Lesson
1 The False Gospel of Carnal
Christianity
Chapter 1
The False Gospel of Carnal Christianity
“Be not deceived; God is
not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” - Galatians
6:7
A False Gospel
There is rampant in this
age a false gospel of carnal Christianity which has deceived many souls.
The vast majority of Christendom today have not bowed
to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. These are on sinking sand and are an easy prey
to such a teaching which has permeated our land and our pulpits. So our purpose
is to bring out the true gospel and the false, showing clearly
the warnings from God’s Word that we should not sow to the flesh, but rather to
the Spirit. May you have an open heart and an open Bible, as we pray that God
will deal with us all by His Spirit.
We are warned concerning
this false gospel of carnal Christianity in Galatians 6:7,8:
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he
also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;
but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
This to me is a most solemn warning to all of our hearts, and especially in
this day of free-believism and carnal Christianity which is preached on such a
large scale. You see, the vast majority of Christendom today is deceived as to
the state of their never-dying souls before God. What is happening is justification
in Christ is preached alone, at the expense of holy living; and the hearers
of this one-sided gospel are left in the dark as to God’s requirement of the
necessity of a holy life. God’s grace has been turned into lasciviousness;
the attitude of most has been: “A little sin won’t hurt-I’m just a ‘carnal
Christian’ you know, and besides, doesn’t grace cover it all?”
Holiness Required by God
But my prayer is that
God would so work by His Spirit as to make blind eyes to see the exceeding
sinfulness of sin, that there would be a mourning over
it, for this is our only hope. Oh, how our hearts should cry to the Lord for
the truth of His Word that appeals not to our fleshly desires or to our fleshly
emotions, but to that which cuts off our flesh and lays us bare before God in
confession and repentance! We should cry to Him to so work in our hearts by His
Spirit, that holiness of thought, word and action would characterize our hearts
and lives.
This false teaching of
carnal Christianity has so permeated our churches that no one ever questions
his interest in Christ, no matter how he lives. People are told that if they
have believed, that is all that is necessary, and therefore all is well with
their souls. But the Holy Word of God declares no such teaching, but in fact
declares just the opposite! For we read in Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with
all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Yes,
holiness must characterize our lives, “for God hath not called us unto
uncleanness, but unto holiness” (I Thess 4:7). “He hath chosen us
in him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him in love” (Eph 1:4). Again, He “hath saved us, and
called us with an holy calling” (II Tim 1:9).
This is the same One Who says to be “obedient children, not fashioning
yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which
hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy” (I Peter 1:14-16).
Our warning text from
Galatians 6 declares the same thing. God would have us to understand and not to
be deceived about this false teaching, that no matter what false preachers and
teachers say about it: “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” My
friend, if you sow to your flesh, you shall of your flesh reap corruption. I
don’t care how many professions you have made or whose church you may belong
to; you cannot mock God! He is no respecter of persons. Each and every one who
sows to his flesh shall of his flesh reap corruption.
Repentance Is Given
A man who sows to his
flesh continually has never been saved; he’s never been born again. Why?
Because under Holy Spirit conviction we are given the grace to repent, and in
repentance we learn to hate sin, to abhor it, to loathe ourselves, and to flee
by faith to Christ for deliverance from sin. We know that sin has not
been eradicated, for it is still the plague of our hearts; but sin is no longer
the practice and rule of our lives. It cannot be, for the soul whom God saves
has had a new nature and a new heart put within; and he now
desires holy things and walks in the way of righteousness. He knows in himself
that this is true, because the Holy Spirit has worked in him the things found
in God’s Word. He reads in Ezekiel 36:26 about the new heart that God has given
him; and in II Peter 1:4 about the new nature he has been given. He finds in I
John 3:9 that he has been born of God, and that he who is born of God
does not make sin the practice and rule of his life.
Why? Because
His seed (the seed of God) remaineth in him, and he cannot make sin the
practice and rule of his life anymore. He hears the Word say, “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” (I John 2:15). Having been taught by the
work of the Holy Spirit that he is a lost, hell-deserving sinner, having laid
at the feet of God in repentance, having looked by faith to Christ as his Lord
and Savior, having seen that his sin put Christ to death, then
he wants no part of the world. The love of God has been shed abroad in his
heart by the Holy Spirit’s work in him.
