This verse says that the carnal mind is against God. It isn’t ruled by the law of God (obedience to Him) nor can it be.
So much is here. This is specifically speaking of the mind of the flesh born person ruled by the old nature. This word carnal can be applied to a saved or lost person depending upon whether they are saved and living according to the old man or lost and living according to the old man.
The believer if not sanctified, can live according to the old nature, the flesh or the flesh born. The lost person does nothing but that. They have no new man within them. Only the Spirit born, the born again in Christ have the nature of the new man. The new man is the only one who is ruled by God’s law…that is the law of righteousness written on every heart created.
When we look at a professing Christian and they for instance side with homosexuality for example, we know that they are not believers. A believer cannot do that, we are told in Romans. It is only a person who has been given over to a debased mind who can accept homosexuality. It is really the only litmus test God gives us to easily determine if one is saved or not. Do they agree with homosexuality? If so they are not saved…period. It’s that easy.
So we can look at people we know and if they are siding with homsexuality we know they are carnal…unredeemed as of yet. There is no middle ground. Some would like to be silent on the issue but silence is endorsement. So check your heart because God said that if you are carnal…and in this case it refers to the lost because of the context…then you are not, and really cannot be ruled by the law of God.
Now of course a lost person can be against homosexuality but it will be for carnal reasons and not because he is ruled by the law of God. But we know for sure that one who stands with homosexuaity does not know God, nor is he ruled by the law of God. He is unable to be…in all the law of God.
But there is hope in Jesus if we will just turn to Him and be born again of the Spirit. He will give us the desire of His heart which is life. The carnal man however abides in death and has affintiy for all the things of death…including homosexuality. This is the mark of death. Homosexuality is the mark of death…as is the endorsement of it.
Help Lord. Save today. Be glorified today and cleanse hearts and minds to know truth.
Amen.