Carnally or Spiritually Minded?

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:5-7). Friends, these are some very serious sayings here from one of the most powerful chapters in the Bible, and I firmly believe that we should heed them. In saying that carnal mindedness is death, the apostle was saying that if we are carnally minded, and bent in that direction, it procures separation from God. Everyone is going to die, including those who are spiritually minded. And as far as that goes, everyone is going to live UNTIL they die, including those who are carnally minded. So we are reading about things that have spiritual meaning here. Let’s look at another passage that says the exact same thing with just a bit more clarity about the fact that it is talking about things that pertain to SPIRITUAL life and death: "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" (Gal. 6:7,8). Same saying, more definitive words. But the point I want to make here is in giving an example of how the modern Christian religion promotes carnal mindedness rather than spiritual mindedness. I experience this on a very regular basis, whether in person or on the internet. I will ask someone if they have received the baptism of the holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. That’s really a very clear question, but the answer is almost always invariably one of confusion. Someone will say "yes," but when I ask them when they received the experience they will tell me about being water baptized. It’s really amazing. And I am talking about people often times who HAVE the Spirit baptism. People cannot even hear the plain English words that I am saying because the traditions of today’s Christianity have dictated to them that the word baptism simply means water baptism. Yet water baptism was FULFILLED by the Spirit baptism that Jesus suffered, died, and rose again to impart to us.

Water baptism was actually of the old covenant law, even though it was given at the end of that dispensation (Mat. 3:15; Mat. 5:17). It’s true that water baptism was first given as a tool of repentance for the remission of sins, but it did not actually take away sin any more than the blood of bulls and of goats took away sin (Heb. 10:4). It was a carnal ordinance and it did not go to the heart and soul and purify from sin. The baptism that comes by faith in Jesus however does (Jn. 7:38,39; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 15:8). Yet God’s people who DO have the holy Ghost baptism think water when they hear the word baptism. Forget the fact that the apostle Paul came to the understanding that “Christ sent me NOT to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (I Cor. 1:17). And forget that this same apostle, to whom God revealed the fulfillment of the law, eventually understood that there is now only “one baptism” (Eph. 4:5). Still God’s people are conditioned to perceive the word baptism as being water. Water baptism was given to John the Baptist, the man who introduced Jesus onto the scene in Israel, and it was an ordinance that was given for the mere purpose of introducing the people to the idea of Jesus’ baptism. John said so himself: “I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (Mk. 1:8). And John also said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30). The baptism that was merely symbolic of the baptism that Jesus came to make a way to baptize with himself, also had to decrease, that Jesus and his baptism could increase. But that has not happened, at least not in the minds of God’s people today. And why is that? Because the doctrines of Christianity has continued with the practice of a long defunct, symbolic, carnal baptism. And the result? Well, I think that the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said it best: “The worst form of inequality is when two things that are unequal are said to be equal.” That saying is proven true by the religious mindset of this age that actually puts water baptism ABOVE the baptism of the holy Ghost. Nothing could be more perverse from the truth my friend, because the truth is that the baptism that Jesus died and rose to give is the ONLY holiness in this world; and it is the ONLY vehicle that can take one to eternal life and immortality (I Cor. 6:11; Rom. 8:9-11). Water baptism can do neither.

The continued practice of an ordinance that has been fulfilled by the death and resurrection, and priesthood of the Son of God is a confusion and disesteem to all that Jesus died for. And to esteem this CARNAL ordinance equal to and even above the holy experience of being baptized personally by the resurrected Christ, is as much a promotion of the carnal mind in God’s people as exists today. When we hear the word baptism we should immediately think of the death and resurrection of our Savior, and of the baptism that he administers from heaven. If water is what comes to mind, then something is inherently wrong. Not to mention that this malady cultivates the honor of men and not “the honor that comes from God only” (Jn. 5:44). How so? Because any way you try to slice it, water baptism is administered by man, and not by Jesus. Jesus did not die for water baptism, but he DID die AND raise to be able to baptize with the holy Ghost (Acts 1:4,5). To continue with water baptism is to straightly devalue everything that Jesus suffered and died for, plain and simple. Not only so, but water baptism is NOT of faith, but rather it is a ‘work’ of the law, which works of the law are fulfilled in the Spirit; and they could not and cannot justify anyone from sin (Gal. 3:10-12; Mat. 3:15). So again I say, it is a trick of the devil for this ordinance to still be practiced, and it is a promotion of the carnal mind and death. Forsake everything that pertains to death my friend, and pursue only those things that are of eternal life (Rom. 8:2,10). To honor only the things that JESUS died and rose to be able to administer to us, is to give all honor and glory to him. “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:8). That saying has not changed because God has not changed (Mal. 3:6). And his Son is just like him: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Heb. 13:8). Amen.