When Can the Carnal Mind Be Destroyed? Part 1

When Can the Carnal Mind Be Destroyed?

All orthodox churches admit and teach that the carnal mind exists in the heart of the believer after conversion. Likewise they all contend that the carnal mind must be destroyed, and that holiness is absolutely necessary as a qualification for heaven. Even the Catholic church contends for that. The differences in the various teachings have to do mostly with the time when it is destroyed.

As we survey this theme we find five major theories or doctrines, and all other theories or doctrines can be classed under one or another of these five major ones. These major doctrines are briefly: (1) that the carnal mind is destroyed in conversion; (2) that we are freed from the carnal mind, and obtain holiness of heart, by growth; (3) that we are freed from the carnal mind, and thus made holy, by, and in, the article of death; (4) that the carnal mind is destroyed and man is made pure in purgatory; (5) that the carnal mind is not destroyed in conversion, but that it may be destroyed, as an instantaneous act of divine grace, soon after conversion, and that we may have the experience now.

Now let us look at these propositions further, in the order in which they are given above. As we have already treated of the first proposition in some length in another chapter, we shall pass over it briefly here. The carnal mind does not come under the realm of forgiveness. In conversion we are forgiven, pardoned. The carnal mind is something that cannot be forgiven, but must be cleansed away or destroyed, consequently must come under an entirely different act. (For further discussion of this proposition reread chapter one.)

The second proposition also need not detain us long. The absurdity of this doctrine is so evident that we need but inquire of those who teach this growth doctrine to show us one individual who ever grew into the experience of holiness, or grew the carnal mind out of himself. If one could grow the carnal mind out of his heart, then why could he not grow the guilt of condemnation off himself? We have interviewed not a few who maintained that man gets rid of the carnal mind by growth, but never have we found one individual who would profess or admit or claim that he had reached the place, or state, where he had got rid of it. There came into one of our meetings in Texas a claimant of the growth theory. He was an old, hoaryheaded man. In the course of a conversation with him we asked, "How long have you been a Christian?" He answered, "Forty-three years." "How long have you been growing into holiness?" "Forty-three years," was the reply. "How near are you to the experience?" "I don't know." "How much nearer are you now than you were forty-three years ago?" "I don't know," was again the reply. "How much longer will you have to grow before you will be in possession of this experience?" "I don't know." "Now, brother, do you think that it is necessary for you to get rid of the carnal mind in order to be admitted to heaven?" "Oh, yes, that is quite evident from the teaching of the Bible." "But you do not yet have that experience after forty-three years of growth?" "No, I have not." "Now, brother, tell me what would have become of you if you had died after growing only forty-two years. You say that one cannot be admitted to heaven unless he gets rid of the carnal mind, and forty-three years of growth has not enabled you to get rid of it. Then if you had had only forty-two years of growth and had died you would have been in a bad fix, would you not?" "I don't know."

Thank God, salvation is not such an indefinite and hazy something. Neither is it so uncertain as would be indicated by this "I don't know."