Faith or Works ??

Faith Is More Than Belief 

The Difference Between Faith With Action and Faith Without Action

Philipose Vaidyar

Many people speak about faith as if it is only an inner belief. It becomes something private, personal, and invisible. You believe in God, you pray, you hold certain convictions, yet nothing in life changes. This kind of faith feels safe, but Scripture describes it as incomplete.

The Bible shows that faith is not only something you believe. Faith expresses itself in obedience, love, perseverance, and daily choices. Faith is active. Faith moves.

James: “Faith without works is dead”

James speaks directly to the problem of passive belief. He writes, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). James saw believers who claimed faith but showed no evidence of it in their lives.

He gives a simple example. If someone is hungry or poorly clothed and you only say, “I wish you well,” that is not faith. Those words do not help anyone. The faith behind them is lifeless.

Similarly, if someone is in need of practical assistance, saying only, "I would pray for you," while having the ability to offer tangible help, is not true compassion. That verbal assurance, without corresponding action, makes the faith behind it hollow. For James, the choice to actively help over simply offering a prayer proves that one's faith is active and genuine.

For James, good deeds do not replace faith. They prove faith. If faith is alive, it shows.

Paul: “Not by works of the Law”

Paul is often misunderstood in this discussion. When he says we are saved “not by works,” he is mainly talking about works of the Law—things like circumcision, ritual purity, dietary rules, observances, and the external marks that identified someone as a Jew (Galatians 2–3).

Paul is not rejecting good deeds. He is rejecting the idea that religious rituals or sacraments—such as circumcision, food laws, or ceremonial washings—can earn salvation.

These practices created pressure in the early church. Some taught that faith in Christ was not enough unless people also followed these observances.1 Paul responds by saying that salvation comes through grace alone, received by faith, apart from these external requirements.

Clarifying Paul's Focus: Justification

Crucially, Paul's core focus is not simply on the process of salvation (being saved) but specifically on justification (being declared righteous). Justification is by grace through faith; this is the central point of his argument.2 To Paul, a person is made right with God by trusting in Christ's work, not by performing ritual duties.3

This distinction is key: Paul uses the phrase "faith" (or "through faith") to describe the mechanism of justification, but he does not use the phrase "faith alone" (sola fide). That specific formulation was later popularized by Martin Luther during the Reformation, often used to challenge the medieval Church's emphasis on merit and works. For Paul, the faith that justifies is never a sterile, isolated belief but a living faith that inherently leads to the very good deeds James describes.

He then adds something important: “We are created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). Good works follow salvation. They do not create it.

Paul and James are not contradicting each other

Paul teaches how we are saved.
James teaches how saved people live.

Paul fights the belief that rituals and religious observances can earn salvation.
James fights the belief that passive belief is enough.

Paul says works of the Law do not save.
James says living faith produces works.

Their messages complete each other. Salvation is received by faith alone. That same faith grows visible through obedience and good works.

Faith that believes vs. Faith that obeys

Belief alone is not the goal. James says even demons believe, yet their belief leads to no obedience. True faith trusts God enough to act.

Faith forgives when it is difficult. Faith gives even when resources feel limited. Faith serves when it is inconvenient. Faith loves when it is easier to ignore. Faith obeys when God calls.

Faith with action changes everything

The heroes of Scripture lived this truth.

Noah built the ark before rain ever fell.

Abraham left his home with no map.

Moses stood before Pharaoh with no army.

Esther approached the king with no guarantee.

Peter stepped out of the boat.

Paul preached in the face of danger.

Their faith moved their feet.

Faith that never moves never grows. Faith that takes steps, even small ones, becomes stronger.

Practical application for us today

1. Take the next small step God is showing you.
   A call, a message, an apology, a simple act of love—small steps matter.

2. Let your faith become visible.
   Look for someone you can help, encourage, or serve this week.

3. Refuse to hide behind “belief only.”
   Pray for the courage to obey God in the places you have been delaying.

4. Stop relying on “religious habits” as if they replace obedience.
   Going to church, reading Scripture, or serving in a ministry should shape your life, not simply fill your schedule.

