Scared Carnal 2

Gee, my title sounds more like a horror movie than a Bible devotional!

Tuesday, we spoke about reacting carnally to situations, and the implication of our fear of not changing from carnal responses to spiritual responses.  I think, too, that it is possible to respond carnally in some areas of our lives and spiritually in others.  Let’s get down to the bedrock of these too words:  Carnally means we’re responding in our flesh.  It’s all about us.  Spiritually means that we’re responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Our flesh has been crucified.

Andrew Murray sees three steps to the spiritual life:

“First, we must know that there is such a spiritual life to be lived by men on earth.  Nothing cuts the roots of the Christian life so much as unbelief. . . . then comes the second step; a man must see the shame and guilt of his having lived such a life.  Some people admit there is a spiritual life to live, and that they have not lived it, and they are sorry for themselves and pity themselves.  Alas, it has been our unfaithfulness, our unbelief, our disobedience, that has kept us from giving ourselves utterly to God. . . . finally, a man must take that step, a solemn but blessed step. . . a yielding up of ourselves to Him as never before.”

But offer and yield yourselves to God as though you have been raised from the dead to [perpetual] life, and your bodily members [and faculties] to God, presenting them as implements of righteousness.  Romans 6:13b