Bible Dictionary
Carnal
Carnal means governed by the flesh rather than by God’s Spirit. It can describe sinful human desires, outward ceremonial practices, or merely human weapons and resources.
Definition
Carnal means belonging to the flesh or governed by merely human nature rather than by God’s Spirit. It may describe unconverted people, sinful desires, outward ceremonial practices, bodily matters, or human methods and power.
Biblical Usage
The carnal mind is described as hostile to God, and Christians may be called carnal when envy and strife show the dominance of the flesh. The Mosaic ordinances are carnal because they concern outward and bodily matters, while Christian warfare is not carnal but spiritual.
Historical Background
The New Testament term is derived from a word meaning flesh and is contrasted with spirit. It can emphasize either the material of which something is made or conduct and disposition governed by the flesh.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Unconverted men are so called (1 Cor. 3:3). They are represented as of a “carnal mind, which is enmity against God” (Rom. 8:6, 7). Enjoyments that minister to the wants and desires of man’s animal nature are so called (Rom. 15:27; 1 Cor. 9:11). The ceremonial of the Mosaic law is spoken of as “carnal,” because it related to things outward, the bodies of men and of animals, and the purification of the flesh (Heb. 7:16; 9:10). The weapons of Christian warfare are “not carnal”, that is, they are not of man’s device, nor are wielded by human power (2 Cor. 10:4).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>kar'-nal: In the Old Testament there is an expression which indicates sexual intercourse shikhebhath zera`, "lying of seed," (Le 18:20; 19:20; Nu 5:13). In the New Testament the words rendered "carnal" are derived from sarks, "flesh." This refers to the flesh as opposed to the pneuma, "spirit," and denotes, in an ethical sense, mere human nature, the lower side of man as apart from the Divine influence, and therefore estranged from God and prone to sin; whatever in the soul is weak and tends toward ungodliness (see FLESH). Thus one may be carnal (sarkinos), sold under sin (Ro 7:14). Christians may be carnal (sarkinos, 1Co 3:1; sarkikos, 1Co 3:3); the lower side of their being is dominant and not the spirit, hence, they fall into sins of envy and strife. The weapons of the Christian warfare are not carnal, not merely human (of the flesh the Revised Version (British and American), the American Standard Revised Version), but spiritual (2Co 10:4); "not after the law of a carnal commandment" (Hebrews 7:16); "The carnal mind is enmity against God" ("mind of the flesh" the Revised Version (British and American), the American Standard Revised Version, Ro 8:7). So, "to be carnally minded is death" ("mind of the flesh" the Revised Version (British and American), the American Standard Revised Version, Ro 8:6). There are "carnal ordinances," in contrast to the spiritual ones of the gospel (Hebrews 9:10); "Minister unto them in carnal things," those that pertain to the body in contrast to spiritual things (Ro 15:27; 1Co 9:11). The same expressions are elsewhere rendered "fleshly" (2Co 1:12; 3:3 the Revised Version (British and American) "hearts of flesh"; 1Pe 2:11).</p><p>Is there any difference between sarkinos and sarkikos? The former more definitely denotes the material of which an object is made. It may express with emphasis the idea of sarkikos, the spiritual given up as it were to the flesh.</p><p>See MAN (THE NATURAL).</p><p>G. H. Trever</p>