5. Let your faith interrupt your routine.
   Active faith changes how you treat people, how you make decisions, and how you respond to challenges.

Living faith

Faith is more than belief. Faith becomes complete only when it is lived. Your next step does not have to be dramatic. It only has to be obedient.

What Jesus Taught: Showing, Not Just Saying

The whole debate simplifies when we look at Jesus's own words. He taught that real faith isn't hidden—it shows itself. He said, "Let your light (your good deeds) shine before men." This means that if you have genuine, living faith, the way you treat people and the helpful things you do are the visible proof that makes others praise God.

Jesus also warned that just saying the right things isn't enough. He made it clear: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter heaven... but only the one who actually does what my Father wants." In simple terms, a person's entrance into God's kingdom depends on active faith that expresses itself through obedience and putting His teachings into action. Lip service doesn't count; obedient living does.

So, the conclusion is consistent: Real, saving faith is not a silent opinion; it's a powerful force that immediately moves a person to good actions.

Let your faith move.

Let it act.
Let it speak through your life.

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Sparks, Knocks, and Slamming Doors

FAITH AT HOME: BEFORE THE CRISIS ARRIVES

Philipose Vaidyar

In an earlier write-up, “When Students (Children) Fail, Whom Do We Blame?” we noted that even in nurturing homes, children make their own choices. Click Here to View #1  Later, in “The Vanishing Youth from Our Congregations,” the focus shifted to the church—how weak programs, self-serving leadership, and misplaced priorities often push young people away. Click Here to View #2

Now, we turn to the home. Before crises arise, how can we nurture a faith that lasts? Not through formulas or fear, but through presence, patience, and intentional parenting.

Take one story: a young woman from a Christian family moved to the city, met a man of another faith at her workplace, and wanted to marry him. Instead of eloping, she consulted her parents, who agreed if the wedding took place in church. The couple joined a local congregation; the man underwent counseling, classes, baptism preparation, and was approved for membership. They married quietly—then disappeared from church life, later citing distance and work. Many such stories end in similar confusion, with parents left praying for true faith to take root.

Today, many church-raised young people marry outside the faith, divorce, or hide secret relationships. Global culture—instantly accessible online—shapes their values. In this consumerist world, even marriage is treated like an online purchase: try, discard, replace. Some avoid it altogether.

The deeper question is this: are our young people basing their choices on Christ, or simply on earning, spending, and consuming? Our children are not only listening but also watching—imitating not just their parents, but also their peers and the surrounding culture. In such a world, how do we ensure that what they absorb at home points them toward faith, character, and maturity?

1. Parenting with Purpose, Not Panic

Faith cannot be outsourced. It is not the job of the Sunday school teacher alone. Nor is it the church’s responsibility to raise our children spiritually. Scripture places that responsibility primarily on parents:

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road...” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7).

Children are often taught to memorize Bible verses and praised when they recite them in church or during family prayers. While this has value, what matters even more is helping them discuss, interpret, and apply the meaning of those verses in everyday life. From a young age, children should be guided to see how Scripture speaks to their challenges and choices.

This should not be about rewards or punishments but about creating space at home for genuine interaction—learning together to hear God’s voice. Don’t wait until Sunday school or youth camps, which in reality offer little scope for such conversations. Some ministries may run programs on quiet time, personal Bible study, or inductive study methods. These can be helpful, but children may miss them because of school or other schedules. Parents cannot depend on those occasional opportunities; they need to take the lead.

Remember, parents are the best teachers of values, behavior, and character—even if not of academic subjects. Let spirituality begin naturally at home, as early as children learn anything else. When family prayer becomes a time of dialogue and discovery, children grow not just in knowledge of Scripture, but in the habit of listening to God.

Sadly, many parents start intentional spiritual conversations only when a crisis arises—when their child walks away from faith, gets into a bad relationship, or begins making poor choices. But by then, we are reacting, not shaping. The time to start is not when they’re in trouble, but when they are still learning to speak and observe.

