Who is normally meant by the word 'carnal' in Scripture?
Normally, the word carnal in Scripture refers to the lost individual who is still under the control of old Adam, still in the flesh, and has nothing of eternal life in him whatsoever. While Paul sometimes speaks of a carnal believer, the usual meaning is the unsaved person who is carnally or fleshly minded, which is death.
Les explains that sometimes Paul will speak of a carnal Christian, a carnal believer—one who is not spirit filled and not spirit directed. Such a person is a believer in the body of Christ, but his priorities are mixed up, and he is still more in the flesh than in the spirit. However, Les teaches that normally when we see this word carnal, we think of the lost individual, the individual who is still under control of old Adam. He is still in the flesh and has nothing of eternal life in him whatsoever. To be carnally or fleshly minded is death, as Jesus said in John's gospel: he that hath the son hath life; he who hath not the son hath not life, and the wrath of God abideth on him. These lost people are headed in only one direction: spiritual death, eternal.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
More Questions
What does the word carnal mean in the Bible?
Les explains that the word carnal means fleshly. In Romans 8:6, he notes that to be carnally minded is death—the end result being spiritual death—but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. He identifies the carnal mind as the unsaved, unregenerate person. In verse 7, the carnal mind is enmity against God, meaning it is an enemy of God, and it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. This ties back to Romans 5:10, where people are enemies of God until they become believers.