​At first glance, the word carnality may seem unique but the word is defined as relating to bodily pleasures and appetites, temporal pleasures, or a worldly mindset.  When a person gives their heart and life to God as a Christian they have no reason to go back to the world (the sinful nature).  The sinful nature of mankind is at war with the spirit of every believer of Jesus Christ (Galatians 5:17).  Since Christians belong to Jesus Christ, they should not join themselves to anyone or anything else that reflects sin (1 Corinthians 6:15-17).  When a person is truly a Christian there is more than just a confession of the mouth that makes them in right standing with God.  There is a lifestyle that God expects to be followed to honor Him and give Him glory and praise.  Every person that has given their life to Jesus Christ does not belong to themselves but to God because they have been bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  Being the temple of the Holy Ghost requires a person to be holy and clean reflecting the changes made by the Spirit of God that now presides within that person.  Returning to carnality is in direct opposition to God and His standard of living (James 4:4).  Christians cannot be friends with the sinful nature that is birthed within every person since the fall of mankind through Adam in Genesis.  The spiritual enemies of Christians seek to make merchandise off them (2 Peter 2:3).  This makes a mockery of God due to the humiliation of those who declare to belong to Him but choose to serve the sinful nature.  God delivered Lot from the destruction of a sinful area because he was a just man in God’s eyes (2 Peter 2:7-8).  Lot’s wife had a different outcome because she turned to look back at Sodom and Gomorrha which cost her everything (Genesis 19:26).  She disobeyed in looking back not only with her eyes but with her heart desiring something within the sinful area she was not ready to give up yet.  Christians cannot look back, much less turn back, to the world in a desire to return to the sin, corruption, or temptation it contains.  To truly live a Christian life is to submit and obey God in everything He commands (John 14:15).  To return to carnality is like a dog returning to his vomit (2 Peter 2:22).  There is nothing of the sinful nature to go back to but the falsities of the enemy make even the worst previous experience seem so pleasant through deception.  Every person will give an account for their sins and the life they chose to live (Ezekiel 18:19).  There is hope present when a sinner repents of sin (decides to confess and turn away), does what is right, and obeys the Word of God (Ezekiel 18:21).  Sin is not held against anyone that follows this method of repentance and forgiveness (Ezekiel 18:22).  If a Christian turns away from God and backs toward sin, as a lifestyle, their sin is held against them (Ezekiel 18:24).  Christians must stay focused on God and not return to carnality no matter the cost.  How does a person stay focused on God and not return to sin?  They have their mind renewed by the Word of God every day (Romans 12:2).  Christians must have the mind of Christ and not return to the sinful nature or the world that they were delivered from.  For more information about Abundant Grace Church visit agcsparta.org. 

​Religion has become the focus of so many people and within their minds equals a right standing with God.  Just as other religions do not serve the true and living God, having Christianity as a religion does not constitute a relationship with God.  The Apostle Paul writes that Christians are to test or examine themselves and their faith in God through their relationship with Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5).  He also states that Christians should do what is right whether they appear approved or not (2 Corinthians 13:7).  These verses reflect that one’s appearance before other men is not the heart of what God is looking for but a person that does what is right because they know and love God.  Many religious people will do what looks right to have a reputation of knowing God or being the Christian, everyone expects them to be.  This type of person has a form [the appearance, formula, fashion but not genuine] of godliness, but they deny [contradict, reject, refuse, renounce] the power of God from working within their life (2 Timothy 3:5).  Religious behavior shuts off the kingdom of God not only in the lives of the hypocrites, the religious people, but in turn, shuts others off from the kingdom of God by their actions affecting the people they interact with (Matthew 23:13).  Jesus even describes many people will prophesy in His name, cast out devils in His name, and do miracles in His name but He tells them that He never KNEW them on the day of judgment (Matthew 7:22-23).  The Son of God, Jesus, specifically says that religious acts will not get a person into Heaven but knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord in a true relationship leads to a life in right standing with God.  Religious facades teach other people how to act and speak like a Christian but not teach the heart of God and how to have a relationship with Him (Isaiah 29:13).  The true heart of God is to know His Word, know how to live a holy life, but most importantly to know Him (James 1:21-25).  Religious people seek perfection in appearance while God desires relationship.  God gives those who love and walk with Him grace to cover their imperfections yet expects them to live holy lives that give Him glory and honor (Ephesians 2:8-10, 1 John 1:3-9).  Although God expects obedience to Him and His Word, He wants our hearts to love Him and desire a relationship with Him each day.  The heart of every Christian should be to have a relationship with God.  As a Christian, a person is to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).  Christians are to be lamps that burn light reflecting an active relationship with God.  It is the job of faithful Christians to keep their lamps burning continually by studying the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15), praying (Ephesians 6:18), being faithful and active within the local church (Hebrews 10:25), and following the commandments of Jesus (John 14:15).  If a Christian has a religious heart that lamp will burn for a while and then will go out due to not being continually refilled by God.  Christians should not be religious but have sincere love for God creating a true love for one another (1 Peter 1:22).  Sincere love does not present hypocrisy or a façade but a genuine relationship.  May Christians not be religious any longer but know, serve, and love God with all that is within them (Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27, Deuteronomy 6:5).  For more information about Abundant Grace Church visit agcsparta.org.  

