28_Picture of a carnal Christian
Gen 33:1-3 Then Jacob raised his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel, and the two slave women. 2 He put the slave women and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times until he came near to his brother.
Heb 12 1 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking only at Jesus, the originator, and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before He endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Imagine a garden hose lying in a mass of tangled loops. It is designed to carry water and nourish plants. Yet it lies dry and ineffective. Its purpose is clear. Yet, without being untangled, it is useless and cannot fulfill its potential use.
Every believer who lives in the flesh, entangled in worldly pursuits, does not fulfill God’s purpose. The potential for spiritual growth is there, but it is choked by self-reliance and distractions. Only with the removal of the “kinks” can the living water of God flow freely through such people. Only then can they experience and share his life and be fruitful.
Jacob often provides a vivid picture of a carnal believer, even though he was a man of faith. Genesis 33 demonstrates one of the struggles between his faith and his flesh. in this chapter. This man had just wrestled with the angel of the Lord. In his helplessness, after the angel disabled him, he clung to him until his supplication for blessing was granted. He came face to face with his weakness, but he also saw God face to face. Crippled, he could no longer flee nor fight. He was weaker than ever before, just as he was about to meet Esau – a confrontation he had dreaded for years. Now Jacob could rely only on God for protection.
Yet, transformation is not instant, but a lifelong journey. Despite the Lord’s blessing and despite his new name of Israel, Jacob quickly reverted to old patterns of fear and self-reliance. He still schemed to protect himself and his family, dividing his household into groups so that if one was attacked, the others might escape. God had promised to be with him. He had proven his faithfulness in protecting him from Laban. But Jacob’s faith faltered. Instead of resting in God’s promises, he clung to his human strategies. This tension between faith and fear mirrors the struggles many Christians face today.
Many times we, like Jacob, forget God’s past faithfulness when faced with a new crisis. The God who delivered us before is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Yet, when challenges arise, we often revert to self-reliance. Instead of the quietness of faith, we scheme and strategize. We make plans A, B, and C to account for any contingency. God’s promise to be with us is simply not enough. Thus, our journey becomes one of anxiety and turmoil. The outcome is sure, since God fulfils his word. But the cost to us is great. We lose God’s approval and our peace. We throw away the opportunity to demonstrate his glory through our childlike trust in him.
Jacob’s behavior toward Esau reveals the inconsistencies of a carnal Christian. God named him “Israel,” meaning “Prince with God.” But Jacob bowed seven times before Esau out of fear. He called Esau his lord and referred to himself as Esau’s servant. This was not the behavior of someone walking confidently in God’s promises. Jacob’s actions were marked by fear, manipulation, and a desire to placate Esau by gifts. He tried to buy his good will rather than owning up to his past deceit and seeking reconciliation with integrity. A carnal believer relies on flattery, material gifts, or worldly methods to mend relationships rather than addressing sin with genuine repentance and humility.
Jacob’s insincerity is further evident in his words to Esau: “For I see your face as one sees the face of God.” (Genesis 33:10). If Jacob truly saw the reflection of God’s work of reconciliation in Esau’s face, why was he so eager to part ways with him? These were hollow words of appeasement. Our words reveal the heart, as the Lord said. They are not tools for concealment but a mirror of our inner man. When we use flattery or deceit to navigate difficult situations, we forfeit the opportunity to trust God’s power and to give him the glory.
Jacob’s unconfessed sin also made him hesitant to talk about God’s work, God’s promises, and God’s direction for his life. He shrank from telling Esau that God had commanded him to return to his father’s house. He lied about his plans. When there is sin in our lives, it often silences our testimony and subdues our joy at God’s work. It prevents us from openly communicating the work of God. Trusting his own worldly wisdom, Jacob chose deceit over truth.
Even Jacob’s obedience reveals the mark of a carnal believer. Jacob was directed to go to Bethel and fulfil his vow. Instead, once he was in Canaan, he stopped at Shechem and bought a parcel of land. He paid over money to buy something which God had promised would be his, and his descendants’, for ever.
This act of incomplete obedience reflected a lukewarm love for God and a hesitant faith in his will. Jacob built an altar on the land he had purchased, giving it the lofty name “El-Elohe-Israel,” meaning “God, the God of Israel.” Yet, no religious act can substitute for obedience. As Samuel reminded Saul, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). God desires our trust and obedience more than the most costly or elaborate acts of worship or devotion.
In Jacob’s life, we see a clear warning. It is a call to reflect on our own lives. Jacob had come to understand who God is. He received the name Israel. He recognized God as his sovereign and lord. He feared and revered God. Yet his actions often betrayed a lack of faith and surrender. This disconnect between belief and behavior is the hallmark of a carnal Christian—someone who knows God’s truth but struggles to live it out fully.
Jacob’s story also gives us hope. Despite his failings, God remained faithful. God’s promises to Jacob did not hinge on Jacob’s perfection but on God’s unchanging character. God’s work in our lives is not derailed by our weaknesses. He teaches and disciplines us so that we may reflect His likeness. Just as Jacob’s limp always reminded him of his dependence on God, the traumas and hurts that we suffer on our journey become markers of His grace once we yield to Him.
Let us look at ourselves honestly. Have we allowed self-reliance, fear, or partial obedience to take root? Do we fail to rest in the promises of God that we claim to believe? Do we use worldly means to navigate challenges rather than trusting God with simple integrity and faith?
Let us walk humbly with God. If he has touched and weakened us, let us repent and seek his blessing. Let us acknowledge our weaknesses and take refuge in his strength. As Hebrews 12:1 urges, we must “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” so that we can run our race with perseverance. This includes dealing honestly with our sin, prioritizing obedience over ritual, and trusting God’s promises even when circumstances seem daunting.
Finally, let us extend immense patience and grace to others just as God extends to us. Just as God worked with Jacob despite his flaws, we must work to maintain fellowship and unity with our brothers and sisters wherever they are in their spiritual journeys. We are all works in progress, and God’s grace is sufficient for each of us.
Let us turn back to God so that our tangles may straighten out. Let God’s living water flow freely in us, unhindered by sin or self-dependence. Let us trust Him wholeheartedly, obey Him fully, and reflect His grace in our lives.
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