The Carnal Christian

The Carnal Christian. by Anthony Smith

Romans 8:35-8:35

The Carnal Christian. This Sermon deals with the Christian in peril and the Lazy Christian that is always complaining. Before we start, I would like to share a letter that I received today from one of My Associates in the Phillippiens. The words and spelling are His and I decided not to correct them. Dear Rev. Smith, Please help praise the Lord for me, I was at the point of dead, I met dead face to face on saturday night as I journeyed to be with a church at lagos our former capital.We ran into an armed robbery gang of about 42 in numbers with sophisticated riffle,our bus entered thier midst unknowingly.Several shots were fired into our bus,the bus conductor died instantly,tyre burst,radiator blast off,and the bus went into the bush,and they pursued us to a standstill.They ransacked all our luggages,took valuable items including cash. Finally the commander ordered that those that have paid their tithes for the last 3 months should stand one side,some thought it was a joke,i quickly obeyed and a sister join me.Those who were not on our side the gang leader said they have robbed God,and that there is only one sentence for robbers,dead sentence.It was at that point they fired everybody to dead,and they ordered 2 of us to go.we were helpless,we slept there till daybreak,about 6 buses were involved in the saga,at the same time they raped nearly all the women.My heart is very very sorrowful,this incident has been reported in our national news and newspapers.God kept me alive to write you this day,may His only name be blessed.
His Grace in Ecclesia, Bishop Dr.Joseph Rankin. Now lets look at Scripture. Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? The word of the Lord is true and eternal. Many are recieveing tribulation, distress, persecution and even the threat of death for their belief in the Gospel. But still they go on. They go on believing in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The problem today, as I have seen it, is that there are too many Christians that are sitting around waiting for the rapture to take place and not being concerned with the state of their other brothers and sisters in harms way, who are promoting the Gospel to the rest of the world. Being comfortable with one or two services a week, giving the church money when its convienuent for them, not really paying ties but expecting their say at business meetings. And the Church, not using the money for propagating the Gospel, but rather building on instead of building up. Where has the compassion of the Christian gone? Rom 15:27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. Romans 15:27 is not just a passing thought by Paul, but a commandment from Christ, for the establishment of all the members of the body. 1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 1Co 3:1 is a warning to Christians that there are times that the Church loses its way and becomes carnal, instead of Spiritual. Not being able to receive Spiritual insight into the Gospel because they have become carnal minded. 1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 1Co 3:3 is stating that when members of the body become carnal minded, they start walking as man instead of as Christian, Christ like, in appearance, attitude and goal. We sometimes loose our way because of carnal mindness but are rebuked and reproved by the words of God. 1Co 15:1-2 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 1Co 15:1-2 teaches us that even thou we have been saved, we remain accountable for the word we have heard and as Paul stated;