2. The Atmosphere at Home Speaks Louder than Rules

Children can sense pretence. If we pray in church but fight at home, if we speak about love and grace but live with bitterness and complaints, they notice. Home must be a safe space where grace is practiced, truth is taught, and love is consistent. Not perfect parenting—but honest, humble, and consistent.

Let’s not confuse rigid rule-keeping with righteousness. Children thrive not in controlling environments but in homes that model Christ.

3. Modeling, Not Just Teaching

Paul boldly said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

That’s a strong claim—and a needed one today. Parents don’t need to be perfect, but they do need to be intentional. Children model what they see: how you pray, how you treat your spouse, how you spend money, how you respond to failure. Everything preaches. 

 4. Spending Time Individually with Children

Each child is unique, and parents must take time to connect with them personally. From an early age, explaining matters and truths individually—whether during a walk, a routine task, or shared activities—helps build trust and openness. Encouragement is best given in public, while correction is most effective in private, especially in matters of personal growth or sensitive advice. Parents should agree on this and decide who addresses which matters. Such intentional one-on-one moments shape both confidence and character.

5. Guarding What Shapes Them

In today’s hyper-connected world, children are shaped not just by what happens at home, but by what they consume online, what they hear from peers, and the subtle ideologies pushed through media. Parents must help their children develop discernment, not just discipline. That includes talking about values, warning about deception, and helping them think biblically.

We must be present—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. Presence builds trust. And trust creates the bridge over which truth can be shared.

6. Faith Is Caught Before It Is Taught

Let’s remember: faith is not downloaded through lectures. It’s absorbed through life—through conversations at the dinner table, through bedtime prayers, through how we treat the poor, speak to elders, and respond when things go wrong.

It’s not about doing more programs. It’s about being more present.

A Closing Thought

We began by asking: whom do we blame when children walk away—the church or parents? The truth is, blame never builds faith. What is needed is ownership. Church and home must partner, but the first classroom of faith is always the home.

A crisis can take many forms. It may begin as a spark, come knocking, or linger at the door. The hardest is when it enters the home—when children slip away unnoticed or storm out in anger, slamming the door behind them.
That is why parents cannot afford to wait for such moments. Faith formation cannot be outsourced to Sunday Schools, youth camps, or occasional trainings. These may support, but parents must lead—shaping character and guiding children early toward wise, Christ-centered decisions.
So let us not wait for sparks to flare, knocks to sound, doors to slam, or children to slip away. In a world of shifting values and consumer-style relationships, our children need what is real. They need to see lives lived with authenticity, a daily walk with Christ, and a readiness to listen together for His voice. What must be passed on is not rituals or memory verses, but the joy of knowing a living Savior at the center of every decision.

Previous Post # 1 https://pvarticles.blogspot.com/2025/01/who-fails-parents-or-children.html 

Previous Post #2 https://pvarticles.blogspot.com/2025/08/missing-from-pew.html 

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MISSING FROM THE PEW

The Vanishing Youth from Our Congregations

Philipose Vaidyar 

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"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." – Hosea 4:6

Why do Some Christian Youth Leave the Faith and Enter Interfaith Relationships?  What are the Root Causes and a Redemptive Response? (My previous post: Why do Children Fail ... : https://pvarticles.blogspot.com/2025/01/who-fails-parents-or-children.html )

The Concern

Across denominations—whether evangelical, Pentecostal, or episcopal—families are increasingly facing a painful and confusing reality: young people who were raised in Christian homes are walking away from the faith. Often, this takes the form of entering romantic or marital relationships with non-Christian partners—not just Muslims, but individuals from various other religions or belief systems.

One hears of a boy from an aristocratic Christian family who maintained a school friendship with a girl from a non-Christian background, eventually leading to a relationship despite clear incompatibility in faith and values. In another case, a young Christian man marries a non-believing partner from another religion, leaving his parents to face difficulties in maintaining fellowship with the church and navigating family tensions.

