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Carnal Christians / C.I.N.Os & Looking at The 10 Virgins

March 6, 2013

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The Christian Church has long confessed that the books of the New Testament and the Old Testament are divine Scriptures, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is absolute truth and it is infallible Word of God.

This is pretty much a given if speaking to someone who claims to be a born again Christian. Try it yourself next time you are in Sunday school, prayer meeting ect, ask folks if they believe that the Bible is in fact the infallible Word of God written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

I would say most people you ask in those environments would agree with that.

If that is the case, why do people say that doctrine is not important and in fact “doctrine divides?”

I am hearing more and more of these sugar coated Christians that doctrine does not matter, all I have to do is “believe in Jesus” and “love one another.”

Many of you know that I have a Facebook page and in fact it is how I stay in contact with a lot of folks out there. Just go to www.facebook.com and search for Prophezine, I will pop up.

For most of my life I attended Christian School, and I have folks from my old school linked into my Facebook page.

Recently old school mate caught my attention, let’s call her “Nicci.”

Nicci talks about how much partying she does, drinking, hanging out, ect. Her Facebook picture is of her holding a martini glass leaning up against someone and just below that is the lyrics to “”Jesus Jesus Jesus.”

For her Religious Views, she states – I love Jesus! I would not survive without Him!

On Facebook you can make comments, tell people what is on your mind, share links, videos, ect.

Here are some of Nicci’s comments.

“It amazes me that people think they have the right to judge others. This is only God’s right….

On judgment day for our unforgiven sins, also those who cast judgment on others will be judged by God harder….”

Ok… thank you for sharing.

Please understand that I am not trying to put Nicci down or judge her. But I show her as an example of what is becoming the standard for Christianity today.

A side note, I did contact Nicci and told her my concerns. She appreciated that I took the time and told her in a way that was not being mean. I was firm and showed scripture that I know she could relate with. The main thing I did was asked her a lot of questions, thus allowing her to come to her own conclusion and allowing the Holy Spirit to convict her.

It worked. She pulled down some stuff, changed some stuff. We will see if it took hold.

Carnal Christianity and the refusal to live a holy life is becoming the norm. But what is sad is that this is all being done under the name of “Grace.”

“ I can do what I want because I am forgiven.”

“ Sin no longer matters to me, God died for my sins.”

“I am saved by Grace” which translates to “now I can live like hell.”

I can go on and I am sure you have heard many of these sort of things too, but show any of these people the following and watch the wrath break loose.

1 Peter 1:16 (KJV) Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

John 14:15 (KJV) If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Romans 12:1 (KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Why is it that so many people claim the title Christian, agree that God’s Word is the truth and then they refuse to obey what God says?

1Corinthians 2:14 (KJV) 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.

It is the natural thing for man to sin, but when we accept Jesus Christ into our lives we are no longer the natural man, we are called to submit to Him because we are now His bought with His blood.

So who are those who claim the title and yet live as the natural man? The answer is simple… Carnal Christian. Another way of putting it is “Christian In Name Only” aka C.I.N.O.s. This is the person with one foot in and one foot out. I pity them because they deceive themselves.

Here is what Christ says about them…

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Those on the “broad way” see themselves as doing right, but in the end it leads to destruction. It is those who are on the narrow path that lead to life.

Here is another example.

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Yet another…

Revelation 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Revelation 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

I pray that these people, these carnal Christian / C.I.N.Os, will wake up. They are living a life that no longer is part of them. In fact I bet that their lives are miserable, but they refuse to submit fully to the Lord because they love the world to much.

Are you a Carnal Christian – Look at The 10 Virgins

I know that by now some of you may be asking “am I a carnal Christian / C.I.N.O?”

How does one really know?

In scripture we find a great example, the Ten Virgins.

Matthew 25:1-12 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Most people when they read this portion of scripture attributes it to being a rapture reference. Yea, I can see that.

But when I read it, I see something more there to glean from.

The main focus of this parable is the oil. Traditionally the oil has represented the Holy Spirit.

But in light of Matthew 7, where Christ is warning Christians that they can be on the “broad way” and others be on the “narrow path,” here we see 5 virgins who have oil and 5 who don’t.

In this, I believe that 5 of the virgins were representing bible believing Christians and had the holy spirit. These are the type of Christians who are on the narrow path. They are obedient and being diligent for the Lord and His kingdom.

The other 5 you can call carnal Christian / C.I.N.Os and did not have the holy spirit. They did not take their job of being a Christian seriously. They were also not proper “lights to the world” because they lacked the holy spirit / oil to be those lights.

So when the bridge groom came, five were ready, and the other five missed out because they really were not saved in the first place, thus the representation of having no oil for their lamps.

We as bible believing Christians are called to be the salt and the light. You can see that 5 had the oil (holy spirit) and because of that, they had “light,” or the ability to share the gospel.

Until you have the holy spirit living within you, you are not to effective at being a good witness or sharing the gospel.

Without the holy spirit things of God do not make sense to you.

Remember the natural man?

1 Corinthians 2:14 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.

Here are some other verses that come to mind…

Isaiah 8:20 (KJV) to the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

1 John 2:4-5(KJV) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

So back to that question, ” am I a real Christian?”

Think about it for a moment. What distinguishes a true Christian from a carnal Christian / C.I.N.O.?

When we really think about it, in most cases, the answer comes down to one word – guilt.

Those who are truly Christians are convicted when they sin and feel guilt whenever they do sin (FYI… we all sin).

Those who are not true Christians don’t feel the guilt. This is either because they have quenched / seared the Holy Spirit or because they were never saved in the first place.

In fact, one of the sure ways to find out if you are really saved is how you react to sin.

If you just shrug it off and say “everyone sins”. Then you have problems.

If you hate every sin you have committed and feel guilt every time, you are saved.

I say that because it boils down to serving the one true God who saved us.

God gave us His all. He gave us His only Son. He allowed His only Son to die on the cross for us, so that we may live with Him.

Because Jesus paid the price and died, it is our reasonable service / obligation to live for Him.

Scripture says…

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Who Do You Serve?

Jesus stated the following…

John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

If you do not have Christ in your life, you will spend eternity in hell. This is a fact. It does not matter if you believe this or not, it is the truth spoken by Jesus himself. If your name is not written in the Lambs Book of Life you will go to hell for what you have not done and that is accepting Christ as your personal savior.

To be placed in the Lamb Book of Life, you need to turn your life completely over to Him. Having “head” knowledge or “just believing in Christ” is not the same as having “heart” knowledge with Christ living in your heart. Even the “devils” believe in God.

James 2:19 (KJV) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

We work hard at Prophezine to show that Bible Prophecy is coming to pass. Because of this fact, we know that the Bible is true. Since the Bible is the true and is the inerrant word of God, there is a heaven and there is a hell.

If you claim the title of “Christian” then take account of yourself this day. Many claim the title, but we read in God’s Word that the title does not get you into heaven.

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Who you serve will determine where you will spend eternity. If you are not serving Christ and a true child of God, then you are serving Satan and a child of the enemy.

If you are not 110% sure, then take account of yourself, your very life depends upon it.

1John 1:9 (KJV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.