He learns well that “all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh [the desire to indulge]...is not of
the Father,” so he hates it and cries out against it because it put Christ to
death. Again, he learns, “all that is in the world, the lust of the eyes [the
desire to possess]...is not of the Father,” so he hates it and cries out
against it because it put Christ to death. He learns that “the pride of life
[the desire to attract to oneself]...is not of the Father, but is of the
world”-the Satanic world system of sin -so he hates it and cries out
against it because it put Christ to death on the cross. He also learns that
“the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of
God abideth for ever” (vv. 16,17), so he desires by
grace to do the will of God, which is to walk in “righteousness and true
holiness” (Eph 4:24).
A New Nature
Therefore, since God
gives every sinner whom He saves a new heart and a new nature, and puts His
Holy Spirit within him to guide him into all truth, that saved sinner now
searches the Word of God, not to find things that will justify him in his sins,
but to find that Word which warns him against sin and tells him how to flee to
Christ from sin. He reads Romans 8:6: “For to be carnally minded is death; but
to be spiritually minded is life and peace”; so he begins to cry to the
indwelling Holy Spirit to deliver him daily from a fleshly, carnal mind, and to
give him that spiritual mind of life and peace in Christ. No, he is not seeing
how close he can walk to the world and sin, but how he can walk close to God in
Christ by His Spirit. He is not searching the Word of God to find out the sins
of others recorded there so he might use them as a means of justifying his
walking in sin, but he reads these things as warnings to him not to walk
where others have walked and failed.
You see, the man or
woman, boy or girl, whom God saves, and unto whom He gives eternal life in
Christ, hears these words from Colossians 3:2-5: “Set your affections on things
above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid
with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye
also appear with him in glory. Mortify [put to death,
reckon as dead] therefore your members which are upon the earth.” How then
could any soul justify living a life to the flesh? No, for because of what
Christ has done for him and because Christ’s life is now his life, this saved
soul now desires to put to death the things of the flesh, that he might sow to
the Spirit and walk after the Spirit. Beloved, this is the way God deals with
our souls-I know first hand: I know what the difference is between carnal
Christianity and the life which is lived by faith in and upon the living God by
the Holy Spirit, for I have lived them both. The only difference between me and
the carnal Christian is the grace of God, and I praise Him for it!
Therefore, when the
saved soul hears God’s Word: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the
earth: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry”; and “put off all these: anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another”-now
he desires to mortify them, and why? Because he has “put off the old man with
his deeds” and “put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the
image of him that created him” (Col 3:5,8-10). So his desire is for Christ and
His life, to walk in a way pleasing to God and not after sin, because he has
been born of the Spirit of God and has a new heart.
Also in Colossians 3:6
the Holy Spirit gives us another reason for walking in the Spirit and not after
the flesh. He says we are not to walk in these sins, “for which things’ sake
the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” Yes, those who
walk in such a way of disobedience to God’s revealed will,
shall find themselves under His curse and wrath.
A Holy Life Follows
Salvation
My friend, I would not
have you deceived! A holy life, a sowing to the Spirit, must follow the
salvation that God gives in Christ, or it is not God’s salvation; for Christ
came to save His people from their sins, and not in their sins
(Matt 1:21). A holy life, a sowing to the Spirit, must follow the
salvation that God gives us in Christ or God’s purpose in saving us would be
defeated, and this cannot be. Did we not read that God has chosen us in Christ
before the foundation of the world “that we should be holy and without
blame before him in love” (Eph 1:4). We cannot thwart the purpose of God toward
His people. Listen again to this definite and positive statement-”For God hath
not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (I Thess 4:7). Yes, a
holy life must follow the salvation that God gives in Christ, or God’s
will would be turned aside, and this cannot be-”For this is the will of God,
even your sanctification” (4:3). Sanctification is your being set apart from
sin by the progressive work of God’s Spirit in your heart and life.
Again, a holy life, a
sowing to the Spirit, must follow the salvation that God gives in Christ, or
the grace of God would not reign in the believer’s life; and this cannot be,
for we read in Titus 2:11,12: “For the grace of God
that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly,
in this present world.” I want you to pay particular attention to these verses
and pray that the Holy Spirit will write them upon your heart. When the grace
of God that brings salvation appears to all, it teaches them the same thing.
