A carnal Christian must not be confused with the lukewarm person described in Revelation 3:14. The lukewarm person is ambivalent about Christ. They may occupy a church pew every Sunday but the Jesus they follow is a murky myth and legend they do not know personally. They are neither hot nor cold. They are lukewarm. They have claimed the label of Christian but it is just a label. There is no life in it. Their Bible is dead. Their hearts are dead. Their spirit is dead. They cling to lies and demand to be in control of their lives. They believe their life is their business. They believe they can define the truth, God, and what is right and wrong for themselves. They foul the mouth of Christ and will be spewed from his lips. I believe these lukewarm souls are what we might identify as Notional Christians. They have a notion they are Christians but they have not given up their rebellion against God.
With respect to what can be observed by behavior, there is a fine line between the lukewarm and those who Paul described as carnal Christians. The lukewarm of Revelation 3:14 are Christian philosophers who pick and choose what they want to believe about Jesus, the Bible and the Church. They have swallowed an apostate form of Christianity. They have never repented of their rebellion against God and they most certainly have not allowed the living Christ to become the Lord of their life.
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