Carnal
What Does 'Carnal' Mean in Scripture?
The English word "carnal" comes from the Latin carnalis ("of the flesh") and translates Greek terms derived from sarx ("flesh"). In the New Testament, "carnal" does not simply mean "physical" or "bodily." Rather, it describes the whole orientation of a person who lives according to mere human nature apart from the influence of God's Spirit. Paul uses it to describe a way of thinking and living that is fundamentally at odds with God's purposes.
In the Old Testament, a related concept appears in passages dealing with human physicality and desire (Leviticus 18:20; Numbers 5:13), but the theological weight of "carnal" belongs primarily to the New Testament.
The Carnal Mind: At War with God
Paul's most pointed use of the concept appears in Romans 8:6-7: "To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot." Here the "carnal mind" is not merely weak or misguided, it is actively opposed to God.
This teaching builds on the broader argument of Romans 7-8, where Paul describes the inner conflict of someone who knows what is right but cannot consistently do it. "I am of the flesh, sold under sin," he writes (Romans 7:14), using the Greek sarkinos to describe a condition of bondage to sin that only the Spirit can break.
Carnal Christians: A Contradiction in Terms?
One of Paul's most provocative uses of "carnal" appears in his letter to the Corinthians. He writes, "I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1). The Corinthians were believers, yet their jealousy, strife, and factional divisions revealed that they were still living by the standards of mere human nature.
Paul uses two slightly different Greek words here, sarkinos (made of flesh, 1 Corinthians 3:1) and sarkikos (characterized by flesh, 1 Corinthians 3:3), though the practical distinction is subtle. Both describe Christians whose behavior is indistinguishable from that of unbelievers. The implication is sobering: genuine faith does not automatically eliminate carnal tendencies.
Carnal Versus Spiritual
Throughout Paul's letters, the carnal and the spiritual stand in sharp opposition. The weapons of Christian ministry are "not of the flesh but have divine power" (2 Corinthians 10:4). The old priesthood operated according to "a law of a fleshly commandment," while Christ serves by "the power of an indestructible life" (Hebrews 7:16). The ceremonial regulations of the old covenant are described as "regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation" (Hebrews 9:10).
Yet Paul also uses "carnal" in a neutral, non-moral sense when discussing material support for ministry. If apostles have sown spiritual things, he argues, "is it too much if we reap material things from you?" (1 Corinthians 9:11; see also Romans 15:27). Here "carnal" simply means "pertaining to physical life" without negative connotation.
The Path from Carnal to Spiritual
The Bible does not present the carnal condition as hopeless. Paul's entire argument in Romans 8 moves toward the liberating declaration: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2). The antidote to carnality is not greater willpower but surrender to the Holy Spirit.
Peter echoes this call when he urges believers to "abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul" (1 Peter 2:11). The Christian life is presented not as the elimination of the flesh but as an ongoing walk in the Spirit that progressively overcomes carnal impulses.
Biblical Context
The concept appears primarily in Paul's letters, especially Romans 7-8, 1 Corinthians 3, and 2 Corinthians 10. It also features in Hebrews 7:16 and 9:10 in discussions of the old covenant's ceremonial system. Peter addresses carnal desires in 1 Peter 2:11. In the Old Testament, the concept is less developed but appears in Leviticus and Numbers in contexts related to physical life and desire.
Theological Significance
The carnal/spiritual distinction is central to Paul's understanding of salvation and sanctification. It teaches that human nature apart from God is not merely imperfect but fundamentally unable to please God. This underscores the necessity of the Holy Spirit for genuine transformation. The concept also warns against a superficial Christianity that professes faith while living by worldly values, the very problem Paul addressed in Corinth.
Historical Background
Paul's flesh/Spirit dualism has roots in Jewish anthropology but was sharpened by engagement with Greek thought. Unlike Greek dualism, which saw the physical body as inherently evil, Paul's concept of 'flesh' encompasses the whole person oriented away from God, including mental and emotional life. The Stoic concept of living 'according to nature' provides a philosophical backdrop, though Paul radically redefines what 'nature' means in light of the gospel. Early church fathers extensively debated the carnal/spiritual distinction, with some tending toward an overly negative view of the body that Paul himself would not have endorsed.