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1 Corinthians |
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1 Corinthians
The Cross of Christ - Cure for
Carnality
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Did you ever ask
yourself why Christians are oftentimes no better than non-Christians? For instance, statistics reveal that
Christians are just as likely to get divorced as non-Christians. If God hates divorce, shouldn’t Christians be
less likely to get a divorce? There are unfortunately many such areas where Christians are shown to be not much
if any different than non-Christians. This flies in the face of the call of God to be holy (1 Peter 1:16-17).
Christians are called “saints” or holy ones in scripture. Christians are supposed to have the Holy
Spirit dwelling in them and the Holy Spirit is on a mission to make Christians holy. To be holy means to be
separate and distinct, set apart for God’s use. Why are Christians more common than holy?
Christianity is in a crisis and that crisis is caused by the same thing that was hindering the Corinthians
when Paul wrote to them around 56 A.D. The crisis of Christianity then and now is carnality. In our study
of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians we will detail the nature of carnality but
suffice it to say now that carnality is self-rule, preoccupation with self, self-promotion, self-reliance,
self-worship, and every form of selfishness; it is sin.
Carnality is a serious problem in the church and individual Christian. Carnality is promoted by some in the
church under the guise of self-love and self-esteem the consequence of which is much of what we see in the
anemic common church of today. This promotion of carnality robs the believer of the fullness of God and robs God
of useable tools for His glory and pleasure for which we were created (Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11 KJV).
But there is a cure for this dastardly infection of the spirit and hearts of people. The cure for carnality
is the cross of Christ. That is the message of the Holy Spirit inspired Corinthian letters. So if you are
stuck in the mire of self and are searching for something more, if you’re convicted by your own commonness and
hear the call of the Spirit to a holy life, if you know something just isn’t right and have a burning desire
in your heart to know and experience God in His holy fullness, then The Cross of Christ – Cure for
Carnality our study of the Corinthian epistles is for you. |
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