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Tract Number 191
Audio download at bottom of page
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CARNALITY AND THE FLESH
There are so many conflicting teachings today concerning carnality and the flesh, that after much prayer and study of the Word, I felt very much impressed to write a tract on this subject, for there can be only ONE TRUE WAY to interpret this important subject Scripturally. We read in 2nd John 9, “Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.” According to this scripture, we must get understanding of God’s Word and will.
Along with this ONE WORK teaching so prominent today, it is usually taught that a child is not born into this world with a carnal nature, and some to get around this also teach three births. When Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3-7, “Ye must be BORN AGAIN,” He was not referring to any second birth, but was telling him the need of not only having a physical birth, but also a Spiritual birth. But some would pervert the plain Word of God: it has been so ever since man was in the Garden of Eden, and will be to the end.
According to the scriptures, (Psalms 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:19; Ephesians 2:3; and others, but these should suffice) we are all born with a sinful nature inherited from Adam and Eve. Adam was created in the image of God (with a holy nature) but after his fall he begat a son, Seth (Genesis 5:3) in his own likeness and after his image which was now sinful. We are all by NATURE the children of wrath, even as others. We are not accountable for this sinful nature, but it is there just the same, in a child, and also still there in a babe in Christ. (1st Corinthians 3:1). Paul said in Romans 7:9, “When the commandment came, SIN revived, and I died.” How could sin revive if it was not there? The small child and also the babe in Christ is saved, for the BLOOD of Christ atones for this sinful nature. The babe in Christ has a new heart (purified by faith and the Word), and the Blood of Christ and he is spiritually minded and is led by the Spirit of God, but still possessing that CARNAL NATURE which needs to be removed, and this causes him to make some blunders. Some teach that to become as a child (Matthew 18:3) would kill the SECOND WORK teaching, but it does not kill it, but rather strengthens it, when taken in with the other scriptures which deal with this important subject. The latter part of 1st Corinthians 3:1, would definitely kill their argument (those who teeth the one work of grace.)
Some teach that the disciples were not saved until Jesus breathed on them (John 20:22) and said “Receive ye the Holy Ghost,” but we will call Jesus to the witness stand concerning this for He said, “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Also Jesus said, “They have received Thy Word;” “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world,” and “none of them is lost but the son of perdition” (Judas in this case), and we could go on and on with Jesus’ statements. Luke 10:20; John 17:6-16; and the apostle in Ephesians 1:13; Acts 8:5-6, 14-17, 19:2-6, and many more could be given.
The TRUE children of God had to accept the TRUTH which Martin Luther taught in order to be saved. Then later they had to accept the light which God gave John and Charles Wesley on sanctification as a second work of grace, or they would have been lost. Then still later, they had to accept the call of God through D.S. Warner and others, to the UNITY of God’s people, or lose their salvation. Today we have to walk in all this light that God has revealed, plus the new light that God is shedding on our pathway, or we will be lost.
In John 17:17, Jesus said, “SANCTIFY than through thy truth: thy word is truth.” It is the Word, Spirit and the Blood of Christ working together which saves a sinner, and the three work together in the Second work, which is sanctification. Many say that we who teach two works (definite) of grace, take a cleansing away from the blood of Christ, but this is not true. True enough, there may be those who are, but we find all kinds of false, doctrines sweeping the world, but one false doctrine is just as evil in the sight of God as another. Jesus and the apostles DEFINITELY taught sanctification as a second work of grace. Are we satisfied with the doctrine of Christ, or look we for another?
By Wilbur B. Dettweiler
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