The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit .

[Rev.Anthony Ray Smith]

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

In these things spoke of, the things that we speak, concerning Christianity, are not of things taught by man whose discernment of the spiritual is non-existent. We are taught by the Holy Spirit in all things spiritual, for this reason anything said that we hear that is not of truth we are warned by the spirit that it is against sound doctrine and a lie. Our discernment of the spiritual allows us to know whether a man is of God or not, we judge him by his words and his works.

Many say that we are not to judge but this again is not the meaning of scripture. Man judges’ man in the carnal courts, which have become corrupt, the Christian judges not by the carnal but by the spiritual as recorded in 1st Corinthians 6. When a Christian speaks of, or against, any sin that will destroy a man’s soul, he is not judging but warning them of the coming judgment of God, this is not only our commission but a commandment from Christ through the Apostle Paul as it is written, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles (non-Jewish.); which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:”

The natural man, of whom we were all once part of, does not understand the spiritual side of this everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. We as believers in Christ are not judged by man but rather by God and His word. We judge all things spiritual, which was a commandment given to us by God, for we are instructed to compare scripture with scripture to obtain the proper understanding of what is written. These things a natural man or an unbeliever cannot do. The Lord does not hear the prayers of the sinner or lost unless he is repenting and asking forgiveness for his sins. Therefore many today that are living in the world and have embraced sin as an acceptable lifestyle are not saved but have been deceived by Satan and his demons.

Many as the Bible describe them as belonging to the synagogue of Satan, in other words they are under the influence of Satan’s agenda which is to deceive. There are many who are baptized in the flesh, still lost, that create churches, have large congregations and deny the truth of the gospel, adding too and taking away from the Bible. These are the blind leading the blind and both shall fall.
A carnal mind is not subject to the laws of God and neither can be for Gods laws are spiritual and not carnal, this not to mean that a carnal man is not judged by God but that Gods laws are at odds with the sinful nature of the human mind. The mind is constantly at war with the spirit, hating any kind of laws that would restrain it from seeking out the pleasure of the flesh. The carnal mind is at war with God, refuses to believe the truth and will not obey Him. This is why we must take control of the mind and put it under subjection to the will of God. Just as Jesus told Nicodemus, “A man must be born again.”

Jesus was not speaking of the flesh of a man but of his spirit, changing the carnal mind into a spiritual receptor. Changing the way a man speaks, thinks and lives, in other words a change of heart, seeking to please God in the spirit instead of trying to constantly pleasing of the flesh. When a man try’s to please the flesh many believe it’s a sexual connotation but it is more than that, it’s the lust of possessions, power, wealth and position, a revolt against God and His commandments an acceptance of the will of the carnal mind and its agenda.

We as Christians do not sin willfully, many speak of this as a sin of omission and not a sin of commission. The difference is that a sin of commission is a sin committed willfully and a sin of omission is a sin committed by mistake or by a lack of knowledge in the laws of God concerning our lives. God considers each man separately and not as a unit, for we are instructed to seek out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Man dies because we were born into sin but we will be judged on our works, whether they were good or evil for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Many ministers in the past have told their congregations not to fear God but this is contrary to scripture. Many have told their congregation that after a man is saved he can no longer sin, this is also a misunderstanding of the scripture. The simple reason that a Christian can still commit a sin of omission, (by mistake) is the carnal mind.
There are many today that are attempting to carnalize the Christian and the church, speaking of God’s word as flawed, desiring acceptance of sin as a natural evolution to the teachings of the church. Many speak of the word “evolving” as if it were acceptable with God or if it was in Gods best interest or in the best interest of the church body but it is just another tool that Satan uses to deceive the body of Christ.

Many have become complacent; they have become a lukewarm member of the church body. They no longer have the will or desire to warn those that are lost that no sin will enter into the kingdom of Heaven. They neither stand with God or man. God is love, but He will not be mocked, God will forgive but He will not leave a man in sin after he is saved. “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

1Co 2:13-14