pull wires" that you may be elected to a high office or as a delegate to the annual meeting? Those who do the above-mentioned deeds, or use any other method of electing themselves, need to unload some pride or selfishness. Get rid of the carnal mind.
In Matthew 20:24 we read, "And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren." Is that the way you acted? We once had a member where we served as a pastor, who was very indignant about something one Sunday. After the service we ascertained that the cause for the indignation was that we had called on another brother in the church to lead in public prayer more often than we had called on him. This is an unmistakable mark of the carnal mind.
3) Mark 9:38: "And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbade him, because he followeth not us." Here we see displayed the disposition to think that we are IT, that no one else has a right to a place for divine service. It is a feeling that we have a monopoly on the supply of grace. But just as surely as Jesus rebuked John on that day would He rebuke all of like disposition or spirit in this or any other day.
4) Matthew 25:25: "And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth." Here is a failure to perform a known duty, a failure due to indifference, or perhaps due to the fact that he did not want to shoulder responsibility. There are many who will not leave their comfort to help someone in need, or to help push the battle against unrighteousness. They think more of their easy chair than they do of the souls of men; more of physical rest for themselves than they do of soul rest of others. Now, we would not have anyone think that the failure to perform known duty is carnality. That is sin in action. But that which causes the neglect of known duty is the carnal mind. The failure itself is merely a skin eruption of the disease. While the teeming millions are without God and without hope in the world, how can anyone withdraw to the pleasant confines of home and ease and personal interests instead of being about his Master's business-that of rescuing souls at all hazards? We all need to get rid of the carnal mind and be possessed with an all-consuming passion for the souls of men.
5) Matthew 23:14: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye ... for a pretence make long prayer." We must not understand here that long prayers are condemned. Jesus Himself sometimes prayed all night. That person who does not spend much time in prayer cannot hope to keep a lively and rich experience of salvation. Prayer is the Christian's breath. Those who have accomplished the most for God were individuals who waited much in the presence of God. The condemnation here is on the hypocrisy, because through pretense they prayed long prayers, by this pretending that they were very pious. It is not always necessary to use long prayers as a hypocritical cloak. Short prayers would invoke the same condemnation when uttered in pretense. We would not discourage long prayers. But when it comes to public prayer, we might take a thought here and throw away all routines and forms, introductories and conclusions, and by the help of the Spirit focalize and concentrate our prayers -- not pray "at folks," but direct the prayer to the throne of eternal grace. David said, "In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Here seems to be a metaphor taken from an archer. He sees his mark, takes aim, lets fly. Prayers that have a right aim will have an answer. "He who sends up his petition to God through Christ, from a warm, affectionate heart, may confidently look up for an answer, for it will come." We have known people who always commenced their prayers something like this: "It is through the unending chain of Thy divine providence," etc., or some other such phraseology;' and then, after having prayed a while, or having said some sentences of a prayer nature, they again have a set form with which to close their prayer. If a person who is acquainted with them should come into the assembly while they are praying, he could almost guess just where they are in their prayer, and about how long it will take for them to arrive at the other end of their prayer. Surely a heart that is filled with the Holy Ghost ought not to have a stereotyped form of prayer.
6) The disposition to push blame off on someone else is a very prevalent mark of the carnal mind. This is one of the very first evidences that Adam displayed in manifesting that the deadly work had been accomplished, and that Satan had planted the seeds of sin in his heart. But, oh, how miserably he failed in his effort! The God of all wisdom could not be deceived. We may blame others for this or that, but when the records are opened they will surely reveal who is to blame and where the responsibility lies.
7) Then there is that disposition of wanting to shift responsibility, as we see in the case of Peter as recorded in John 21:19-21. If there is a tendency to want to get out of responsibility because you see someone else who does not seem to "shoulder" responsibility, be alarmed, find a place of prayer, and ask God to take that deadly opiate out of your soul. It will bring death and decay to spiritual life If there is not an eagerness to please God and to grant His every wish regardless of what someone else may do, or may not do, then certainly there is a diseased condition and it needs immediate attention.
All the divinely bestowed endowments and opportunities will one day have to be accounted for. In that day faithfulness will be rewarded while retribution will be meted out to the unfaithful. The talents that we possess are not our own. They are merely loaned to be used, and we each have a responsibility in the great work of rescuing souls from the curse of sin. In all that we do, God's glory and not personal gain or advancement must be the objective. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
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