But more than boys, many girls from strong churchgoing and faith-filled families have run away from their hostels or homes, forming surprising relationships with boys from other religious backgrounds. Parents are left shocked, their hopes shattered, and their lives emotionally broken, struggling to understand where things went wrong.

These situations may look like personal or emotional choices, but they reflect deeper cracks in spiritual formation, relational mentoring, and leadership engagement within the church community. Whether driven by emotional vulnerability, social pressure, or a lack of grounding in biblical truth, the issue demands a thoughtful, pastoral, and community-wide response.

Understanding the Roots

·       Shallow faith foundations: Many children grow up with Christian rituals but without a deep relationship with Christ.

·       Poor mentoring: No safe, trusted young mentors to walk with them through doubts, relationships, or personal struggles.

·       Over-controlling environments: Fear-based parenting and church cultures often suppress honest conversations.

·       Neglect of inner formation: Churches emphasize behavior over belief, and performance over transformation.

·       Clericalism in leadership: Many clergy—be they presbyters, pastors, or bishops—assume they are the sole experts and solution-givers in the congregation, leaving no room for lay voices, professionals, or lived experience.

Solutions That Go Beyond the Pulpit

1. Train a Generation of Lay Mentors

We must identify spiritually mature young adults and model families to serve as relational mentors.

·       These people—not just pastors—should be equipped as friendly counselors, walking with youth and children in everyday life.

·       Start a Training of Trainers (TOT) model in the church, where laypeople are empowered to counsel, guide, and mentor based on Scripture, empathy, and lived experience.

·       These could include Christian counselors, youth workers, godly couples, or even professionals like teachers and social workers with a heart for mentoring.

2. Subtly Orient Children Early in Life

Start early, but not with fear-based messaging. Help children understand who they are in Christ and how to respond to life’s challenges with discernment.”.

·       Teach Christ-centered identity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.

·       Introduce conversations on boundaries, media influence, interfaith interactions, and personal value gently but firmly.

·       Use storytelling, testimony, and role models—not just sermons.

3. Addressing the Leadership Myth in Clergy-Driven Churches

In many episcopal or clergy-centered churches, there’s a silent assumption: “The bishop, presbyter, or pastor must have the answer to every issue.” This assumption is not just false—it’s dangerous.

Problems with this mindset:

·       It isolates the clergy, placing unrealistic pressure and often preventing them from acknowledging their own vulnerabilities.

·       It sidelines gifted laypeople who may have more real-life experience in counseling, family life, leadership, or youth mentoring.

·       It blocks the diversity of wisdom God has placed in the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12).

What needs to change:

·       Presbyters and pastors need to unlearn the myth that spiritual authority equals universal expertise.

·       Churches must intentionally invite mature lay voices to lead workshops, sessions, and mentoring programs.

·       Let model families, faithful couples, professionals, and trained youth take the stage alongside the clergy in retreats, seminars, and discipleship forums.

The cassock doesn’t make one immune to blind spots. God’s wisdom is not limited to the pulpit.

A Call to Rebuild the Church Family

Let’s stop treating the Church as a performance stage and rebuild it as a discipling family. We need:

·       Intentional mentoring models rooted in trust, Scripture, and accountability.

·       Clergy who are humble enough to share the stage and wise enough to empower others.

·       Parents and leaders who disciple, not just control.

·       Children who grow in identity, purpose, and discernment, knowing their value is rooted in Christ.

Takeaway

This isn’t about shifting blame. It’s about shifting focus—from controlling outcomes to cultivating hearts.  The goal is not to protect children from the world through fear, but to prepare them to face the world with faith, wisdom, and support.  

STOP PRESS!

Is the whole issue rooted in the church, or does it begin much earlier at home? While this article primarily focused on the church environment—its flawed theology, misplaced priorities, and misguided leadership—the intention was never to place all the blame solely there. In fact, we began this larger conversation by addressing the struggles between parents and children in a previous post: Who Fails—Parents or Children?. The heart of the issue lies in a dangerous assumption—that Sunday School, youth camps, and weekly sermons will take care of everything. However, faith isn't formed solely by programs. It is cultivated daily in the home, at the dining table, in quiet conversations, and through lived example.

