The apostle Paul wrote: “For to be carnally-minded is death, but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace” (Romans 6:6). In Verse 7 Paul explained why: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against [hostile to] God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.”
But just what, really, is the “carnal” mind? The word “carnal is related to the Spanish word “carne” – meaning flesh or meat. We human beings are made up of “meat” – flesh, plus bones, hair and nails, as are most animals, some of which may have scales instead of skin or hair.
Because God created us human beings with flesh, does this explain why we have a “carnal” mind, as Paul mentioned?
The Greek philosophers and Gnostics falsely and wrongly believe that the fleshly part of man is intrinsically bad or evil, and the good part of man is his “soul,” which is released at death, to continue to exist forever as an “immortal soul.” [See: “Is There Ever Any Good in Man?“and “What Happens to Man After Death?”]
The creation account in Genesis 1 assures us that, after God had created man and the animals – cattle, beasts and creeping things (Verses 24-30) – He declared them all indeed “very good” (Verses 31). Genesis 2:25, 18 shows God creating woman to be a suitable help for the first man, Adam, who named her Eve (Genesis 3:20). Genesis 2:24 shows God ordaining marriage between the man and the woman as a means for them to “be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28). God describes marriage this way: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. And they [two] shall become one flesh.”
The sex act: becoming “one flesh”
In the sex act between a married couple [husband and wife], the two persons join their sex parts [flesh!] as God designed them, to express mutual joy and pleasure in their love embrace. God’s word clearly declares that a husband or his wife does not have authority over his or her own body, but the partner does. Paul was inspired to write: “The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And like-wise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does” (1 Corinthians 7:4).
Much more, then, does a man not have authority over the body of a woman who is not his duly married or legal wife. If a man does have sex with a woman while both are unmarried, this is called the sin of “fornication.” If a married man has sex with a woman [married or single] who is not his wife, the sin is called “adultery” – forbidden in God’s seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14). In his example of a man who has sex with a harlot [prostitute], Paul declared that “he who is joined [in the sexual act] to a harlot is one body [or one flesh] with her. For ‘the two,’ He [God] says,’ shall become one flesh’” (1 Corinthians 6:16).
It stands to reason, then, that if a man commits a sex act with another man [married or not], this is a horrible sin [clearly forbidden in Leviticus 18:27; 20:13 and condemned in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Romans 1:24-27; Jude 7; and Revelation 21:8; 22:15 9 (here “dogs” refers to sodomites)] that also results in both men thereby becoming “one flesh” as their bodily parts are joined together.
The homosexual mind especially “carnal”
While all sin [the transgression of God’s law, 1 John 3:4, especially KJV] is enmity against or hostile to God’s law and therefore comes from a “carnal” mind, the sin of homosexuals is particularly carnal! Many LGBTQ+ community members deny that God condemns the homosexual act, although God’s law or word clearly declares it a sin and an “abomination” or hateful thing [see Bible references above].
A religious broadcaster once joked about the homosexual’s or gay’s “favorite food.” He said, “mince [men’s] meat!” Homosexuals are often obsessed with other men’s bodies, especially their sex parts – their flesh or “meat.”
While a homosexual may not have actual sex with another man, he may indulge in vicarious such sex through viewing gay pornography. And there is a whole stack of this on the internet – reader, beware!
Jesus explained the spiritual principle of adultery as not being just the actual, physical act, but also the “lust” or the desiring of it in one’s mind or heart (Matthew 5:27-28). This principle applies to homosexual desires and lusts – a person who indulges in them is guilty of having actually, physically committed the sex acts themselves. Paul was inspired to write that “Covetousness … is idolatry (Colossians 3:5).
Neuro-scientists or expert in brain studies have pointed out the addictive effect of same-sex attraction (SSA) and viewing gay or even “straight” [heterosexual] pornography. The pleasurable experience involved here brings out certain biochemicals in the brain [such as dopamine] that reinforce the behavior, so that one becomes a virtual “slave” to it –it becomes his idol!
