return to the

Drugs, Sex and the ROCK that Rolls Them Over

Nearly everyday I check my emails, and nearly everyday I am sent unwanted and rather explicit invitations to pornography sites. The Internet is flooded with sites promoting and showing sex of all kinds- with animals, with kids or with several others simultaneously. Anything that can be imagined has been tried and is likely on the Internet for all to see. Is there is no end to man’s sexual desire? Does his perversion grow stronger each day? Along with these disturbing “spam” solicitations, there are other emails selling drugs that claim to either increase sexual stamina or increase penis size. Of course for the ladies, there are the booming industries of dieting, plastic surgery and breast augmentation to keep them looking as good as “Mrs. Jones” next door. (She wouldn’t want her husband’s eyes straying over there!) Stylish clothes, new shoes and expensive hairdressings are the staples of life for many women. Yes, it seems that women are obsessed with looking sexy while men are obsessed with having sex. Will this madness ever end?

Not only has the Internet brought the world of pornography to our fingertips and in our faces, it has also become a cyber drugstore overnight with all types of drugs available. This is the last thing a drug addict needs- easier access to his next high. In the days of Noah, the drug of abuse was alcohol, but now there is a plethora of substances designed to make us feel good. They certainly do the job for a while, but as intended by our Creator they will always fail. As Jesus taught the flesh is weak; it is designed to succumb under the stresses of the world and many times can take the soul down with it. Drug abuse and sexual immorality seem to be taking mankind lower than ever before. Is there any hope? Will man ever rise above these social ills?

Looking at today’s society, one could become very troubled because of the many different carnal addictions holding down the collective soul of humanity. Drugs, sex and money are perhaps the three main vices used by the devil to keep us attached to the world and the flesh. The sinful thoughts and behaviors fueled by these three earthly enticements are undoubtedly weighing us down. This “sinful nature” of man is keeping his spirit grounded and far from the Kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

It doesn’t matter what religion you belong to. It doesn’t matter if you attend church every Sunday or everyday. It doesn’t matter if Jesus is your “self-proclaimed” savior. You will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God if you live according to your carnal nature. Many conveniently believe the “I am a Christian, so I am saved once and for all” argument, so they can bring some peace to their carnal mind and keep the ego on the throne. Believing that any religion or any ceremony will save us is foolishness and a doctrine of the devil. We are ALL are saved, but so very few realize it! Our true life is eternally safe yet hidden in Christ and we are here to realize this. Many obstacles impede us however including the darkness of ignorance in our minds and the love of the physical world in our hearts. Yes our hope and salvation are eternally alive in Christ, but our carnal nature is keeping us grounded and lost in a state of confusion. We love the body, but not the spirit. We love using our bodies for pleasure, so the carnal mind of man sees no need for the spirit.

Paul lists many different “acts” produced from the carnal (flesh) nature of man, but perhaps the most prevalent of these happens to be the one he lists first- SEXUAL IMMORALITY. Not every man is wealthy enough to buy expensive cars, but many men let their eyes “shop around” at women that pass by. Not every man gets drunk, but you would be surprised how many men are taking in a full helping of porn each night off his computer. Pastors? Ministers? Priests? Yes, certainly they are doing this and much worse as has been revealed in recent years! I am not here to condemn anyone, but I am writing this article to help bring a light upon this spiritual scourge. It need not be this way. For those who are quite satisfied living their life through the flesh, read no further. For those who desire a HIGHER life, God provides the power to change.

1Corinthians 6:18

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

God’s Holy Spirit lives in us. God’s Kingdom is in us. Yet, we are mostly unaware of His presence because we focus on the body, not the spirit. We communicate with God through our spirit- spirit to Spirit. Our spirit is our true life given of God. This life was given to us before time began, before the creation of the world and before the conception of sin. We are not our bodies, but they are vehicles in this world. They are designed to EXPRESS God’s will in this physical world. The same souls that see themselves as a body likely also define their identity by the clothes they wear or the car they drive. This is the same thing- a carnal covering to adorn the ego. This is nothing new because the same sinful behaviors that have plagued man for ages and ages continue to hold us down with what I believe is an even greater ferocity.

