Captive To Sin"

How do you know if you’re a carnal Christian – a Christian who never grew up? It’s not self-evident to the person who experiences it. Most children think that they are already adults and should already get to enjoy all the pleasures and privileges that adults do. The same is true spiritually. So how do you know? Ask yourself this question: “What controls me? Am I controlled by the things of God, or am I controlled by the things of this world?” Look at another passage of Scripture with me – Galatians 6:19ff. [read down through vs. 21] Some of those words are difficult for us to understand, so let me read the same passage from the New Living Translation. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Maybe you didn’t find yourself in each of those characteristics mentioned, but you may have felt the sting of guilt a few times. Now here’s another list. This is what a person who is controlled by the Spirit and has his mind on the things of God is like. But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Probably no one in here, fits completely into either of those lists. But the more that you fit into the second list, the more mature that you are. The more that you fit into the first list, the more carnal you are.

Lot was carnal. Lot didn’t participate in all the sins of Sodom, but he chose to stay there because it was economically advantageous to him. He, like a little kid, thought he could play with fire without getting burned. (Prov 6:27 NIV) Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? If you think that you can play with sin without feeling the heat of God’s wrath and punishment, I have just two words for you: GROW UP!

Here in our church, this past Thursday night, we had 9 children pray to ask Jesus Christ to forgive them of their sins and become their savior. These children are now spiritual babies. Whose responsibility is it to help them grow up and make sure that they get the food that they need? Parents, that responsibility is yours. [call out the different parents of children who gave their lives to Christ] But church, it is our responsibility too. We must pray for them, encourage them, teach them, discipline them and love them. We don’t want them to remain as spiritual infants. We don’t want them to be a carnal Christian like Lot was.

The Bible says that (Rom 8:6 KJV) …to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Since Lot was not spiritually minded, he had no peace.