What are the signs of a truly transformed life? When God changes us, the evidence is often visible. We may find ourselves with a deeper hunger for His Word, a renewed desire to prioritize Him in all we do, and a heartfelt longing to see others reconciled to God and one another. These are beautiful markers of transformation. However, there can also be signs that our growth is hindered or that our transformation is incomplete. Today, I want to explore a couple of these areas and consider how we can continue moving toward the fullness of life God desires for us.
For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? 1Corinthians 3:4
Defintion of Carnal: Greek 4559- governed by mere human nature not by the Spirit of God.
Another term for being carnal is being “soulish.” A soulish believer is one who is ruled by their soul rather than their spirit. Watchman Nee explains this concept as follows:
The soul comprises three faculties: the mind (intellect), the will, and the emotions. These are gifts from God but can become barriers to spiritual growth when not surrendered to Him. The soul often attempts to dominate, leading to a life governed by human reasoning, personal desires, or emotional fluctuations instead of the Spirit of God.
- Mind: Over-reliance on intellect leads to rationalizing spiritual matters, rejecting truths that cannot be logically explained, and doubting God’s ways.
- Will: A stubborn or independent will resists God’s leading, resulting in self-will, disobedience, and taking matters in one’s own hands.
- Emotions: Being ruled by emotions causes instability, leading to emotional highs and lows. Feelings often conflict with the truth of God’s Word.
One of the clearest evidences of transformation is moving away from carnality—being governed by our soul—and allowing the Spirit of God to lead us. Yet, this shift is far more challenging than it seems! Carnality remains one of the greatest obstacles to spiritual growth.
In the scripture above, Paul addresses this issue directly, expressing his disappointment with believers who allowed their soulishness to create divisions by aligning themselves with specific spiritual leaders, saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos.’ Such behavior reflects a carnal mindset that stunts spiritual progress. For true transformation, Jesus must always remain the central focus of a believer’s life.
The body of Christ suffers greatly from carnality, evidenced by church splits, factions, and divisions. These often arise when individuals operate based on their soulish desires. A transformed life, however, is led by the Spirit of God and evaluates everything in the light of truth, not through the lens of personal relationships, preferences, or self-interest.
Do you find yourself viewing situations through your soul? What steps do you take to move beyond your carnal nature and surrender yourself to the leading of the Spirit?
One major obstacle that keeps us soulish and carnal is the fear of man. The fear is not limited to being afraid of someone, though it can manifest that way. Below are some of the ways that the fear of man influences believers and stunts their growth:
- An obsession with appearing impressive, acceptable, and included in the eyes of others
- Feeling intimidated or threatened by the calling or gifting of others.
- Prioritizing the development of ministry over the development of character
- Becoming possessive of people and things, attaching one’s identity and significance to them
- Allowing natural relationships to take precedence over one’s relationship with the Lord
- A deep fear of disappointing others, leading to people-pleasing behaviors
- Using flattery or exaggeration as a means to gain approval or access
- An excessive need to be right, often at the expense of seeing one’s own blind spots
When the fear of man takes hold of our hearts, it becomes increasingly difficult to be led by the Spirit. The soul, driven by its own agenda, resists surrender out of fear of losing what it cherishes. This resistance stifles spiritual growth, leading to arrested development. The danger lies in the outward appearance of spiritual maturity—saying all the right things—while the spirit remains underdeveloped and the soul remains in control, heavily influenced by external circumstances and the opinions of others.
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