However of all the natural vices of the soul, one seems to stand out above the others- sexual desire. This is likely the oldest and hardest of Satan’s lures to resist. Satan’s carnal lures are like tasty candy for the soul, but have a more SOUR effect on our spirit. To the natural mind, they certainly do “taste” delicious, yet when ingested they provide us no real spiritual nutrition. They are like empty calories in our spiritual diet. They only make the soul HEAVIER and HEAVIER until the spirit is unable to lift the soul out of the darkness of the pit. Is your soul spiritually out of shape and overweight? Does your spirit feel grounded? You may want to ask yourself what you have been feeding your mind lately- healthy food or junk food? This is to say- spiritual food or carnal food?

Our mind (soul) is in some ways like a machine, or a “helper” if you rather. The main purpose of the mind is to help us come to the realization of who we are. The mind grows stronger and stronger so that consciousness can go higher and higher. We can think of this process as a spiritual evolution of consciousness that is powered by the spirit. The mind of man has surely undergone a spiritual transformation through the ages. The carnal mind of man is being purified slowly, but surely. When he is ready, man is called to make a quantum leap from animal to angel using the power of the spirit of Christ. Paul says many times that our MINDS need renewed and that we must change how we think about life. If we understand this then we know we must feed the mind good food. We must CHOOSE what to think about, what to look at, what to feed that machine that is helping us to grow in consciousness. You are not your mind because YOU have the power to change your mind. You are spirit from God using a mind in a body. The mind is caught in the middle of this consciousness equation and is therefore the battleground between spirit and flesh.

This divinely inspired war is part of the metamorphosis we are all undergoing. Our minds are being “deNATUREed” if you will. We are losing our animal nature (carnal nature) and receiving our higher nature from God. Through Christ, God has given us a way to escape this lower nature of the beasts. The question is are we ready to stop living according to our natural (carnal) nature? Many times we read that Paul describes the mind as “carnal,” but what exactly does he mean?

Romans 5:8 (NKJV)

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Normally, I have used the New International Version (NIV) translation of the Bible for my writings, but in this particular case concerning the “carnal mind” it really misses the mark. The NIV wrongly uses the word “sinful” instead of CARNAL or FLESHLY. There is nothing to suggest that this translation is accurate when we consider the Greek word used in these many passages. The Greek word “SARKS” refers to the flesh or carnal. It is as if the NIV translators attempted to “read between the lines” by using the word “sinful” instead of carnal or flesh. The body isn’t sinful. The body isn’t the enemy. The enemy to God is the CARNAL mind. With this correct translation, we can see that the carnal mind is that mind that serves the flesh, the body.

In this state of mind, we cannot please God or know God intimately. We are like the animals of the field in this state of mind- albeit very intelligent ones. The “Law” was not given to man until he was in the right frame of MIND. In other words before the times of Moses, man’s mind was under the control of the body to such a high degree that it was not even ready to accept the Law. During this lawless time, no account of sin was kept. Like a father of toddlers, God looked the other way and waited until we were more spiritually mature. Even when it was given, it was given to the “chosen few” of God called Israel. These were the souls that had spiritually evolved to a point where the Law could start leading them to Christ. All of humanity is going toward this glorious end. So, what or who is on your mind?

The mind has two sources of input or “food” if you rather. It can take in stimuli through the senses of the body (flesh) or take in life from the spirit within. One way let’s us know life externally; the other opens the door to the Kingdom of God. One way follows the body to its death; the other follows the spirit to a higher life. Our life is our spirit. Our spirit is from God. God is in His Kingdom. God’s Kingdom is within us and within our spirit. God can never leave us even if our minds have wandered far from Him. What we must understand is that having a carnal mind is very NATURAL and utterly universal.

