Natural vs Spiritual

The natural man (e.g. natural man as opposed to spiritual man - 1Co 2:14, 15), yet in the carnal mind (unregenerate – not the same as carnal babes in Christ - 1Co 3:1, 3) has only natural faith and not spiritual faith, which is “fruit” (work) of the Spirit – Gal 5:22. The unsaved are “carnally minded,” and the saved are “spiritually minded” (Rom 8:6). All have natural faith but not all have spiritual faith (2Th 3:2 – the majority of mankind will ever be devoid of spiritual faith – Mat 7:13, 14).

One can think they believe in God with the natural faith, which will manifest itself via loss of desire for profession and obedience in Christ. But only “the obedience of faith,” in “the Word of faith” is of the Lord Jesus (Rom 16:26; Rom 10:8)! It’s only the spiritual faith “through” which we are “saved” (Eph 2:8), for natural faith, not being the fruit of the Spirit discerns only from the senses, and not having godly sustenance the hypocritical show for spiritual things are inevitably abandoned (unenduring). Such “depart,” not from a possession of faith but from a profession of its doctrine, having never received the knowledge of saving faith into the heart.

1Timithy 4:1 - Gill - “That is, from the doctrine of faith, notwithstanding it is indisputably the great mystery of godliness, as it is called in the latter part of the preceding chapter; for from the true grace of faith there can be no final and total apostasy, such as is here designed; for that can never be lost. It is of an incorruptible nature, and therefore more precious than gold that perishes; Christ is the author and finisher of it.”
Faith in Christ, which comes only by the Spirit keeps us in the Father and the Son. We can “keep the faith” (2Ti 4:7), but this is not the sense of keeping in the faith. To keep the faith is in the sense of being responsible for living and teaching it according to the dictates of its truths. Keeping in the faith is not anymore possible than producing it yourself, for it is a “gift” (Eph 2:8).

“Through” it God unites us to Himself. Being in the faith means everything believers do derives from faith. Thus faith brings us through this life as God sustains and enables it in us. We do not keep it from failing, but God through it keeps us from falling. Though believers, yet being indwelled by the “old man” (Rom 7:17, 20) are still inclined to sin, God maintains in us a stronger “desire” to “do” His will (Phl 2:13).

Jude 1:24 - John Gill - “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling ...” “The people of God are liable to falling into temptation, into sin, into errors and mistakes, from an exercise of grace, or from a degree of steadfastness in Gospel truths, and even into a final and total apostasy, were it not for divine power; and they are not able to keep themselves. Adam, in his state of innocence, could not keep himself from falling, nor could the angels, many of whom fell, and the rest are preserved by the grace of God.

“Wherefore, much less can imperfect sinful men keep themselves, they lack both skill and power to do it. Nor can any, short of Christ, keep them, and it is His work and office to preserve them. They were given to Him with this view, and He undertook to do it; and sensible sinners commit themselves to Him, as being appointed for that purpose; and this is a work Christ has been, and is, employed in, and Ge is every way qualified for it.

“He is "able" to do it, for he is the mighty God, the Creator and upholder of all things; and as Mediator, He has all power in heaven and in earth, instances of persons kept by him prove it, and there is such evidence of it that believers may be, and are persuaded of it. He is as willing as He is able; it is His Father's will He should keep them, and in that He delights and as He has undertook to keep them, He is accountable for them; besides, He has an interest in them, and the greatest love and affection for them; to which may be added, that the glory of the Father, Son, and Spirit, in man's salvation, depends on the keeping of them.

“What He keeps them from is, from falling by temptations. Not from being tempted by Satan, but from sinking under his temptations, and from being devoured by him; and from falling by sin, not from the being or commission of sin, but from the dominion of it, and from the falling into it, so as to perish by it; and from falling into damnable heresies; and from the true grace of God, and into final impenitence, unbelief, and total apostasy.”

 

Hi! Appreciate your reply and find your comments interesting. The article's intent is to show the significant difference between the faith all people are born with which relates to earthly things (e.g. we exercise natural faith in all we do, like believing your car will start when you get in it, etc.), and faith that comes from God that relates to Him, which most do not have.

God bless!

 

You do make an interesting point, but this issue like any other would be determined by how one understands it, e.g. even unbelief is descriptive of having faith that something is not true or unfaithful. But I think it unnecessary to stress to this level to understand that faith to believe in God is not with man's nature; and I have yet to see any Bible commentators disagree that this type of faith is not in man and therefore is a gift of God.

Also there is much misinterpretation in any concept that attributes salvation to man in any form(not suspecting any individual). It would leave souls to concluding they can, in one way, save themselves; and I think this may be the root of the confusion related to many attempting to equate works with receiving or even retaining salvation. Works cannot effect nor retain salvation, but only manifest it.

I think where you've used the word "cooperate" I would use the word sought and received, because all things that pertains to life and godliness" are given at the point of "faith." It's all a matter of learning to walk in them, which I believe all reborn eventuate to as they grow, per Phl 2:13.

 

Hi and appreciate your comments! It's my understanding that all who are recent converts in Christ are immature and still have the carnal-natural thoughts, which will inevitably be replaced with the new thoughts of the new mind in Christ, as the Spirit teaches us (1Co 2:13). I also think believers will always have carnal thoughts to some degree, which would require eradication and not just crucifixion of "the old man (Ro 6:6) to be carnal-free in thought and deed.

The differentiation between "carnal minded" and "spiritually minded" (Rom 8:6) is the difference between being unregenerate and regenerate (saved and unsaved); and the difference between being carnal minded and just being carnal is that the prior has desire and intention in following carnality, but the latter is mere temporary ignorance sue to immaturity in the Word.[/QUOTE]

It's a matter of how one interprets the word "natural," which in this passage (only passage using phrase "natural man") is the Greek 'psychikos,' meaning "the sensuous nature with its subjection to appetite and passion." This answers to the next verse concerning "he that is spiritual," which is the opposite of natural and is descriptive of course of being regenerate or reborn.

I understand you here, but it's my opinion that all in Christ (which all are in the outset of Christianity) are in the Father's "works" (Phl 2:13).

 

Interesting point, but I see it that the natural man in 1Co 2:14 is collated with "the spirit after the world" in v 12, which is shown in contrast between the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world.

Gill - v 12 - Now we have received not the spirit of the world,.... "Meaning either Satan, the god of the world, the spirit that is in it, and rules over it; or the sinful carnal disposition of the men of the world, which is a spirit of covetousness, uncleanness, pride, malice, and error; or rather the carnal wisdom of the world, which is common to worldly men, lies in the knowledge of worldly things, and is pursued and exercised for worldly advantages"
1 Corinthians 2 Bible Commentary - John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

I see Gill about 75% Calvinistic, but I wouldn't consider myself all Calvin nor Arminian, as I see a few disagreements with both, esp. the latter, that a true believer could apostatize; though, "on whether a believer could commit apostasy (i.e., desert Christ by cleaving again to this evil world, losing a good conscience, or by failing to hold on to sound doctrine), Arminius declared that this matter required further study in the Scriptures (under heading "Eternal Security:" Arminianism - Wikipedia).

I think the babes-in-Christ are marked by the showing of not understanding enough of some of the spiritual things, which I'm certain they changed their understanding in time, as all in Christ eventually grow (per Phl2:13).