Carnality on SermonAudio

As we step into a series on 2 Corinthians, we spend time first of all reviewing what had been written in 1 Corinthians for vital context on the second epistle. So today we consider 1 Corinthians, and so consider the danger of carnality and disunity in the church, along with its great solution: charity.

For Jesus to reign, for your spiritual gain, & to end your pain, you must retrain your brain. Before Christ your mind was "evil" (Gen. 6.5), "reprobate" (Rom 1:28), "corrupt" (1 Tim. 6:5), "carnal" (Rom. 8:7). God is not interested in changing your circumstances until He changes your mind.

The sermon defines carnality as a state where a believer's decision-making is driven by fleshly desires and external pressures rather than their regenerated spirit. It contrasts the spiritual man, who yields to God's internal work, with the carnal man, who remains focused on worldly concerns despite being saved. Pastor Friesen emphasizes that true religion flows from salvation rather than producing it, warning that carnality leads to a loss of eternal rewards at the judgment seat of Christ. By analyzing human design and the priority of spirit over soul and body, the message urges listeners to renew their minds and submit their wills to God. Ultimately, the goal is to help believers recognize and repent of rebellious patterns to walk in spiritual maturity.

This sermon defines sanctification as God's ongoing work of conforming believers to the image of Christ, emphasizing that spiritual growth is an inevitable result of genuine salvation. The preacher refutes the concept of a permanent 'carnal Christian,' arguing that while believers may backslide or mature at different rates, true regeneration always produces progressive holiness. By examining passages in 1 Corinthians and other epistles, the text demonstrates that every genuine believer is being transformed from glory to glory, even amidst struggles with sin. The message warns against the danger of false assurance, asserting that a lack of spiritual growth indicates a lack of saving faith rather than a unique category of Christian experience. Ultimately, the sermon encourages believers to pursue steady progress in Christlikeness, trusting in God's faithful work from conversion to glorification.

The sermon contrasts the Old Testament bronze altar with the spiritual reality of Jesus Christ as the true altar, emphasizing that salvation is found exclusively through Him. It vigorously rejects universalism and moral influence theories, affirming penal substitutionary atonement where Christ bore God's wrath as a substitute for sinners. Drawing heavily from Hebrews, the preacher explains that Christ's sacrifice in the heavenly tabernacle provides eternal redemption, completely removing the guilt of past, present, and future sins. This finished work establishes believers in grace rather than carnal ordinances, rendering earthly rituals obsolete. The message concludes by urging believers to offer spiritual sacrifices of praise, grounded in the freedom and assurance of the gospel.

After being told that those who have eternal life, set their minds on things of the Spirit rather than things of the flesh, Paul is going to show the stark contrast between the two. To be carnally minded is death and the be spiritually minded is life. There is a battle between the carnal and the spiritual and they can never have peace with one another. The carnal body cannot submit to the law of God because the carnal mind is in rebellion to God. Those who are setting their minds on the things of the flesh cannot be pleasing to God. It is impossible. Those who are saved can be pleasing to God because they can understand spiritual things and they can set their mind on spiritual things through the work of the Holy Spirit in them. If you are saved, the body is dead because of sin, but your spirit has been raised from the dead through the Spirit working in you. You also have the promise that since Christ was raised from the dead, that your dead body will be raised from the dead and your body will also receive eternal life through the Holy Spirit that is dwelling in you.

In this morning's message Pastor John Peront teaches from Hebrews 10:24 on the Christlike consideration and care believers are to have for one another. We are to be thinking of and showing concern and thoughtfulness for one another, not in a carnal manner as a busybody, but rather seeking to encourage, edify, help, and provide for each other's needs as the Lord enables us.

Part 2 of this sermon centers on the ongoing process of spiritual maturity, emphasizing that true Christianity involves a deliberate separation from the world's corrupting influences and a continual renewal of the mind through obedience to Scripture. Drawing from passages like 1 Corinthians 3, Romans 12:2, and Ephesians 2, it underscores that being spiritual is not merely an emotional experience or outward religious performance, but a daily choice to reject worldly conformity and align one's life with God's will. Pastor Friesen stresses that genuine religion flows from a purified heart, evidenced by obedience, love for others, thankfulness, and a transformed mindset, all rooted in the indwelling Holy Spirit and the Word of God. He warns against spiritual counterfeit—using emotions, music, or cultural acceptance as substitutes for true transformation—and calls believers to examine their lives for hidden sins, attachments, or compromises that hinder spiritual growth. Ultimately, the message is a pastoral challenge to embrace personal responsibility, submit to God's leading, and live as a light in the world by actively working out one's salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that true joy and effectiveness come only through surrender and obedience.

The sermon centers on the spiritual dangers of the 'Saul syndrome'—a pattern of insecurity, manipulation, self-centeredness, and carnality exemplified by King Saul's jealousy and paranoia toward David. Through a close examination of 1 Samuel 22, the preacher contrasts Saul's narcissistic attitude, marked by demands for sympathy and control, with the marks of a secure, God-centered life rooted in grace, forgiveness, and selfless love. The message calls believers to overcome self-pity and insecurity by recognizing their identity in Christ, embracing humility, and prioritizing God's approval over human validation, ultimately urging a shift from self-focus to service and genuine love for others.

Part 1 of this sermon centers on the distinction between spiritual and carnal living, rooted in the biblical design of humanity as spirit, soul, and body, with the spirit as the governing priority. It emphasizes that carnality arises when individuals operate according to their fleshly senses and emotions, leading to envy, division, and pride, while true spirituality involves submitting the soul and body to the Spirit of God through repentance, faith in Christ's gospel, and the daily renewal of the mind by Scripture. The message underscores that salvation is a gift of grace through faith in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, not religious works, and that genuine spiritual maturity requires ongoing surrender, the rejection of false doctrine, and the sanctification of the soul. Pastor Friesen calls believers to self-examination, urging them to move beyond emotional justification and carnal decision-making toward a life governed by the Word of God, where the Spirit leads the mind, will, and emotions in alignment with divine truth, resulting in a life of purity, obedience, and readiness for Christ's return.