Ephesians 2:3 (NASB)

Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Paul says that “by nature” we were (are) carnally minded. This is man’s natural condition and this is why we need Christ to de-NATURE us. Through the ages, mankind has been eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for the purpose of learning. We are learning through this “tree,” which is mostly a kind of trial and error method, that even the natural mind has a code of ethics. Growing in knowledge led us to the Law that attempts to separate man’s mind from the minds of the beasts in the field. The Ten Commandments represent the moral rulebook for the natural mind of man to follow. By living according to these laws, the natural man is blessed with natural things. In the Old Testament times, those who followed God’s rules were blessed with earthly riches- land, children, livestock, crops and such. But more importantly, these “teachers pets” achieved a greater spiritual “alignment” in which our Lord’s voice (will) was better discerned. So the purpose of the Law is to help LEAD us to a place where we can come to know Christ, but the Law cannot save us.

Moses is our prime example of the natural man led by the Law, but he could not enter the promise land (Christ). The law can only lead us to Christ, but we must lose our natural self- the “old man” must die in the desert. What we should then accept is that the Law and religion in general are for the natural mind, not the spiritually minded in Christ. Jesus said that true worship is done in SPIRIT and in TRUTH. These are two things the carnal mind will never understand. The only mind that can enter the Kingdom of God is our higher mind- the mind of Christ. This mind is our spiritually educated mind that has graduated from WU- you know, World University. This mind has gained all the wisdom of our many lives and experiences. This mind knows God, loves God and mirrors God like every true image does! Our higher mind in Christ lives only according to a SINGLE law- the law of the Spirit of Life, not the Law of the flesh and death.

Romans 8:1

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Yes we are FREE in the Spirit of Christ, but I will look at this freedom in the Spirit of Christ a bit later. So again, this is a process that takes many, many lifetimes to bring God’s children to spiritual maturity and glory. Paul said we go from one level of glory to yet another higher level of glory. This is our spiritual evolution at work in the hands of Love. Many feel like they are outgrowing the shell of the ego and have reached a kind of breaking point. These may feel the spirit of Christ breaking down their carnal nature like a ROCK cracks a shell. The spirit of Christ is the only power that is able to break us free from the worldly darkness of the ego and carnal mind. Every single affliction of the soul is cured for those who live and remain in Christ- the anointing of God’s Spirit of Sonship.

Some may be wondering if I am saying that drugs, money and sex are bad or evil. It depends. In and of themselves they are neither good nor evil. As discussed in other writings, “good and evil” are relative to where we are in our relationship with God. Behaviors that used to be acceptable, even promoted by God in some cases, are now condemned. We know that what is good for an adult is not always good for a baby, and this holds true in spiritual matters too. So we must realize that what is good for one man, may be “bad” for another. I am reminded of the many times when Jesus would say, “If you can accept it” because he knew that not everyone was ready to accept his higher teachings and higher life. In this light of understanding then, anything standing in the way of our SPIRITUAL PROGRESSION should be considered evil. In the case of the carnal mind, it has the power to control us. It works to keep us attached to the flesh and this world, which makes it Christ’s adversary and the adversary of any child of God who is seeking to return home to the Father.

So no, sex isn’t a bad thing. For the natural man, it should be obvious that sex is a good thing. The conception of sex was based in the need to procreate. This is his prime directive of all life in this world- to create more life. Any pleasure that might be derived from following this force of nature is “frosting on the cake” and part of the plan. One might ponder how many children would be born if sex didn’t bring any pleasure? If this were the case, undoubtedly children that were born would be wanted and not “accidents.” Even so, to everything there is purpose. Sex is meant to be pleasurable and between partners is instrumental to their physical and mental relationship. So, I am not condemning sex because for the NATURAL man it is key part of his life.

Who is the “natural” man/woman? He/she is the outer you. Go look in the mirror and you will see the natural man/woman of the world. Now try staring deep into the eyes of the ONE who is looking back at you. In those eyes you can see (sense) a spiritual presence and life. This LIFE is the spiritual child of God that you truly are. Our true self is our inner person that the world cannot fully discern or understand. Our true self is a light to the world if we can remove what is covering us. What cover our true self are the ego, the personality, the carnal mind and the body it lives through. Our natural self is an animal- just a few steps up the ladder from the chimp. For this creature, sex is natural and sex is good.

