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"Where there are envy, strife, and divisions
among you, are you not carnal . . . ?" - 1 Corinthians 3:3
The natural man, or unbeliever, knows nothing about carnality. The desires of
the flesh warring against the Spirit, and the Spirit warring against the flesh,
which began at rebirth, are what produce carnality and the awareness of it. But
Paul said, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh"
( Galatians 5:16 ). In other words, carnality will disappear.
Are you quarrelsome and easily upset over small things? Do you think that no one
who is a Christian is ever like that? Paul said they are, and he connected these
attitudes with carnality. Is there a truth in the Bible that instantly awakens a
spirit of malice or resentment in you? If so, that is proof that you are still
carnal. If the process of sanctification is continuing in your life, there will
be no trace of that kind of spirit remaining.
If the Spirit of God detects anything in you that is wrong, He doesn’t ask you
to make it right; He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He
will make it right. A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand
completely open before God. But a child of the darkness will say, "Oh, I can
explain that." When the light shines and the Spirit brings conviction of sin, be
a child of the light. Confess your wrongdoing, and God will deal with it. If,
however, you try to vindicate yourself, you prove yourself to be a child of the
darkness.
What is the proof that carnality has gone? Never deceive yourself; when
carnality is gone you will know it-it is the most real thing you can imagine.
And God will see to it that you have a number of opportunities to prove to
yourself the miracle of His grace. The proof is in a very practical test. You
will find yourself saying, "If this had happened before, I would have had the
spirit of resentment!" And you will never cease to be the most amazed person on
earth at what God has done for you on the inside.
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See Also:
Daily Morning and Evening Devotionals by Spurgeon
Wisdom from the Desert Devotional
Daily Devotional with Oswald Chambers Archives
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