“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 (KJV)
Paul gives us a warning of fact in Romans 8:6; to be carnally minded is death. Notice it doesn’t say it could be or might be death, it states it “is death”. A stern warning that deserves more than just a cursory answer. But before we can answer the question, “Am I carnally minded?”, we need to better understand what it means to have a carnal mind.
A carnal mind is one that focuses upon the flesh more than the Spirit. Where a man keeps his mind and what he thinks about determine who he is and what he does. A man that keeps his mind and thoughts in filth, becomes part of the filth. If he keeps his mind upon the good, he becomes better. When a man focuses upon worldly success, he achieves success in the world. When a mind is filled with religious thoughts, that mind becomes religious. If his thoughts are focused upon God and righteousness, he becomes godly and righteous. A man becomes and does what he thinks.
A person with a carnal or “fleshly” mind often reveals itself in one of three areas of their lives;
- The carnal mind may focus upon the immoral, the violent, the material, and the physical flesh. This is usually the life-style most people think about when a carnal or fleshly person is mentioned. Their minds are consumed with the lust for sex, power, money, houses, things, recognition, position—concerned and filled with the earthly and the worldly. More worldly pleasure is the goal, but the reward is empty, and the desire is never satisfied.
- The second area of a carnal mind focuses on culture, morality, refinement in the worldly sense. Often this person desires a better educated and refined community. Social work and political activism is often born out of this carnal mind. They often try to mask their carnal mind under the guise of enlightenment, diversity or inclusion. And while the desire may seems good on the surface it is actually based in carnality, separate from anything of God.
- The third type of carnal mind manifests itself in religion. Focusing on living a life of service, ceremony and good works. This type of carnal mind seems godly, but their mind is not focused upon God but upon themselves and this world. They serve to carry out a religious function or ceremony and any personal relationship with God is nonexistence. The stress of the carnal religionist is his religion and its rituals and ceremonies, its welfare and projects. Such a focus is fleshly and carnal.
The point is this: a carnal mind does not necessarily mean that a man’s thoughts are upon the filthy, immoral, and vicious. Any mind that does not find its basis in God is a carnal mind.
So, I must ask the question again – Are you carnally minded?
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).