When children take unexpected turns, we’re often surprised. But maybe the warning signs were there—just unseen, or worse, ignored. 

Let’s now turn the lens back to where faith is first meant to be formed: in the home. (in the next post)

My next post #3 : https://pvarticles.blogspot.com/2025/09/sparks-knocks-and-slamming-doors.html

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A Journey Off Course

The Illusion of Direction

Philipose Vaidyar

If Bombay can alternatively be called Mumbai, why can't Bangalore be Mangalore? My journey from Nilambur to Bangalore in the summer of 1997 brought this question to life with unexpected depth.

I was traveling for a ten-day program in Whitefield, representing my college at Madurai. The 8-9 hour bus ride would take me through Gudalur, Mysore, and Bangalore. It was a typical summer day as I stood at the Nilambur bus stand, waiting for the Thrissur – Bangalore bus to arrive. Suddenly, I spotted Sam, a familiar friend who worked and lived in the Malappuram district and shifted to Calicut a couple of years ago. He approached me with a broad beaming smile, and we discovered we were headed to Bangalore.

Sam and I took adjacent seats on the left side of the bus. As we settled into the journey, the road began winding ascent through the scenic Nadugani Ghat. Our conversations flowed, and Sam shared his remarkable life story. Once a restless soul who had fled home, he wandered in search of peace but found none. It was in Nilambur, years ago, that he encountered the gospel, which gave his life a newfound purpose.

Sam became a devoted evangelist, working for a church mission. But when the mission faltered due to crucial leadership failures, he faced immense struggles. With two young children to support, Sam was now traveling to Bangalore for an interview for a job in Dubai. His bag held a newspaper clipping with the interview details.

As the bus climbed the Nilgiris, the landscape unfolded its breathtaking charm. The air grew cooler, eucalyptus trees lined the road, and pines and silver oaks rose majestically, their shadows dancing on the valley below. It felt as though the trees were silent witnesses to our journey, their stillness a sharp contrast to the whirlwind of emotions in Sam’s story.

At Gudalur, the bus stopped for lunch. We followed the driver and conductor to a small eatery, a simple but reliable choice. The food was plain yet satisfying, a much-needed break before the road to Mysore stretched ahead.

Passing Mysore Palace was a fleeting moment of grandeur—its glittering domes and sprawling gardens a brief yet unforgettable sight. Sam and I spoke less now, each absorbed in our thoughts as the bus headed toward Bangalore.

As evening descended, we arrived at the bustling Majestic Bus Stand. From there, we caught a city bus to Austin Town, where my friend Philip welcomed us into his small but hospitable home. Despite having guests already, Philip made space for us in his cramped drawing room. After a modest dinner outside, we lay down on a makeshift bedding  and drifted into sleep, weary from the day’s travel.

The next morning, as I reminded him to locate the interview address, Sam retrieved the newspaper clipping from his bag. I wanted to have a look at it before handing it over to Philip, who was to examine the address. To my amazement, I noticed that the address was in Mangalore! Philip said Mangalore is another 9 hours journey away from Bangalore.

Sam's eyes opened wide in astonishment. He said he had verified with more than one person about the address. A college student had assured him that Mangalore and Bangalore were the same. Locally, in Malayalam, Bangalore was referred to as Banglore, and Mangalore as Mangalapuram, but the two cities were 350 kilometers apart!

Sam consoled himself with the fact that there was one more day for the interview. He could still make it to Mangalore; it’s another 8-9 hour journey from here. At least he didn’t miss the interview entirely. Sam, though shaken, remained resolute. He decided to press on, unwilling to abandon his goal.

Reflections on the Road
We both had to leave Philip’s place sooner: I to Whitefield and Sam to Mangalore.  As I watched Sam depart, I was struck by the sadness of his mistake. He was sincere and determined, yet a single misunderstanding had sent him miles in the wrong direction.