​The word consistent is defined as marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity.  It also means free from variation or contradiction.  This word should describe Christians throughout generations, especially in these last days.  Just as Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Christians should not change by compromising the things of God or their holy living (Hebrews 13:8).  One of the only things that should change for a Christian is laying aside weights and sins that hinder their race for God (Hebrews 12:1).  In these last days there are so many things that not only change but change rapidly and drastically.  Sadly, there are Christians who declare a love for God yet they follow every wind of doctrine or new church trend that proves to be a fad.  The Apostle Paul warns about trends and fads that take the focus off of Jesus Christ and the perfecting holiness that Christians are to work on within their lives (Ephesians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 7:1).  Paul even calls them the sleight of men, cunning craftiness, and deception (Ephesians 4:14).  Why would the Apostle Paul have to warn against such things?  Because Paul knew, by the Holy Spirit, there were not only people in his day but in times to come that Christians would not be consistent in the things of God but chase after various things or changes to stay fresh.  If people are lured in by something to get them inside, that establishment must keep changing the bait to keep those people there.  If something is going to be presented, why not display the truth of the Gospel that is consistent and gives light, life, and freedom (Psalm 119:105; John 5:24; John 8:32)?  Christians are supposed to be steadfast, unmoveable, and consistent in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).  One of the reasons Christians are to be consistent is being like God Who has no variation but is consistent (James 1:17).  God even said Himself that He does not change (Malachi 3:6).  God is not a man that He should lie or change His mind, so He fulfills His Word (Numbers 23:19).  The best method for Christians to be like God is to study His Word and act upon it.  The Word of God was breathed out by God to help in teaching, conviction of sin, correction of error, and discipline in obedience to help God’s people live holy and conform to God’s will in their thoughts, purpose, and actions (2 Timothy 3:16).  Once God’s people change to His Word they should be consistent to the guidelines of living found in the Bible and not compromise their walk with God.  Too many times the only consistency found in the last days is the changing of mind or trend to fit what is popular.  The last days are here now and God’s people need to be consistent in not only living the Word to walk with God for themselves but also being living epistles before others.  Having such testimony will prove how real God is by His people committing to Him faithfully.  In general, people do not fully commit themselves to other people or things that are always changing.  People do commit to things and people that are true and consistent.  A Christian’s consistency in living holy, pure, and in right standing with God will prove that Christian’s love and faithfulness to God.  In the ever-changing world of these last days, may Christians be part of the consistency found in representing God and His Word.  For more information about Abundant Grace Church visit agcsparta.org.  

​As previously discussed, throughout Christianity there have been many who allow various things or people to hinder their race of life, but especially their running with Jesus as their Savior.  Hebrews 12:1 states, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us”.  At first glance, this verse encourages getting rid of everything that would keep one from running a race for God, but the depth of meaning can be easily overlooked if not studied.  When a Christian allows these weights and sins to make them stand still or go backward, they are forfeiting the things God has for them and possibly their entire race.  Sin is defined as acting upon desires that are an offense to God by violating His Word.  In the life of every Christian, the Holy Spirit should guide them in the direction God has for them (Galatians 5:16).  The sinful nature of the flesh desires to do the opposite of what the Holy Spirit wants which causes opposition within each person (Galatians 5:17).  When sin wins the person is hindered by not only the separation from God until repentance takes place but also the weights of that sin that now hinder that person.  A true love for God causes a Christian to not be under the weight of the Mosaic Law because the point of view does not see the Word of God as a burden but as a guideline enforced by the Holy Spirit through conviction to holy living (Galatians 5:18).  Jesus said, “For My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).  This displays there is still something of God to be carried but a heart for God understands the commandments of God are to benefit those who submit to Jesus Christ and His Word (Leviticus 26:3; John 14:15).  The goal of weights and sins is to hinder every Christian who does not lay them aside.  Here are Bible verses that display that those who participate in these sins will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Galatians 5:19-21 lists sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery/manipulation, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, and wild parties.  1 Corinthians 6:9-11 lists sexual sins, idolatry, adultery, prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusive people, and cheaters.  1 Timothy 1:9-11 lists lawless and rebellious people, ungodly and sinful people, those who defile what is holy, murderers, sexually immoral people, homosexuals, slave traders, liars, promise breakers, and those who contradict the wholesome teaching that comes from God.  This list is not exhaustive but can be a resource to start laying aside sin hindering a person from running their race for God.  When a person knows the right thing to do and does not do it the Bible says that is sin (James 4:17).  Sin is not obeying God’s Word (1 John 3:4).  The Word of God is designed to lead people in a relationship with God by understanding what He sees as right and wrong (1 Timothy 1:5).  Those who love God will write His Word on their heart and not neglect it (1 Timothy 1:6).  The answer to sin is to repent of sins so they are blotted out allowing that person to be in right-standing with God (Acts 3:19).  May Christians everywhere lay aside sin and obtain victory through Jesus Christ.  For more information about Abundant Grace Church visit agcsparta.org.