And what does God’s grace teach us?-that we will be self-denying ones. In what way?-saying no to the world and denying ourselves
ungodliness and worldly lusts, because we hate sin, self, Satan and the world
of ungodliness. “All” learn this lesson, not just some of God’s
children. “All” of them are taught by the Holy Spirit to hate sin and deny
self. If this self denial and hatred of sin is absent from the life, then God’s
salvation is absent (John 16:13,15; Isa 54:13).
But this Scripture does
not end only in giving us the negative; the Holy Spirit shows the grace of God
that brings salvation will teach us something positive as well-how to live soberly,
righteously and godly. Where? in heaven? No,
in this present evil world, right at home, on the job, or wherever we walk! For by His grace and blood He has delivered us from “this present
evil world” (Gal 1:4).
Remember this: the same
Holy Spirit teaches all of God’s children the same lessons. What are they? He
trains us to reject and renounce all ungodliness, and worldly, passionate
desires; and He also trains us to live sober, temperate, self-controlled lives
in an upright, devout manner (Titus 2:12). In other words, He teaches us to
live spiritually-whole lives controlled by Him, here in this present evil
world.
The False Gospel - no power
over sin
What a far cry this is
from the present-day gospel that is preached-a gospel that gives no new heart
or new nature, a gospel that does not break the power of sin, but allows one to
live on in it, a gospel that gives only an insurance policy against hell and
knows nothing about holiness of thought and action, a gospel that will let you
indulge the flesh, and puts no restraint upon your passion, pride and evil
heart! Oh, this is not a gospel, but a false thing! I say false because
it says that all one has to do is say “yes” to the four spiritual laws and
believe in a historical Jesus; and after he “believes” he is saved and saved
for ever, no matter what he does.
Did you know that the
average individual tells you that he made a profession when he was 6, 8, 12, or
15 years of age; but he drifted off into sin, and after 10 years or so he came
back and rededicated his life and now gives himself to religious service? It is
from this group that the majority of our missionaries, teachers and preachers
come, and they know nothing of heart-felt repentance or standing before God as
a guilty, lost sinner! If you are in this group, I tell you in love, you have
mistaken the call to salvation -to come to Christ as a guilty, needy,
lost sinner-as the call to service; and therefore you have become
two-fold more the child of hell than you were before, unless the Holy Spirit by
His Word and grace gives you a heart to see your desperate need of Christ. You
see, you have mistaken the call to a broken heart and a contrite spirit, to
repentance and faith-the call to break with sin and to walk in holiness of life
in conversion-as a call to the ministry! I know this does happen, for I
have heard so many testimonies given along this line. It even happened to me! I
mistook the call to salvation as the call to the ministry, and only by the
grace of God was I awakened to see that I had missed true repentance and faith,
and was still in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.
Therefore, let me
proclaim today that I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for that Gospel
is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth (Rom
1:16). This salvation is the deliverance from the power of sin, which I have
experienced by the grace of God in Christ; and beloved, I praise the Lord that
Romans 6:18 is true: “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness,” servants of Him Who has delivered us from the law of sin and
death! (Rom 8:2).
C. H. Spurgeon has said
it so well:
Each creature brings forth after its own kind:
the old nature being radically evil continues to produce and to send forth
swarms of sins; it is not reconciled to God, neither indeed can be, and
therefore its thoughts and acts are those of rebellion and hatred toward God.
On the other hand, the new nature “cannot sin because it is born of God”; it
must have its fruit unto holiness, for it is holiness itself. Out of a dove’s nest
we expect only doves to fly. The heavenly life breeds birds of paradise, such
as holy thoughts, desires, and acts; and it cannot bring forth such unclean
birds as lust, and envy, and malice. The life of God infused in regeneration is
as pure as the Lord by whom it was begotten, and can never be otherwise.
Blessed is the man who has this heavenly principle within, for it must appear
in his life and cause him to abound in holiness, to the glory of God. Reader,
have you this divine seed within you, or do you remain
under the dominion of a corrupt nature? This question deserves a present and
thoughtful reply.
Study Questions: Lesson 1
First please read
chapter 1 in the text.
“Be not deceived; God is
not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” - Galatians
6:7
A False Gospel; page 3
1. Several phrases are used to describe “carnal
Christianity.” List as many of these descriptions of this
false Christianity that you can find.
2. What is the key point of the Scripture
verses on page 3 as they pertain to warning us about “carnal Christianity.”
[Note: by key point we refer to the
essential meaning of the verse. Do not merely quote the verses, but tell their
meaning in your own words.]
