CARNAL AND FORMAL CHRISTIANITY: Isaiah 1:10-15; Matthew 6:9-13; 7:21-23; 15:8; 22:11-13; John 4:23-24; Romans 8:9; Galatians 5:19-21; 6:7-8, June 26, 2022

Last week, our lesson was on The Strait or Narrow Gate versus Worldliness. By His Grace, Mercy and Wisdom from His Holy Spirit, today we want to learn about the dangers of Carnal and Formal Christianity.

What is Carnal? We are told that Carnal is relating to or given to crude bodily pleasures and appetites. Another definition is marked by sexuality or worldly. Where is carnality prevalent? We see it in Hollywood, Bollywood, or Nollywood, in movies, TV, videos, and radio talk shows. Even in Christian movies, they can’t help but to sprinkle some sexuality in it for the audience. Have you noticed that in children’s movies and programs, they spice it with subliminal sexual content.

What about Formal? The 4th definition says “having the appearance without the substance.” As in Christians who go to Church only at Easter and Christmas season, which we have labeled as the Roman Catholic church’s false religion or idol worship that do no have anything to do with True Christianity.

Therefore, a Carnal (sexually or worldly) and Formal (having an appearance, but false) Christian is heading to the lake of fire.

Why? Because the true Christian way of life is not popular; few desire to surrender their lives fully to GOD, to give up all ways and plans of their own, their own will, for His Will!

According to Bishop J.C. Ryle, “a non-Christian possesses indeed the form, or the husk, or skin of religion, but he does not possess its substance or power. Look, for example, at those thousands of people whose whole religion seems to consist of keeping religious ceremonies and ordinances. They attend regularly on public worship. They may go regularly to the LORD's Holy Communion Table, but they never get any further!” They are not familiar with the Scriptures, and they take no delight in reading their Scripture thoroughly and regularly.

Professed Christians are trying to live with one foot in the church and one foot in the world. They do not separate themselves from the ways of the world. They draw no distinction between GODLINESS and unGODliness in their friendships or matrimonial alliances. When you associate with these professed Christians, as neighbors, in the church, at work, or in your business, unless you were told differently, you would suppose they were still of the world.

Such people are “formal” Christians:

Hear the Word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? Saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Amen! (Isaiah 1:10-15)

This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. (Matthew 15:8)

Bishop Ryle continued, “For sinners of the worst description our LORD Jesus always had a word of kindness, and held out to them an open door, but formalism? Well, the LORD wanted us to know that it was a desperate disease, and it must be exposed in the severest language.” “It is a clear warning to all who profess and call themselves Christians. The Scripture teaches us plainly that as we dread sin and avoid sin, so we ought to dread formality and avoid it. If we love life, let us beware of formality in Christianity. Nothing is so common as formality, which is one of the great family diseases of the whole race of mankind. It is born with us, grows with us, and is never completely cast out of us until we die.”

And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, ‘Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (Matthew 22:11-13)

“There is rampant in this age a false Gospel of carnal Christianity which has deceived many souls. The vast majority of Christendom today has not bowed to the LORDship of Jesus Christ. These are on sinking sand and are an easy prey