“Carnal Christians” is a humbling rebuke of a church of Christ. It charges that the life of the congregation is being dominated by the depraved human nature, by what the Bible calls “the flesh.” A more shameful state of affairs cannot be imagined.
“Carnal Christians” is a shocking rebuke. Seemingly, it asserts a contradiction. If one is a Christian, he is spiritual, not fleshly. On the other hand, if one is fleshly, he is no Christian.
Yet the Holy Spirit of inspiration calls Christians carnal in I Corinthians 3:1ff: “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (vs. 3) If we are to submit ourselves to this rebuke, we must be clear, and honest, as to what “carnal Christians” are.
They are not people who, although they profess to be Christians, are in fact unregenerated and unbelieving. Elsewhere, Scripture does indeed refer to unsaved persons when it describes them as “carnal” (cf. Rom. 8:7, 8: “the carnal mind”; also, Rom. 9:8: “children of the flesh”). But the carnal Christians whom we have in mind are genuine Christians. According to I Corinthians 3:1, they are “brethren” and “babes in Christ.” Although the apostle says in this same verse that he cannot speak to these church members “as unto spiritual,” he does not flatly deny that they are spiritual. They are not the “natural” men and women of the preceding chapter.
Nor are carnal Christians those in the church who lack certain gifts of the Spirit that Christians can and should have. Some evangelicals today are teaching that carnal Christians are church members who are justified, but not sanctified, i.e. those whose sins are forgiven, but who are not made holy. They have received Jesus as Savior, but not as Lord of their lives. But there can be no receiving of Jesus as Savior without receiving Him also as Lord. Jesus is Lord. Wherever the Spirit is present as the Peace of pardon, He is present also as the Power of purity. He is the Holy Spirit. The carnal Christians at Corinth were sanctified, as verse 2 of chapter I acknowledges, although there was a serious deficiency in their progress in holiness.
Others might say that carnal Christians are those without much knowledge of the truth. But chapter 8 of I Corinthians shows that lack of knowledge was not the problem. Carnal Christians may be well-versed in doctrine.
Still others would say that these people lack “the Baptism with the Spirit,” or that they are inactive in seeking and exercising spiritual gifts. This explanation of “carnal Christians” is false on its very face. If ever a congregation possessed gifts, it was the Corinthian church. Even the extraordinary gifts of the apostolic age were theirs. Carnal Christians may well be zealous for gifts and energetic in using them in the church.
Scripture itself explains the rebuke, “carnal Christians,” by describing such persons as “babies in Christ” who can only be fed the milk of the Word (I Cor. 3:1, 2). They are not growing up in Christ. They are immature, still in their spiritual infancy. Although the Spirit is in them, they are not filled with the Spirit. The result is that their lives are not governed by the Spirit, as ought to be the case, but by the corrupt nature that remains even after rebirth. Their walk now is “according to man,” as is the literal translation of verse 3.
This is deplorable! Men, women and children who can and should walk according to the Spirit are walking instead according to the standard of sinful human nature.
This is blameworthy! Even though the flesh remains in Christians as long as they live, it need not and must not rule their behavior. Carnal Christians have only themselves to blame for their fleshly conduct. They do not yield themselves to the Spirit within them. They allow their flesh to get the upper hand in their life. They are satisfied with a childish level of sanctification. They are content to live in the Spirit without also walking in the Spirit.
Carnal Christians!
This is a sad possibility in Christ’s church. One may be a saved adult, even an old man or woman, but only a spiritual baby. If these carnal Christians come to control the life of the congregation, as was the case at Corinth, the Christianity of the congregation (and, I suppose, of a denomination) is carnal. Probably, such a church likes to think of itself as mature, strong and spiritual, especially in comparison with other churches. But the Word of Christ is, “Ye are yet carnal.”
The proof of this humbling rebuke is clear and conclusive. It is the behavior of such Christians, or of such a congregation, or of such a denomination. Babies behave in an infantile manner. Carnal Christians walk in a fleshly way.