Yes, the natural man (woman) should have as much sex as they desire while meeting the guidelines set by our LORD God. Go ahead and make babies if you like! The LORD God said to “be fruitful and multiply,” so sex is really not the problem. The problem arises when YOU are called by God to move on beyond the animal kingdom and into His Kingdom! Is God calling you to go higher? There will come a day in everyone’s life when God shows them that they are SPIRIT, not flesh. On this day, new desires and new choices will present themselves. You will find that which is born of flesh is flesh and likes sex. That which is born of Spirit is Spirit and has no need for intercourse of the “natural” kind, but of a higher order.

As discussed in “Thy Kingdom Come,” - things change, and we are changing. This can be seen in many areas of human behavior, but as mentioned earlier, sex seems to be the most difficult of the carnal habits to break free from. Still, we have shown some progress in this area too. In Old Testament times, drinking wine and having sex were definitely the “in thing” to do. Drunkenness and orgies were central in those infamous sin cities. As it is written, Lot and his family were deemed worthy enough by God to be spared from the wrath of Sodom and Gomorrah. Shockingly then, Lot’s daughters got him drunk so that he would have sex with them. What this is saying to me is that Lot and his family were the best these two cites could offer! I hope today we can do better than this. Of course we should reserve any judgment on Lot and his daughters because this was before the Law was given. Again, what is good and evil depends on what is God’s will in our lives.

Consider the many of the prophets of God that had more than one partner with David topping the list with hundreds of wives and/or concubines! What a busy (and tired) guy he must have been! Yet, he still had time to seek the LORD God. Apparently it seems that through the ages everyone was “doing it” with everyone else because Moses wrote down about ten EXTRA commandments on “WHO and WHAT not to have sex with.”

Exodus 22:19

Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death.

Leviticus 18:9

Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.

This is just a small sample of the many commands handed down through Moses and Aaron. I hope that this knowledge of correct sexual conduct is self-evident to most of society today, but unfortunately there are still some stragglers in this area. Some cultures are still very promiscuous, which is leading to the needless spread of deadly diseases. Even within our own culture, many are addicted to harmful sexual behavior. Not only harmful to the bodies carrying out the act, but harmful to the souls seeking a carnal “fix” instead of the peace of God.

Yes, it may seem like sexual immorality is worse than ever before, but it is hard to say especially given what is written in the Bible. However, I believe that society as a whole is much more attuned to the laws governing the natural man. Certainly at least our AWARENESS and openness in this area are higher than ever, which means that we can better deal with it. If we are to live as a natural man, then let us follow the laws given by God. If we are called higher, then let us receive the Spirit of Christ that He may master us instead of the flesh. Our social ills must be brought into the light of the day and our secrets must be shouted on the rooftops. In this way the Kingdom of God can grow!

Again, sex has its place for the natural man (and woman). Not only is the purpose of sex to procreation, but it also serves to bond two together in oneness. The two flesh become one is a truth that reaches all the way to God. God and His Image must become one in the same way for God to be all in all. For natural partners, sex helps to provide both a physical and emotional connection that is essential for all bonded relationships. In a very real sense, sex is a sacred act because it shadows the truth of the spirit of Christ entering us. This experience is certainly one of higher pleasure and peace than the flesh can ever provide. Even so, many are still trying to fill the void of the soul with carnal pleasures seemingly unaware that even for the “naturally minded,” there are rules. These “rules” are in place for the natural man so that sex is not abused. Food is not evil, but it can be abused and become such. Money is not evil, but it can be abused and become such. The same is true of sex.

The abuse of sex causes the natural man pain and takes us out of that “spiritual alignment” that helps us hear God’s voice. We all have moments when we stumble or stray from where we should be. This is as true in our day as it was in Paul’s day. Interestingly, not only did Paul hand out “meat” through his spiritual teachings to those who could “swallow” it, he also had to provide “milk” for those who were mere babes in their faith. Paul seemed to have his hands full with many of the pagans entering into Christianity that were not quite up to speed on the Law. Paul was like a father to some rather rebellious children who just didn’t have the maturity and mind of Christ yet.

1Corinthians 5:1

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife.

