Galatians 5:17-5:21
What are some of the best ways to relate to carnal Christians?
Illustration: Where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? —1 Corinthians 3:3
Why do we hear of Christians who are pitted against Christians over such issues as the color of the carpet, the thermostat setting, and whether the choir should wear robes.
Pastors have been run out of town during these kinds of arguments. Christians have cut off friendships. Churches have split because folks argued about such things.
Why does this happen? People who get caught up in petty squabbles have lost sight of what a God’s design for His body is for. The church is the place we go for worship, for reading the Word, for singing to God’s glory, for serving others, and for helping one another to grow. It’s supposed to be a place of love, forgiveness, and encouragement.
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church, he described the unity of purpose (4:1-16) that should help us to work through disagreements without creating divisions. He knew all too well how selfish desires, personal agendas, and playing favorites could create havoc (1 Corinthians 3:1-9). (Branson, Our Daily Bread)
1. Let everyone know the advantages of being controlled by the Spirit versus the disadvantages of living according to one’s fleshly desires. Paul writes, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry, and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy,fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:19-22)
Illustration: A former commander of the Imperial Russian Navy said that he went to London during World War I for training. There he learned how to fly one of three dirigibles that Russia had bought from England.
But first he had to learn to fly a balloon. He recalled getting into the gondola and seeing all four sides covered with sandbags. To begin the ascent, sand was released until the huge balloon slowly lifted off the ground. As more sand went over the side, the craft ascended higher.
The man then applied this to our relationship with the Lord: "Now that I’m a Christian, I understand that when God begins to clean up my heart, I get closer and closer to Him."
Hebrews 12:1 and 1 John 2:15 express that same spiritual truth. Carrying this world’s weight hampers our fellowship with the Lord and keeps our hearts from rising in love for Him. John wrote that we cannot love the world and love God at the same time. How often we have proven from experience just how true that is!
Selfish attitudes, besetting sins, and worldly cares keep us from getting off the ground spiritually. But when we lay them aside, we experience the uplifting joy of fellowship with the Father. --MRD II (Our Daily Bread)
2. Encourage people to not be argumentative through your own fine example. Paul writes, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Gal. 5:25,26)
3. Help people see the advantages of using their Christian liberties for God’s purposes instead of their own. Paul writes, "But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather, serve one another in love. The entire Law is summed up in a single command, ’Love your neighbor as yourself’."(Gal. 5:14)
4. Avoid people who habitually cause divisions and like to argue. Paul writes, "I urge you brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.... I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil. (Rom.16:17-19)
5. Exhort people to not follow the patterns of the non-Christians of this world. Paul writes, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Rom. 12:2) .
6. Encourage people to grow up in all aspects in their spiritual maturity. Paul writes, "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly - mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still carnal. For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not carnal? Are you not acting like mere men? (I Cor. 3:1-3)
7. Be alert and cautious to people who would rather have you live by popular philsophies rather than the truth of the scriptures. Paul writes, "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (Col. 2:8)
8. Point people to the fact of their responsibilities to grow up into all aspects: worship, obedience, prayer, wisdom, faith, love, evangelism, disciple-making, church planting, giving, serving, purity, and overall lifestyle. The writer of Hebrews reminds his readers, "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." (Heb. 5:12-14)
9. Remember, the source of most quarrels begins within one’s own desires. James writes, "You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:1-4)
10. The best way to overcome carnality is through a healthy devotional life of prayer.
11. Remind everyone of their primary responsibility to love as Jesus did. Paul writes, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (I Cor. 13 :4-7)
12. Let everything be measured by the Biblical criteria of love.
O Lord, help us to turn aside
From words that spring from selfish pride,
For You would have Your children one
In praise and love for Your dear Son. —D. De Haan
Christians at war with each other cannot be at peace with their heavenly Father.
I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground. --Oatman