Holiness Required by God; page 4
3. a. What
are people told about “if they have believed?”
b. What must
characterize our lives after salvation?
Repentance Is Given
4 What are the five passages of Scripture which show that “carnal
Christianity” is unscriptural? Write the reference and key point of each verse.
5. “A man who sows to
his flesh continually, has never been saved; he’s never been born again.”
According to the book, why is this true?
Note:
It is important in this stage of our study to define “sin,” and the “general
practice of sin.” For some people, they think that sin is only a direct outward
violation of a biblical command (Matthew 23:25-26). But our Lord Jesus went
much further than this. He refocused our attention to the condition of our
heart: our attitudes, our desires, our interests, and our will (Matthew
5:20-22, 27-28). In all areas, He taught that we must individually and
personally “deny ourselves,” and “forsake all that we have in order to follow
Him.” He gives us the grace, after salvation, to follow after Him with a whole
heart in total commitment, where our satisfaction in life comes from
love-relationship with Him and Him alone. (Luke 14:33, Mark 8:34)
We
cannot mix the world into this love-relationship. We cannot profess to be
Christian, and still derive our enjoyment from the world: from its pleasures,
its position (achievement), or its possessions. If we do, it is a matter of sin
which has shown itself in a selfish lifestyle. If we follow such a lifestyle,
and if the Lord has not convicted us of it as being sinful, then it is very
probable that we do not truly know Christ as Lord and Savior. We do not have a
new heart. He has not “made all things new” within us. (2 Cor. 5:17; John 5:44;
Galatians 2:20, 6:14; Colossians 2:20; Philippians 3:7-8; 1 John 2: 15-17)
The
solution to our need to be saved from sin (both its penalty and its power over
us) is to come to Christ in the free offer of the Gospel: turn to Christ as
Savior “without money and without price.” [Repentance from sin is required of
the believer and will be evidenced in the life after salvation, not necessarily
before salvation.] (Isaiah 55:1, Matthew 11:28,30; John 7:37)
If we
do know Him, and we have backslidden into some sin for a period, then Scripture
is plain that the Holy Spirit will convict us of it as sin and bring us to
repentance. The sin will not become a matter of on-going lifestyle if we are
truly saved-the Holy Spirit will not allow it. We will not love or practice a
selfish lifestyle, but come to hate it instead, as sin against our beloved Savior
and Lord.
6. The true believer still commits sin. However,
the Christian’s attitude and behavior towards sin differs greatly from the
false Christian’s in that
1) he learns to hate sin, and
2) sin no longer is the practice and rule of his life.
Making It Personal: Do
these two characteristics exist in your own life? Explain.
A New Nature; pages 4 - 6
7. Write out the key points of the four
verses given in the book which underscore that a genuine believer must have a
new nature (he cannot make sin the practice and rule of his life). Meditate
carefully on each verse before your write your answer.
8. The “saved sinner now searches the Word of
God, not to find things that will justify him in his sins, but to find
that Word which warns him against sin and tells him how to flee to Christ from
sin.”
Making It Personal: Have
you ever experienced what this is talking about? Have you ever justified sin in
your life (i.e., to make excuses for sin)? If so, what were some of the means
God used to convict you of sin and bring you to repentance?
9. The Scriptures indicate that a true Christian
cannot continue to justify sin because the Holy Spirit, being grieved, won’t
allow it to continue. He will provoke the Christian to repent of sin. Write the
key points of these Scriptures as used in the text to support this.
a. Rom. 8:6
b. Col. 3:2-5
10. Why does the “saved soul now
desire to put to death the things of the flesh?”
A Holy Life Follows Salvation; page 7
11. What are the four reasons given, why “a holy
life and a sowing to the Spirit must follow the salvation that God gives in Christ.” Write out the Scripture verse used for each.
12. Define “sanctification.”
The False Gospel - no power over sin;
pages 8-9
13. In the paragraph beginning “What a far cry…,”
several characteristics of the present-day false gospel are mentioned. List as many of these as you can identify.
14. a. What
is the problem that the majority of missionaries, teachers, and preachers have
fallen into?
b. Have you known
someone who has experienced this?
c. Making It
Personal: To what degree is this your experience? Explain.
15. Please write in your own words the overall key
point that Spurgeon makes in the quotation. [Charles Spurgeon was a gifted 19th-century
preacher in England.]