Not to sound crude, but I believe this is likely where the vulgar and unfortunately popular phrase “mother f*cker” comes from. This is just a hunch because I have not heard or read this to be true. Still oddly enough when we take the time to think about it, it does seem that the Bible is source of most of man’s profanity. At any rate, this man who is having sex with his father’s wife was obviously breaking the rules of natural behavior. Like so many others this man was ailing from a case of “carnal fever” to which Paul had the cure.

1Corinthians 5:5 (Amplified)

You are to deliver this man over to Satan for physical discipline [to destroy carnal lusts which prompted him to incest], that [his] spirit may [yet] be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Let this heathen go back into the world with his carnal mind and be destroyed, so that his SPIRIT will be saved! Yes, our spirit will be saved on THAT day! That day will come to everyone in God’s time. Of this we can be sure. All we must do is overcome the devil and his many traps as birds overcome gravity. The devil is a master of taking something designed by God and then distorting and perverting it. God designed sex, but like everything else, the carnal mind of man has corrupted it. The Law was given to correct man’s ways for those mature enough to accept it. Even so, the Law only gets us into position to better hear and serve the LORD God. The carnal mind cannot please God and the desires of the flesh are never fully overcome by the natural man. How strong are desires of the flesh? The carnal urge for sex can become so strong that it even overcomes the desire to eat or sleep. What man needs is something (some One) stronger than this ancient vice of the soul. Thank God for Christ!

In Christ, our desire for ALL sinful behaviors will be removed. The pleasures of the world are like the seeds of the devil that may tempt us, but remain dead. They can find nowhere in us to germinate and grow into sin. What causes temptations to grow is our desire for them to produce fruit (pleasure). In Christ there is no longer the desire for things of the flesh including any sex at all. For those truly matured in Christ, there is neither male nor female, so how can there be any sex or sexual desire? In Christ, we are free from the ALL the vices of the flesh! In Christ, we are not concerned with our food, our clothes, our cars or our looks. We are free! Do you believe this is true? I know it to be true! Every trap of the devil is overcome by the soul united with Christ.

Romans 13:13

Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

The outer (natural) man is like filthy rags we wear in this world, but the spiritual man is adorned with the glory of Christ because he is one with the Spirit and Mind of Christ. Yes, it really comes down to what MOTIVATES us. What is the ENERGY that moves us? Do we hear the Voice of our higher life and will in Christ, or do we still hear the lower calling of the flesh telling us what we are and what we should do? Do we seek to join with the flesh of another or to join the saints in the Spirit of Christ? Do we seek the temporary riches of this world or the heavenly gifts of the Kingdom? Do we crave food to fill the stomach or God’s truth to fill our soul? It is all about what we desire. This is the key. Temptations can only come to life if we let them through our desire. Desire is squelched out as we walk in the life of Christ.

There is freedom in this holy life of Christ. Here is something hard for many to understand. There is no sin in Christ. Sin is about awareness. Paul said that before the Law was given, no account of sin was kept. In other words, natural man didn’t know any better like a young child. Then with the Law, natural man became aware of sin. However, for those truly in Christ there can be absolutely NO SIN. Jesus the Christ could NOT sin. It is impossible in Christ. However, as the world sees it, it may appear that those in Christ are sinning. Appearances may be wrong. Paul said this about the freedom in the Spirit of Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:12

"Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"--but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Perfect Paul! The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but rather the body was meant to house and serve the soul. In turn, the soul’s purpose is to house and serve the spirit. When the flesh controls the soul, both are headed for destruction. We must have spiritual order and alignment. Certain behaviors can be harmful to the soul IF our faith (connection to the spirit of Christ) isn’t strong enough. One man’s faith may allow him to take part in something that would cause others to fall (in consciousness).

