How to Know if You Are a True ChristianНамуна
Day 2: The Carnal Christian
Maybe you are not like The Natural Person, but the harsh reality is that most believers fit the criteria for our next type of person: The Carnal Christian.
This may be hard to receive, but I truly share this out of complete love for you. I am not here to condemn you, but to point you to the heart of Jesus. So, if you find yourself relating a lot to the person I am about to describe, press through and finish this reading plan anyway! It will encourage you to become the son or daughter that God always intended for you to be.
So, The Carnal Christian is one who has received Christ but lives in defeat because they are trying to live Christian life in their own strength.
Jesus is in their life, but He is not on the throne in their lives. Similar to The Natural Person, their own will is on the throne of their lives, directing their actions and decisions. Consequently, they too tend to experience a great deal of frustration.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 describes carnal Christians as people of the flesh and infants in Christ.
In comparison, The Carnal Christians are no different than The Natural People. Carnal Christians still live according to their flesh instead of the Spirit-led living that believers are charged with.
The Carnal Christian tries to stimulate their senses to survive as well, though instead of secular music it may be with gospel music. They find their solace in the routine of the faith instead of in the God of the faith.
It isn’t hard to see how this lifestyle can be unappealing to non-believers. They can reason, “We are doing the exact same thing!”
This is a wake-up call for many of you who find yourself living this lifestyle. You know so much about God, but it is time to activate it.
The life of a Christian is not meant to be one of survival, it is one of thriving! When a true Christian turns up the music, it is not to drown out anxiety, it is to declare the truth of God in their lives and to honor God.
Instead of living bound and addicted to various coping mechanisms, you were meant to stand in your God-given authority and break the power of hell off of your life and bloodline! This is how God intended for His children to live!
Reflect:
Do you identify with the lifestyle of The Carnal Christian? If so, take a few moments to address this with God and repent.
When you realize that there is an area of your life that does not align with the heart of God, there is an opportunity to surrender it to your heavenly Father. Process it with Him and make a bold decision to turn away from carnal living.
Remember, it is not something that you have to do in your own strength, everything that you need is found in Christ!
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About this Plan
Discover the three types of people you'll encounter in life and which one you are - the Natural Person, the Carnal Christian, or the True Christian. This 5-day Bible reading plan by Pastor Mike Signorelli will challenge you to evaluate your relationship with Christ and surrender fully to Him.
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