Carnal Christians Such As . . . Us?

Reflections on how very easily influenced we are by the world and our fleshly desires

I’ve been reflecting a lot on the flesh and the Spirit lately, about how they influence us so similarly, even though they are polar opposites. For instance, when you constantly feed and nurture one with what it desires, it grows and waxes strong at the expense of the other, and it also increases your resistance to the other. Moreover, the flesh and the Spirit are seeds that constantly strive to take root in our hearts but can only bloom when consistently watered. The only difference here is that we are naturally inclined to water our flesh more than our spiritual lives, and herein lies the struggle facing Christians living in such a carnal world and era.

Everywhere you look today, something appeals to your flesh as strongly as your flesh desires it. And what’s scary is how these things are usually positioned in the most harmless, highly visited places, like the porn ads littered across movie download sites and mobile games, and how they have become so rampant that they have now been accepted as the norm. It’s so bad that to do anything other than support this trend is considered a crime by society—because why should any sensible person see anything wrong in a woman taking nude maternity shots when she’s only championing body positivity?

So, now we have people who not only glorify the flesh but also recognize our natural inclination to it and weaponize it in their businesses and content. Or isn’t that why many secular songs and commercials about skincare, fitness, and even beverages feature naked or half-clad people for appeal? And isn’t that why the most common social media marketing strategy today is to share a sexually stimulating photo on your Messenger story to entice people, then post your products and services in the following slides while interspersing the slides now and then with more explicit content?

And many of us, knowing full well how vulnerable we can be to the flesh if we aren’t careful, believe we have god-tier self-control to keep consuming tidbits of carnal content without it hindering our spiritual lives somehow. We think to ourselves, “What mischief is this person up to now? Let me see what sexually enticing photo they’ve shared this time so I can shake my head in righteous disapproval and pray God opens their eyes and they change their ways.” But then, aren’t we blind ourselves to how we’re being hypocritical and orchestrating our own destruction by wilfully exposing ourselves to sin and satisfying our fleshly pleasures and desires?

Again, this issue goes beyond social media posts to the kind of songs, movies, and other types of content we’re too comfortable consuming, and I am not exempt from this challenge myself. Lately, I have stumbled over old vices that God has freed me from, and in my weakness, I have sought them out once and then twice again. But I write not as a moral authority but as a weak human being in dire need of God’s mercy when I say that this is no way to live.

We are slaves to whatever we let consume us, so it’s in our best interest to be overcome by spiritual fruits, desires, and realities rather than those of the flesh, for in doing the opposite, we are permitting ourselves to be used as instruments by the world and the devil to strike strategic blows against the body of Christ. Now, the body of Christ will always prevail, but if there’s one surefire way to undermine the church, it’s by attacking the church from within, through carnally minded Christians who are only Christians by name but not (or less) in deeds, actions, or intentions.

We overrate our strengths and self-control too much when, apart from God, we are actually as weak and helpless as newborn babies. To believe otherwise is pride. So, friends, let us intentionally plant spiritual seeds in our hearts and water them consistently, even when the fruits aren’t evident initially. Because just as the effects of indulging in carnal desires become obvious and build in severity over time, so does the spiritually minded life when intentionally practised.

So, let us prioritise our study of God’s Word and fellowship with Him and our Christian brothers and sisters. But just as important, let us also restrict our exposure to the world—whether that means unfollowing or muting the status of people we admire, whose posts and photos tempt our flesh, avoiding ungodly conversations, movies, and songs that do not edify us, and praying earnestly for God to cleanse our mind and heart, among others.

We live in dire times, friends. So, please, be on guard at all times, and look out for everyone struggling in the faith. I trust that God will renew our strength and our minds as we humbly submit to His guidance and commandments in all aspects of our lives.

Questions to Reflect On

• Does anything in your life glorify the flesh and dishonour the Holy Spirit, like your thoughts, imaginations, conversations with people, manner of dressing, or the kind of content you share and consume, especially on social media?

• If you often stumble over a particular vice, what specific steps can you take to overcome its triggers and reduce and resist the opportunities to indulge in it?

A Few Things That Blessed Me This Week

• A sermon by Paul Washer titled “What Are You Doing with Your Life?”

• 1 Peter 1 and 2.

• Galatians 3.

• Colossians 3.

• Romans 12.