1Corinthians 8:9

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Spirit cannot sin because spirit is not flesh. Still, this freedom in the Spirit can cause others to fall in consciousness. Man is conscious of sin and THINKS he sins because he THINKS he is flesh. Freedom from sin is found in the Spirit of Christ! Even so, the freedom in the Spirit of Christ should not be abused. Sinful behavior is like a weight around the soul while faith is like the wings used to fly the soul. A strong faith allows us to take the soul to higher levels of consciousness and closer to God. However, sinful behavior weighs down the soul and keeps it attached to this lower world. The key then is how strong is our faith- our relationship with God. Faith is the spiritual flow of from God through Christ. In electricity this is called amperage. As Paul realized, some brothers weak in faith are hooked up with say 10 amp connections while others were running up around 100 amps! The greater this “energy” from God, the more we can handle because we are not overcome. Still though, we are not to use sinful behaviors to test our faith or the grace bestowed upon us. Instead this faith and grace are simply God’s energy passing through us to OTHERS.

Just as important to understand is the other statement that Paul says, “everything is permissible, but I will not be MASTERED by anything.” This is powerful wisdom coming through Paul’s words. When our life is Christ, then our Master is God. Jesus was Christ in the flesh doing the will of God. Although he lived in a body, he was NOT controlled by it. Nor was he was constrained by any of the natural man’s laws. He simply followed God’s will that he knew in his heart of hearts. In Christ, we are free from the Law that says what we can or cannot do. The ONLY law we follow is that of the Spirit of life. Understand that the natural man follows the Law because he THINKS it is the right thing to do. However, we should realize that the spiritual man in Christ follows his heart (spirit) because he KNOWS God’s will is heard there. The natural man thinks what is right, whereas the spiritual man knows what is right.

This key difference is the cause of much deception today among so many Christians I know. They do this or that because “the Bible says we should.” They are “nice” to others because “it is the ‘Christian’ thing to do.” Nonsense! Many times Christianity has nothing to do with Christ! Like the Jews of ancient times, they are still following the Law if they had to read or be told what to do! In Christ, God’s laws and will are written on our hearts and our minds so there is no need for the letter of the Law. In the spirit of Christ, spiritual order is restored so that we are in control of the body and not the other way around.

Again, it comes down to what or WHO masters us? Are we controlled by sex? Are we controlled by food? It seems that many in our society are trying to feed the soul by way of the stomach. Sure we all need to eat, but does it control you and to some degree your life? Do drugs control you? Do others control you? Does the world control you? What directs your steps each day? We must have self-control using the power of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:3

It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.

If Christ is our passion, our high, our desire, our life then most certainly we will do God's’ will. We must let Christ, who is our true life, master us for God’s sake and the sake of His Kingdom!

It is written that anyone born of God will not continue to do sinful behaviors. One way to understand how this can be is to think of it this way. Through time, the newly born child of God becomes spiritually immune to the carnal mind. The carnal mind is like a fatal disease of the soul while those sinful behaviors are simply the symptoms. Many try to treat the symptoms, but it is better to rid ourselves of the disease itself! Those souls with the Spirit of Christ pumping through them can move through the sinful world and NOT be infected. These mature children of God can look upon pornographic images and not be taken in by its lure. There is no desire to serve the body. Where there is no desire to serve anything but God, there can be no sin. The eyes of those in Christ look upon others and do not see bodies of flesh, but spirit from God.

We are truly spirit, not flesh. When this is realized fully, the carnal mind loses its power over those in Christ. Once Jesus became fully aware that he was Christ, he said that he wasn’t of this world. He realized that he was spirit born of God. He fully understood that he was to do only what he saw God doing because he was God’s perfect image- the Word made flesh. Sometimes those around him saw his behavior as sinful. Jesus, however was not motivated by the carnal mind, so it was not sin.

Consider that many acts of Jesus that could have been seen as sinful. He worked on the Sabbath, ate grain from another’s field, knocked down tables at the Temple, ate with sinners, touched the unclean and so on. These were sinful acts according to the Law given by Moses. However, there is a big difference between the “letter of the law,” which is a shadow and the SPIRIT OF THE LAW that is truth. Jesus knew the spirit of the law and followed this instead of the shadow that others followed. So if we are led by the Spirit and mind of Christ to serve God, it can never be sin no matter how “evil” it may seem to the world. God does not sin, right? God flooded the world. God sent plagues upon women and children who had nothing to do with Hebrews captivity. God has taken credit for some very questionable acts, but none were sinful. It is impossible for God to sin because sin is that behavior outside of God’s will. So when we are aligned in spirit, mind and body with God’s will we are God’s holy image on earth. Like Jesus, we are the Word made flesh! All are being raised into the Body of Christ to do God’s will on earth as it is in heaven! Amen!