It made me reflect: How often do we embark on life’s journey with the best intentions, only to find ourselves off course? Are we certain of our destination, or do we, like Sam, rely on flawed information, risking precious time and effort?

But how did the interview turn out? Almost 28 years later, as I wrote this, I checked with Sam and discovered that the interview was a complete sham. They collected passports and some money but have not returned either yet.

“Do all roads lead to Rome?” Perhaps they do. But not all paths lead to the ultimate truth. The Bible reminds us:
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

In life's journey, sincerity is crucial, but it must be paired with clarity of direction. We must ask ourselves: Are we on the right path, or will we one day regret realizing we’ve been heading the wrong way? When it comes to life’s ultimate destiny, there are no second chances to correct our course once we’ve arrived. Proverbs 14:12 reminds us of this sobering truth: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Let this verse urge us to seek God’s guidance and ensure that our steps align with His will, leading us to the right destination.

Walking by Sight and Living by Faith

Carnal Christians Vs. Kernel Christians

Philipose Vaidyar

We use words like grace, faith, and trust almost every day. Everyone has some belief and faith in something. Anyone at a religious gathering or sect can be called a believer. All the members of a Church are Bible believers too and all have some faith as well. But all of them are unable to practice the belief, and not all can live by faith. We don’t need to judge anyone about their faith but we need to discern people by what they believe and practice to draw implications for ourselves and be able to make the right associations. 

That’s what Jesus taught through several parables and as reiterated by the apostles. We have two kinds of people everywhere- the righteous and the wicked- the wheat and the weed; the seed and the chaff; the sheep and the goats; the ordinary and the spiritual; and the Kernal Christians and the Carnal Christians. Like in a home there can be obedient and disobedient children, so it is in any human organization including the Church. 

Wheat and Weeds

In Church, we have two kinds of believers even while all of them recite the same liturgy, read the same Bible, participate in the same sacraments, or observe the same practices. The parables of the sower, seeds, and the weeds explain this. Not all seeds grow and give yields. Not all plants are wheat; some are weeds. Both grow together but the harvest, on the final day, will only separate them. Jesus said this parable about the two kinds of people in Christendom and about the judgment that will eventually separate them. Jesus said, “the sons of the evil one will perish and the sons of righteousness will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father”. The parable talks about the righteous and the unrighteous, how they live together for a time. 

Seed and Chaff

In Psalm 1, the righteous are compared to the seed that will grow to a tree that is planted by streams of water, which will not wither but give its fruits in season, and their way will succeed and be watched over by the Lord. The chaff is called to be wicked; like the chaff, they will be driven by wind; shall not stand in the judgment, and in the assembly of the righteous, but their way will perish. 

Sheep and Goats

Jesus compared his followers to sheep and goats. Some Christians are sheep while others are goats. Both these Christians co-exist but at the time of judgment, the sheep, who know the voice of Jesus (John 10:25-30), will be separated from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

Ordinary Children and Spiritual Children

Children naturally born can only live by sight; children born by the flesh can only think of the flesh. Many attend churches for physical blessings. Healing, success, admissions, promotions, sustenance, assets, and artifacts are their goals. They are happy with God if their prayers for all these are answered the way they want. Many even teach this gospel. “When you worship, your bondages will fall apart, your sickness will be healed”. They preach that ‘chains fell off the apostles when they sang and worshipped in the jail’. Peter was delivered twice by an Angel but the Bible does not say that he was delivered because he was singing and praising in prison, even if he did. Some worship God to get blessings and get deliverance from debt; while others worship God because they are delivered people and blessed by the saving experience of God.  

Paul talks about these two kinds of believers in Galatians 4:21ff. - The ordinary Christians and the Promise Christians. “For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by a free woman. One was born ordinarily and the other was born as the result of a promise. “Now you brothers, like Isaac are children of promise. The slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son. Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but the free woman”. 

