The Carnal Mind versus the Mind of Christ

Carnal Mind versus the Mind of Christ

A. Carnal Mind

1. The carnal mind is the mind of the flesh.

2. It means walking according to reasoning dictated by what your five senses (see, hear, touch, smell, feel) are telling you.

3. Your senses are not reliable guides, because they are often contradicting what the Word of God says.

4. Carnal or flesh is the Greek word "sarx" (456l - Greek) meaning external, human nature, body.

5. Romans 8:6,7 gives more insight about the carnal mind.
       a. The carnal mind is death (verse 6).
       b. The carnal mind is enmity (hostility, hatred) against God; it is not
           subject to the law of God nor can it be (verse 7).

6. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 gives additional understanding of the meaning of carnal.
       a. If you are carnal, you are not spiritually mature, but you are a babe in
           Christ (verse 1).
       b. Carnal people are not able to receive solid food, but only milk (verse 2).
          1. Hebrews 5:13 tells us that those who partake of only milk are
              unskilled in the word of righteousness, because they are babes.
          2. 1 Peter 2:2 says "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the
              Word, that you may grow thereby." When we are first born again, we
              are like newborn babies, who can only tolerate milk. Likewise in the
              Spirit, when we are new in the things of the Lord, we start out with the
              milk of the Word. But notice the last three words of that verse - may
              grow thereby. The milk is intended to start you growing. We are not
              supposed to remain babies, but rather we are to grow up in all
              things into Him, Who is the head - Christ (Ephesians 4:15) and
              become His flesh body in the earth.
       c. Carnal people walk in envy, strife, and division, behaving like mere men
           (walking according to man) (verse 3).

7. 2 Corinthians 10:4: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds."
       a. Our weapons of warfare are not carnal (of the flesh).
       b. Our weapons are mighty through God for pulling down strongholds.
       c. 1 Timothy 6:12a: "Fight the good fight of faith." This is the ONLY fight a
           Christian ever has! Our fight is NOT with the devil. He has already been
           defeated.
           Colossians 2:15: "And having spoiled principalities and powers, He
           made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
           1 John 3:8: "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth
           from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,
           that He might destroy the works of the devil."
           Hebrews 2:14,15: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of
           flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that
           through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that
           is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their
           lifetime subject to bondage."
       d. What is the good fight of faith?
           1. It is understanding and receiving our position in Christ.
           2. It is submitting to God and resisting the devil. "Therefore submit to
              God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)
              a. Submit to God. He is your Father; yield to His Spirit.
              b. Resist the devil. 1 Peter 5:9 says to resist the devil steadfast in the
                  faith.
                  1. In the faith - in our position in Him using His faith.
                  2. Resist him with the Word of God. Jesus is our example in Luke
                      4:1-13 and Matthew 4:1-11. These scriptures refer to Jesus in
                      the wilderness and being tempted by the devil. He resisted him
                      by saying what was written in the Word of God. 

8. Romans 8:8: "So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
       a. The word please means to be agreeable with. When we walk in the
           flesh, we cannot be in agreement with God and His Word. Amos 3:3
           says, "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?"

9. Romans 8:9a: "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you."
       a. If you have accepted Christ, then you are born again and God's Word
          says you are not in the flesh. God says you are in the Spirit if His Spirit
          dwells in you.
       b. Father God wants us to change minds. Reckon our carnal mind dead
          (Romans 6:11) and use His - the mind of Christ. That is why He gave it
          to us so we could think like Him and live in victory.

B. The Mind of Christ

1. The mind of Christ is exactly what it says - it is HIS mind. When we were born again, we were given this mind (1 Corinthians 2:16).

2. The mind of Christ is also known as the mind of the Spirit (Romans 8:6).
       a. It is life and peace.
       b. This mind reveals to us the great things God has in store for us. "But as
           it is written, eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into
           the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love
           Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit
           searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God (1 Corinthians
           2:9,10)"  
       c. The mind of Christ or the mind of the Spirit reveals to us what has been
           freely given to us by God. "Now we received, not the spirit of the world,
           but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are
           freely given to us of God (1 Corinthians 2:12)."
       d. It enables us to spiritually discern the things of the Spirit of God.
          "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom
           teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual
           things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
           Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know
           them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:13,14)."

3. When we accepted Christ as our Savior, 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that we became a new creature in Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ is the new creature; there is only ONE new creature and that is Him. We become a new creature when we are put into Him.
       a. At salvation, the Spirit baptizes us into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians
          12:13a: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body").
       b. At salvation, God establishes and anoints us in Christ (2 Corinthians
           1:21: "Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath
           anointed us, is God").
       c. This is how we receive His mind - we are put INTO HIM. Our old man
           died - the one with the carnal mind - and we were raised up with Christ.
           We are seated together with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6:
           "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly
           places in Christ Jesus") and we use the SAME mind as He does.

4. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds. "And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2)."
       a. The word transformed means to be changed and the word renewing
           means freshness, new. We are changed from the life of the old man to
           the life of the new man when we use His mind. We "exercise" His mind
           by speaking (Proverbs 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the
           tongue).
       b. Colossians 3:10: "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in
           knowledge after the image of Him that created him." Jesus is the new
           man; He is the one with the renewed (fresh, new) mind. We are to put
           on (receive) Him and use His mind.

5. God's thoughts differ from man's thoughts.
       a. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,"
           says the Lord, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My
           ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts
           (Isaiah 55:8, 9)."
           1. The mind of Christ and the carnal mind are opposed to one another.
               His thoughts are not our thoughts (of the flesh).
           2. His ways are not our ways (of the flesh). Proverbs 23:7a says, "As a
               man thinks in his heart, so is he." How you think is how you will act.
               If you allow your carnal mind to rule, your ways will be opposite
              God's ways.

6. God speaks the end from the beginning.
       a. "God gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as
           though they did (Romans 4:17)".
       b. "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of
           God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which
           are visible (Hebrews 11:3)."
       c. "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the
           things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will
           do all my pleasure (Isaiah 46:10)."

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