What are your thoughts on balancing carnality and spirituality?
Your response hits on the point I was hoping to get someWhat balance?
All of carnality is a misuse of what God provides for our good. The difference is the motivation.
Thus we may rejoice with God over His abundance, or we can forget God while we misuse His provision.
I think this is a great answer for those who can live this. If we could accept1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
2 A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
9 What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? 10 I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.
God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man
11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;
Ecclesiastes 3:1-12 (NASB)
But when _we_ decide the times and circumstances, it becomes folly.
So we can rejoice with out brothers at a feast, or we can stuff ourselves full. Both ways we eat, but one joins us to each other while the other focuses satisfying our craving.
A heart commited to the Lord will look for fellowship before the Lord. A heart commited to the Lord will look for ways to serve others in His name.
Our commitment to Him is always at test. Our ability to rejoice in servanthood is always at test. We never in this life get to the point where we have 'made it'.
I really did misuse the term carnal with the OP. I should have said the flesh. Carnality is to beFor me it comes down to "What does it mean to live in the Spirit?" As Christians, God lives in us. We have a new life, but currently remain in this fleshly body.
To be carnally minded is to be minded on the flesh, it's wants, desires and pleasures. Is that what we really want in this life?
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (KJV)
This subject brings up a host of questions in my mind that every Christian should answer. I've found my own answers in God's word.
What does it mean to be spiritually minded?
What law is Paul referring to here in Rom 8:7?
How is our life different today than before coming to God?
and many other questions.
All of this combined defines a personal walk and a guidance by Christ in my life?For me it is about learning to act in love and faith. God gives us this grace through his Spirit.
Living in the world gives us many opportunities to learn love, faith, mercy, kindness, etc. IMHO we must constantly seek God's guidance and help in discerning the wisest course. Over protecting a child is unwise because children as they age need more and more opportunities to make their own decisions. Acting in love and faith is a personal experience as we trust God to guide our actions and decisions.
For me, I strive to immerse myself in God's word and pray through out the day. With God in my life, I know I will stumble less as I apply what he teaches me.
cp
What balance?
All of carnality is a misuse of what God provides for our good. The difference is the motivation.
Thus we may rejoice with God over His abundance, or we can forget God while we misuse His provision.
Some people just go looking for a fight. I encourage the reader to see the wholeDIng....Ding....Ding.....we have a winner!
A spiritual Christian is a mature Christian, and a carnal Christian is one who does not have a clue as to what spirituality is really all about.
There can be NO balance!!!!!
Just watch the new NOAH movie with Russell Crow and you will see right in front of your eyes the difference between Carnal and Spiritual.
Try it.......see if you can tell what is from the Bible and what is from the mind of the person who wrote the script for the movie!!!!
All of this combined defines a personal walk and a guidance by Christ in my life?