Actually, most if not all sin is accompanied by momentary pleasure (Hebrews 11:24-28). [See: “The Deceitfulness of Sin.”] Paul prophesied that, in the last days –our times today! – perilous times will come. Men shall, among others, be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” “(2 Timothy 3:1, 4).
Then Paul explained: “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slave whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness” (Romans 6:15) – and everlasting life!
The oppressive nature of sin – its addictive influence and force – is such that the subjugation or bondage sets up “strongholds” – STRONG HOLDS! – in the mind and thoughts of the sinner (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Antidote to the carnal mind
Paul wrote: “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace …. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead [the fleshly pulls become weak, even powerless], but the Spirit is life because of righteousness [obedience to God’s commandments (Psalm 119:172; Luke 1:6)] …therefore, brethren, we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh [carnally], you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:6, 9-10, 12-14).
Thus, the all-important antidote to the carnal mind and sin is the Spirit of God and of Christ! How do we receive it? Acts 2:38 gives the “formula.” [See: “God’s Spirit and Obedience,” “The Higher Law of the Spirit” and “Freed From Bondage.”]
Paul wrote: “For though we walk in the flesh [we remain as sin-prone mortals now], we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal [they are spiritual!] but mighty [powerful] in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).
Where the battle is
The battle starts in the mind and finishes in the body. Our thoughts are the battleground!
As the above Scripture verse says, need to “bring every thought into captivity” to obey Christ and His word. We need to capture and submit every wrong, sinful thought to Christ, so He can redirect it conform to His holy, righteous thoughts. As Isaiah 55:8-9 says: “’For My thoughts are noy your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD! ‘For as the heavens are higher them the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” The apostle Peter reiterated what God had long commanded His people or children: “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind [as in getting ready to walk where God leads], be sober [mind in control], and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be Holy, For I Am Holy”(1 Peter 1:13-15).
Like a good soldier or sentinel, we need to guard what thoughts we allow our minds to entertain or dwell on. No, it’s not a matter of sheer human will! This won’t work, because relying on the resources of our carnal mind alone won’t work. As Paul explained, the carnal mind is not subject to God’s law nor indeed can be! As true disciples of Christ, we have His Spirit in us to help us have the power of self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) – control over our thoughts! We will be defended by the “full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:14-18).
We will be empowered to fulfill Paul’s admonition: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
Paul echoed what Psalm 1:1-2 has long taught: “Blessed [happy] is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly [we get plenty of this in the advice columns of carnal “teachers” in the print and electronic media], nor stands in the path of sinners [avoid their company], nor sits in the seat of the scornful [like spending hours seated before a TV, desktop, laptop, tablet or i-phone watching programs that despise God’s law and way of life; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.”
Psalm 1:3 shines a bright light on Galatians 5:22 [about the nine-faceted “fruit of the Spirit] – “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water [symbolic of God’s Spirit, John 7:38-39], that brings forth fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.”
James 1:14-15 shows how the lack of self-control leads to sin: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when the desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.”
The key, then, is to capture the desire while it is still forming in our mind and heart, before it becomes full grown and cannot be controlled – leading us to sin and death! It is then that we can ask God to “deliver us from evil [or the evil one – Satan] (Matthew 6:13). And He will!
That is how we are able to control our carnal mind. “Not by [human] might nor by [human] power, but by My [God’s] Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6).
And let’s not be confused about what it means by there being no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Yes, once we are forgiven of our sins through faith in Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary, we are no longer condemned for those forgiven sins. But, if after this we continue to harbor wicked thoughts in our mind and heart, we come under condemnation by God’s law (and hopefully our conscience) until we repent and ask for God’s forgiveness.
The love of God through Christ does not mean we should no longer have the fear of God. Again Paul urged that we should “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness” (Romans 11:22). To understand more about this important issue on overcoming our carnal mind, see: “Can We Fear and Love God at the Same Time?”
For more knowledge about overcoming our carnal nature and mind, see: “Breaking Down Our ‘Walls of Jericho,’” “The Rainbow Connection,” “The Conversion Therapy Controversy,” “Should Everyone Be Allowed to Be Who They Are?” and “Does God Require Us to Do the Impossible?”
Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
21032025/29032025