The Carnal Mind...

Written by Bro. Kenneth Cagle- Read his second article entitled "Spiritually Minded." 

Romans 8:7,8

Because the carnal mind is enmity towards YHWH, for it does not subject itself to the Torah of YHWH, neither is it able, and those who are in the flesh are unable to please YHWH.

What constitutes a carnal or fleshly mind? How does one get into a state of “being spiritually minded?” Of all the questions that one must address in their walk with YHWH, this may be the most prominent. If we do not have a change of mind we shall all return to the broad path that leads to destruction.

Most of us have been led to believe that the first sins were committed by Adam and Hawwah (Eve) in the Garden. However, the sin in the Garden was not the first sin. Quite possibly many years earlier, there was a sin committed that led to the sin in the Garden.

Yehezqel (Ezekiel) 28:12-15

Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him,
Thus saith the YHWH Elohim; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect
in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of YHWH; every precious stone was
thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the
jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship
of thy mountings and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast
created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou
wast upon the holy mountain of YHWH; thou hast walked up and down in the midst
of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast
created, till iniquity was found in thee.

Lucifer was perfect, he was beautiful and anointed. If one who was as important and majestic as Lucifer could have iniquity arise in his heart, how much more should we guard our hearts?

Yehezqel (Ezekiel) 28:17

Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy
wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee
before kings, that they may behold thee

From within Lucifer’s heart (labe bl) arose pride and rebellion. The word translated as heart in this passage is labe or lamech bet in the Hebrew. It is listed as the following in Strong’s Concordance:

A form of H3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the
feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything:— +
care for, comfortably, consent, X considered, courag [-eous], friend [-ly],
([broken-], [hard-], [merry-], [stiff-], [stout-], double) heart ([-ed]), X heed, X I,
kindly, midst, mind (-ed), X regard ([-ed)], X themselves, X unawares,
understanding, X well, willingly, wisdom.

Even though he was perfect in his creation, from the center of his will, feelings and intellect came imperfect pride and rebellion. He was carnally minded. He would not subject himself to the word of YHWH, because he was not able to do so. The carnal mind is enmity, or hostile and in direct opposition to YHWH. In its carnal or fleshly state our hearts are in direct opposition to YHWH and His Torah. Unable to please YHWH, we live according to the flesh setting our minds on the matters of the flesh. The matters of the flesh leads to death.

In I Corinthians chapter 3 Shaul (Paul) informs the believers in Corinth that they are carnal and walk as men. Within their assembly was strife, envying and divisions. All symptoms of a fleshly heart. Shaul asks them, “Do you not know that you are a Dwelling Place of YHWH and that the Spirit of YHWH dwells in you?” He goes on to say that if one destroys the Dwelling Place of YHWH, YHWH will destroy them. The Dwelling Place of YHWH is set apart, and we are that Dwelling Place. By returning to a carnal or fleshly state, we destroy the Dwelling Place of YHWH.

So let’s go a little deeper with this. When Yahushua died on the stake the veil in the Temple ripped from the top to the bottom. At that point the area that had been the Dwelling Place of YHWH for hundreds of years was opened. Why? Because Yahushua was preparing a way that WE could become that Dwelling Place. YHWH’s original plan was to dwell with man and commune with him daily. Sin or carnality was introduced within mans heart and mankind was made incapable of having YHWH dwell within. Satan knew what he was doing, for he himself created enmity between himself and YHWH.

Being the selfish, proud and carnal creature that he is, Satan wasn’t going to allow this new creation to become that Dwelling Place. If at all possible he was going to destroy mans ability to have that intimate relationship with YHWH. So he appealed to our weakest area, our carnal mind.

Bereshith (Genesis) 3:6

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the
fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked;
and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

In that brief moment when the tree appeared to be good for food, something appealing and desirable; flesh took over and YHWH could not dwell with mankind in that intimate way. However, as in all things, YHWH knew this was going to happen and had a plan in prepared that would replace and magnify that intimacy.

Revelation 13:8

And all those dwelling on the earth, whose names have not been written the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, shall worship him.

Before even the world was made, the Lamb was being prepared to be the ultimate blood sacrifice. This would allow mans heart to be that Dwelling Place. Lucifer wanted to set himself above the Lamb. He was jealous and felt he was so beautiful and powerful that he should be exalted above the Lamb. This carnal mind led to his fall. It then led to the fall of mankind.

YHWH has done a marvelous and mysterious thing. Our heart (labe) has become His Dwelling Place. Just like the Most Set Apart place in the Temple, His Spirit abides within our heart upon our conversion. He created many types that foretold this happening. Passover, blood sacrifices etc.

Now comes the hard pill to swallow. Just like during the times of the Maccabees, we bring an unclean thing into His Dwelling Place and sacrifice it, every time we let carnality arise in our hearts. We think what the Greeks did in the Temple of YHWH a horrible thing, but what do we do in His Dwelling Place. Pride, envy, jealousy, lust and many other unclean things are carried into His Dwelling Place by our flesh. Laid on the altar and sacrificed. Then we wonder where His presence went, why doesn’t He answer our prayers and why are we sick.

It’s time we clean out His Dwelling Place, and put a guard at the door. We have put ourselves in a position to be destroyed. YHWH is a jealous El. He will not share His Dwelling Place with anything else.

II Dibre ha Yamim (II Chronicles) 7:14

And if My people upon whom My Name is called, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I shall hear from the heavens, and forgive their sin and heal their land.

Now is the time to put Him back into His rightful place. Let’s take advantage of the way that has been made, and plead His forgiveness, cover our hearts (labe) with the blood of Yahushua the Perfect Lamb. Put on His name in immersion and let His Set Apart Spirit come into the Dwelling Place.