Another way to think about sinful behavior is like this. Yes, sinful behaviors are permissible, but what child of wisdom would willfully chose to eat from the GARBAGE DUMP when the Father feeds them so well from the banquet table? Do you see my point? Those in Christ have no appetite, no desire for the carnal things of this world because they have so MUCH better in heaven. There is no desire for the flesh or to live through the flesh. A chiseled body, expensive clothes, lucrative career and the like are pure foolishness to the mind of Christ. These only provide food to feed the vanity of the ego. In Christ the ego has been demoted, dismantled and destroyed by the ROCK. For those with a higher, holy desire, there is the only way to overcome the vices of the world- to crush them with the Rock

Luke 20:18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

We can become living sacrifices and fall on Christ OR wait for that day when the ROCK falls on us. Christ will get us one way or another. Some seek, knock and enter to dine with Christ. While others hide away in fear unsure when the “thief in the night” will come. The day of the LORD will come to all. All egos and carnal minds must be broken so that Christ may be victorious over the devil. When will this DAY come? Know one knows when, but it will come to us all. The fact that the carnal minds of men are becoming more desperate is a true sign that the end of the devil’s reign is nearer than we know. Yes, the world has gone mad! Yet, this is exactly what must happen. We must be driven crazy so that we can come to our senses.

Revelation 6:15

They called to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Yes, mankind is trying to hide in the fortress of the ego and carnal mind, but these will not last and neither will be standing in the end. Mankind will reach his breaking point and Christ will be there to pick up the pieces like the Potter to refashion us anew. Many times we only awaken from the dream when we reach that very moment of crisis. For some that refuse to awaken to Christ in them, their lives will become a nightmare. Hell keeps getting hotter and hotter until we just can’t take it anymore. Is it hot enough for you yet?

2Peter 3:10

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Yes my friends, the great and terrible day of the Lord is coming to each according to God’s will. All of our false “heavens” will disappear because we are now entering the true heaven. All of those earthly “elements” like sex, drugs and money will be destroyed by that same fire that Jesus started in this world. That consuming fire burns away the NATURAL debris from our world and our very being. All of the natural ways and desires of this world will be laid bare- GONE! Of course, this includes the desire for sex. Can you imagine a society that didn’t desire possessions? Drugs? Sex? As hard as it may be to accept for the naturally minded man, sex will become obsolete for those in Christ

Exodus 19:14

After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations."

While this command is part of the shadow law given to Moses, the reality is that those in Christ will become exactly like Jesus. That is completely asexual. We will lose our carnal minds and our sexuality because we are NEW creations. The old self (nature) has passed away and there will be a new way to be human! We will no longer be what the world and our bodies say we are. The world says we are American or Chinese. Our bodies tell us we are male or female. Do some believe that “male and female” distinctions exist in Christ? They do not. Do we not understand the most basic of all truths? Christ is all and in all. All are spirit from God that is maturing into His glory. For this reason, we WILL lose that outer person of this world like a bad suit! This is how God’s Kingdom comes.

Through the ages, many men and women have come to realize that as we draw closer to God, we lose our sexuality. Paul preached that for those led to serve God it was better NOT to marry.

1Corinthians 7:1

Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. 2 But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

Paul goes on to say that those who are unmarried can better serve the Lord, but he also realized that not all men and women could accept this “higher calling.“ Yes, many could not tame their own lusts and many so-called “men of God” still can’t. Again, sexual desire is natural, but those in Christ should not be naturally led. This is the problem with Christianity and religion in general- carnal minds coming in like wolves. This was a problem in Jesus’ day and still in our day.