This is not to judge anybody else in the Church, but for us to judge ourselves. The slave-son could not become a promise-son. But because of Christ’s saving work, a slave can become free and become a promise-child. The external difference can be too little to recognize. In Churches, we have Kernel Christians and Carnal Christians. Both of them may go to church, pray, read the Bible, and give charity. But there is an invisible difference in both of them. 

Carnal Christians and Kernel Christians

Carnal Christians live by natural principles and by the trends and standards of the world. They want to be achievers; they love God, church, and religious gatherings and their prayers often will be for success, health, and wealth. They would like to gain more to possess the best. They would work and live as per the standards of a consumerist society. Their ultimate goal may be to climb up the social ladder and live with at most comforts and facilities. They will be more concerned about status symbols and go by brands of assets rather than its usefulness. They would be willing to bribe for getting things done and may buy any admission for a profession of their choice even if they are not eligible. Believers, Evangelists, Pastors, Social or Christian workers too can be carnal Christians. They will be more concerned about the transformation of their lifestyle. They may pursue theology or the Christian profession, but their ultimate goal will be to settle down in an affluent country someday. They would make preaching tours to the Arabian countries but not to any of the African countries. 

Carnal means ‘fleshly’. Bible has references to living in the flesh or by the lust of the flesh: 

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8

“Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not mere human beings?”1 Corinthians 3:1-8 

A carnal Christian is still a believer in Jesus, may have accepted the gift of salvation, but not the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and transformation of the inner man. Carnal living satisfies the flesh rather than honoring and pleasing God.

The spirit of a carnal Christian has not the capacity to respond to the work of the Holy Spirit but seek blessings of God; may know Bible but may not know God in a personal relationship. He can be a legalistic Christian like the Pharisees, and not know God intimately (Titus 1:16). God looks at the heart, searching for His love working in and through His children (1 Peter 1:1-8).  

Kernel Christians live by faith and by the Word of God. The kernel is a seed and they have the potential to sprout and grow. They may not be great achievers; they may live in poverty and may struggle to live. All their prayers and wishes may not be answered or provided with. They may go through discouragements and challenges of different kinds. But they will press on in faith with hope; they will endure hardships. Sicknesses or failures will not sweep them away as their spiritual life is hidden in Christ. Their joy is not just in financial gains, wealth, possessions of property, luxurious lifestyles, or societal success. They will work and live in the world in the light of eternal principles. For them, food, clothing, housing, education, and infrastructure facilities are ‘means’, not the ‘end’. They are concerned about the transformation of people and their prayers are not limited just for health, wealth, and success but also for the spiritual transformation of people across their borders. 

Carnal Christian vs. Kernel Christian

A Carnal Christian can become a Kernel Christian.  All Christians can have some area of their lives where they live carnally. As a Carnal Christian, we are potential of being perfect, but not yet perfected. (2 Corinthians 12:1). Kernel Christians are Spirit-led beings. As a Kernal Christian, we will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). A tree can be known by its fruits. If Spirit-led we cannot remain carnal; we will grow and mature because of God’s work in our lives (Hebrew 12:5-11, Romans 12:1, Ephesians 2:8-10, James 2). Jesus said he has chosen us to bear fruit that will last eternally (John 15:16).

Committed Christian by growing spiritually, gains the power to forsake earthly pleasures, and live a fruitful life that God has planned. The carnal Christians live in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life that is from the world (1 John 2:15-17). The Word of God says that not everyone who seems to be a Christian is a Christian (1 John 2:18-19). If the Carnal Christians become truly saved, they are assured that they will not perish (1 Corinthians 3:10-15, John 3:16). 

The choice is ours, to stay carnal or be a kernel of wheat to grow towards spiritual maturity to bear fruit in multiple folds; to walk by the sight of the world, or to live by faith through the Word of God and in complete dependence on the Spirit of God. And this is possible by intimacy with Christ through meditation and practice of the Word of God. Which group do you belong to, Carnel or Kernal; Living by sight or by faith? 

 (This article was first published in the Light of Life Magazine, November 2019)

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