Contrasting The Carnal And Spiritually Minded

Carnallv Minded People Focus on selfish interests that concentrates only on their own individual concerns at the exclusion of the needs of others They are habitually jealous of what others have. They are suspicious of others or inclined to believe the worst of everyone and everything. They are angry at self, others and circumstances They are immoral in one’s thoughts, actions and feelings Given to idol worship of various types. They tend to create strife, divisions and tribal favorites due to prejudicial thinking

Use the following check list of criterion to evaluate your own spiritual progress in putting away the old sinful nature and putting on Christ’s characteristics into all areas of your heart, soul, emotions, mind and behavior:

1. Stubbornly holds to one’s own opinion

2. Envious of others who have more or who possess Resists the temptation to feel envious of those who have received greater blessings

3. Practices self-control over appetites and desires controls to the Lord

4. Only associates with people who are on one’s level of thinking, social-status and class greater abilities and enjoy more privileges

5. Impulsively led by one’s appetites

6. Obsessed with control

7. Led by fear

8. Habitually compares self with others

9. Frustrations cause one to feel bitter and resentful

10. Discouraged most of the time

11. Rejects opportunities for service as something that is too much sacrifice

12. Influenced by the opinions of others

13. Becomes intoxicated with one’s desires Easily gives into to wild carousing

14. Unwilling to give away money for God’s purposes

15. Distrustful of most people

16. Unwise in the use of one’s time, talents and resources

17. Refuses to grow up and become mature

18. Occasionally acts and speaks indecently

19. Habitually shows up late

20. Tribalistic, nepotistic and cliqueish

21. Impure in one’s thoughts attitudes and actions

22. RelationshiPs lack the fruits of the Holy Spirit

23. Perspectives are clouded by subjective feelings of anger, irritability and self interests

24. Unable to Personal sPend time worshipping God

Spiritually Minded People

1. Concentrates on Christ’s interests above those of everyone and everything else

2. Habitually are thankful for whatever God gives

3. Trusting of God and believing the best in every person and every situation

4. At peace with self, others and circumstances

5. Moral in one’s thou~hts, actions and feelings

6. Worships only the Lord God and His will

7. Practices love to all those who are willing to do the will of the Father.

8. Loves the sinner, but hates the sin

9. Associates with all men as Jesus related freely to people without bias

10. Stays humbly open to be taught by anyone

11. Led by faith

12. Follows God’s plan regardless of what others have or think about one’s situation

13. Motivated by frustrations to cast all of one’s cares upon the Lord

14. Encouraged most of the time

15. Welcomes opportunities to serve as a way of becoming more like Jesus Christ

16. Listens to the word of God as taught by the Spirit of God to obey the Lord in all things

17. Refuses to surrender control to personal desires

18. Diligently practices self-discipline

19. Willing to freely give money and resources to the Lord’s purposes as an expression of submission

20. Trusting in those who God’s hand is on Wise in the use of one’ s time, talents and resources reflecting good stewardship

21. Willing to grow up into all aspects in Christ

22. Acts and speaks with decorum and tact

23. Practices punctuality

24. Loves all men freely without prejudice

25. Purity in one’s thoughts, attitudes and actions

26. Wise in the way one can get the greatest return for God given investments

27. Relationships are characterized by the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control

28. Perspectives are objectives led by the word of God controlled through the power of the Spirit

29. Spends much personal time worshipping God