Other teachers that followed Paul, like Augustine, believed that sex was a necessary evil. He believed that sex should only be for the purpose of procreation, not pleasure. He wasn’t completely wrong, but the carnal mind cannot please God. So while this is speaking to the truth that we must rid ourselves of our attachment to the carnal mind, it is not practical for the natural man to give up sex. Those matured in Christ can easily give up sex because they have transcended (or become immune) to the desire it once lured them with.

The higher one goes in consciousness, the better “fruit” one can enjoy. Those experiencing Christ-consciousness get pleasure from doing God’s will. It is just that simple. Man is always going to do what feels good. There is always a payoff or reward. Those in Christ do God’s will because it brings them a feeling of joy and peace that the world cannot. This is completely a matter of consciousness. This is why we are called to go UP into heaven. Our level of awareness must increase so that we can hear and know the will of God. Until this happens, we listen to the flesh and the world. This is where the natural man gets his pleasure.

Understand that our natural urges including sexual desire are not the problem, but the symptoms. The carnal mind is the problem. Even so, some went to very drastic measure to rid themselves of this natural desire. Instead of seeking help from above, some men seeking the Kingdom of God took matters into their own hands and castrated themselves to help free their minds from these desires. Now, Jesus did not condemn them because he clearly understood why these men were doing this.

Matthew 19:11

Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

Jesus said that some became “eunuchs” and renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom. This supports Paul’s claim and to some extent Augustine’s. But can we accept doing this? Think spiritually. I would not recommend becoming a eunuch using a knife, but rather by using the Word of God that is much sharper and is able to sever the carnal mind from our spiritual mind- remove the “flesh” from the bone you could say!

In a spiritual sense, Jesus Christ was also a eunuch because he was asexual. Jesus is our perfect example of a soul walking and living in the Spirit of Christ. Jesus lost his natural male desires because he crucified his false self. He dismantled the devil and overcame the world of flesh. If we are truly following Jesus then we too will overcome our carnal desires that hold us down. They cannot continue to master us. This not something we should fake, but it must become a reality. Pretending to have this calling will lead to even more problems. So, if you are not ready to “accept it” then don’t. Again, following the Law will lead us to Christ, but eventually we must let go of it because it is death. It is for this world and the natural man of this world. Like all things of this world, it is temporary. Christ is eternal and so is our life hidden in Him!

So if we are to ever inherit the Kingdom of God, we must overcome our earthly attachments by the power of Christ. Drugs, sex and other carnal pleasures keep the soul united with the body until both are destroyed in this lower world. The only way to break these chains of the devil is with the ROCK. This powerful passage from Colossians says it ALL!

Colossians 3:5

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

I feel it is worth our time to deeply consider this passage, sentence by sentence. First, we are called by Paul and God to put to death the “old nature” that has been controlling us for ages. As we cling to this old nature, the fires of hell are getting hotter. The mind of man is afflicted with all sorts of evils. While anger, rage and lying were not addressed in this article, they too are part of our devil nature. These evil behaviors are not so much flesh related, but worldly. These are born of the ego, the god that so many are serving in this world. No true child of God does harm to another. Turning the cheek is easier said than done, but it quite “natural” for those with the peace of God in their hearts.

Yes my friends, every drug and carnal pleasure the world could ever conjure up will eventually let you down, or more accurately, it will drop you and leave you for dead. The ego and carnal mind we battle are selfish, deceitful and lead us to death again and again. They do not care about you (who are SPIRIT), but God does because YOU are His child born before time! Understand then that the “wrath of God” is not hatred toward you but a Parent’s love needed to save us! Know for certain that God is going to get His children through this earthly “ rehab center.” Like Jesus who has gone before us, we should know that our spiritual rehabilitation may cause us pain and suffering. Yet if we follow Jesus, our path of destiny will end with complete joy and peace! God will have it no other way.

So let us continue to dismantle the throne of the devil. Let us remove our old nature like rags we have worn for so long and instead now clothe ourselves with Christ. Our higher mind and higher life are now in Christ and here for Christ! We no longer serve evil desires in the body of flesh, but we serve God in the Body of Christ! Let’s ROCK this world!

May the Rock roll into your life and set you free!

brad edwards

August 2003

return to the Savior of the World