Carnal Christianity Has Become the New Normal!

The Rise of Comfortable Christianity

In the contemporary landscape of Christianity, we are witnessing a troubling phenomenon that warrants serious contemplation. Many believers today seem to embody what Scripture identifies as "carnal Christianity", yet this state has somehow become normalised as the standard Christian experience. This deviation from Biblical teachings requires our attention and correction.

The apostle Paul, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, addresses this very issue with clarity and conviction: "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1 KJV). Paul distinguishes between spiritual Christians and carnal Christians, with the latter being described as immature in their faith—spiritual infants.

Carnality in Christianity manifests when believers, though saved by grace through faith, continue to live according to the dictates of the flesh rather than the Spirit. This state is characterised by worldly thinking, fleshly appetites, and stunted spiritual growth. Paul continues: "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (1 Corinthians 3:2-3 KJV).

The signs of carnality include division, jealousy, and worldly behaviour—walking "as men" rather than as those transformed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

How sobering to realise that what Paul rebuked as carnality in the Corinthian church has now become the accepted norm in many Christian circles today!

Scripture presents a vastly different expectation for believers. The apostle Peter exhorts us: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2 KJV). Growth is the expected trajectory for Christians. We are not meant to remain as spiritual infants but to mature in our faith and practice.

The normalisation of carnal Christianity stems from several factors. First, there exists a dangerous theology of convenience that separates salvation from discipleship, suggesting one can accept Christ as Saviour without submitting to Him as Lord. This fallacious teaching finds no support in Scripture. Jesus Himself declared, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46 KJV).

Secondly, the contemporary church has often prioritised numerical growth over spiritual depth. In our eagerness to make Christianity palatable to the masses, we have diluted the message of sacrifice and sanctification that lies at the heart of true discipleship. Jesus never promised an easy path: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23 KJV).

Thirdly, the lines between the church and the world have become increasingly blurred. Rather than being "a peculiar people" (1 Peter 2:9 KJV) set apart for God's purposes, many Christians strive to be as similar to the world as possible while maintaining a thin veneer of religiosity. The apostle John warns, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15 KJV).

The Scripture consistently portrays the normal Christian life as one of victory over sin, not comfortable coexistence with it. The apostle Paul teaches that "sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14 KJV). The true Christian experience is one of transformation and progressive sanctification: "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV).

What, then, is the solution to this pervasive carnality that has infected the church? First and foremost, we must return to the uncompromised preaching of the whole counsel of God. As Paul testified, "I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27 KJV). This includes not only the comforting aspects of the gospel but also its challenging demands.

Secondly, we must recapture a biblical understanding of regeneration. True salvation produces a new creation: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV). This new nature inevitably produces new desires and behaviours.

Thirdly, we must emphasise the role of the Holy Spirit in empowering believers for godly living. Jesus promised, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you" (Acts 1:8 KJV). This power enables us to live above sin and carnality.

Furthermore, we must restore a culture of genuine discipleship within our churches. Jesus commissioned His followers not merely to make converts but to make disciples, "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20 KJV).

It is also crucial to recognise that genuine spiritual growth requires both personal discipline and communal support. The writer of Hebrews instructs, "But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13 KJV).

Finally, we must cultivate a heavenly perspective that frees us from worldly entanglements. Paul counsels, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2 KJV). When our hearts are captivated by Christ and His kingdom, the allure of carnality fades in comparison.

The alarming reality that carnal Christianity has become normalised should prompt serious self-examination. The question before each professing believer is this: Does my life reflect the transformative power of the gospel, or have I settled for a counterfeit Christianity that offers forgiveness without transformation, heaven without holiness?

The prophet Jeremiah's words echo across the centuries: "Thus saith the LORD, stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls" (Jeremiah 6:16 KJV). It is time for the church to return to these ancient paths, to rediscover the robust, victorious Christianity that Scripture portrays as normal.

As we confront the pandemic of carnality within the church, may we heed Paul's exhortation: "This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16 KJV). Only then can we truly claim to represent Christ to a watching world…

Key Takeaways:

• Paul distinguished between spiritual Christians and carnal Christians, with carnal Christians being spiritually immature
• Signs of carnality include division, jealousy, and worldly behaviour rather than Spirit-led transformation
• What Paul rebuked as carnality in the Corinthian church has become accepted norm in many Christian circles today
• The normalisation of carnal Christianity stems from convenience theology, prioritising numerical growth over spiritual depth, and blurred lines between church and world
• Scripture portrays the normal Christian life as one of victory over sin, not comfortable coexistence with it
• Solutions include returning to uncompromised biblical teaching, understanding true regeneration, emphasising the Holy Spirit's role, restoring discipleship, and cultivating a heavenly perspective