But let us again be clear, and honest, as to what this carnal behavior is. It is not that a congregation is uninterested in “spiritual things” – in doctrine; in sermons; and in preachers. The carnal Christians at Corinth were enthusiastically interested in these things. They possessed and prized doctrinal knowledge. They listened to preaching attentively. They discussed preachers vigorously. But they were carnal Christians for all that.
Nor is this carnality the miserable lethargy that some members display in regard to an active church-life. On the contrary, these Corinthians were eager to use the spiritual gifts and to hold office. But they were carnal Christians nevertheless.
Neither is it that the carnal Christians are characterized by “worldliness.” I have heard men speak darkly of “the carnal element in the church” (always with reference to others than themselves). When pressed to become specific, they indicated that they referred to those whom they judged to be living worldly lives—making friends with the world and enjoying fellowship with the works of the world. But this is not the behavior that draws the sharp rebuke, “carnal Christians,” in I Corinthians 3:1ff.
“For whereas there is among you envying and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal?” Those Christians are carnal whose lives are lacking in the “charity” of I Corinthians 13 and who thus cause schism in the church.
“Envying” is literally the word zeal. This Greek word refers to the passion born of pride to have one’s own way in the church, regardless of the brother and regardless of the peace of the congregation, in order that one may be preeminent.
“Strife” is the ugly wrangling—the harsh words, the politicking, the contentions—that comes from “zeal.”
And “divisions” are the hostile factions that emerge from the “strife.” Carnal Christians are not only pitiful themselves; they are a threat to the church. Because of them, the congregation (and even denomination), which in reality is one in the faith, finds herself divided.
And over what?
The situation at Corinth shows the New Testament church that this carnality can flare up over natural differences among the members. Chapter 11 speaks of conflict between the rich and the poor. But chiefly they strive over spiritual things, over church matters, we would say. Carnal Christians fight about spiritual gifts; about position and office in the church; about doctrinal knowledge as it bears on indifferent things, e.g. whether the believer may eat food offered to the idol; and about the different preachers and their distinctive abilities.
Things that actually belong to the unity of the congregation, carnal Christians make a bone of contention.
If this flourishes among us, let us not boast of our maturity and spirituality. We are still carnal. Zeal, strife and division come straight out of sinful human nature. Although found in the church among the saints, they are the very same sorry evils that prevail in the business, politics and neighborhoods of the ungodly world.
To those who like to evade the rebuke and justify their zeal, strife and faction-making in the church by saying, “But we fight for the name and cause of God,” I respond, “There is a necessary contention sometimes in the congregation and denomination.” Fighting is necessary when there is departure from the truth of the gospel or when there is disobedience to God’s law. But the way of fighting the good fight of faith is never zeal, strife and factions. It is the way of Matthew 18; the way of restoring the sinner in the spirit of meekness; the way of the Reformed church order of orderly protest and appeal; and, when the synod has spoken, the way of submitting to the decision, living in peace with the church.
There may be no evasion, or softening, of the rebuke, “Carnal Christians.” Only one time does the New Testament admonish Christians as carnal. This is when they show themselves unloving to their fellow saints and disturbers of the peace of the church.
Carnal Christians need to become spiritual Christians. Their behavior in the congregation must be ruled by the Spirit of Christ, rather than by their own proud flesh. Then they will repent of their shameful sin. Then they will seek the unity of the church. Then they will value highly the more excellent way of love among the saints, and walk on that way. For then they will grow up in Christ.
Since the Spirit gives Himself through the Word, they must hear the Word. The preachers must bring it—a Word of rebuke when zeal, strife and divisions betray the presence of carnal Christians; a Word of the excellency of love for each other in the congregation; and a Word of the preciousness of peace in the church. Our congregations must hear that Jesus Christ is Head of the unified church, His undivided body.
Carnal Christians will repent at this preaching for, although carnal, they are Christians. The spiritual babies will grow up for, although babies, they are alive in Christ.