Introduction

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:6,7).

From this text we choose the subject, "The Carnal Mind," that which the apostle Paul says is enmity against God, and not subject to God's law -- an awful outlaw that cannot be controlled by law. It is something that you can't fix up by whitewashing it, nor can it be made better by culture. This condition, or nature. is referred to by various names. In Ephesians and Colossians the apostle Paul calls it "the old man," and in Galatians he calls it "the flesh." The apostle James calls it "superfluity of naughtiness." John calls it "sin" as distinct from "sins." and "work of the devil." Theologians call it "inbred sin," "original sin," "depravity," "Adamic sin." etc. Whatever you wish to call it, it is something awful and evil. For our discussion we have chosen the term "carnal mind," the name we find for it in our text. As we proceed, let us thus remember that by the term "carnal mind" we mean the sum total of the names referred to above. And let us pray God to give us open, honest hearts, and unprejudiced minds. that there may not be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief.