If then you have died with Christ to material ways of looking at things and have escaped from the world’s crude and elemental notions and teachings of externalism, why do you live as if you still belong to the world? [Why do you submit to rules and regulations?–such as]
21 Do not handle [this], Do not taste [that], Do not even touch [them],
22 Referring to things all of which perish with being used. To do this is to follow human precepts and doctrines.
23 Such [practices] have indeed the outward appearance [that popularly passes] for wisdom, in promoting self-imposed rigor of devotion and delight in self-humiliation and severity of discipline of the body, but they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh (the lower nature). [Instead, they do not honor God but serve only to indulge the flesh.] Colossians 2:20-23 AMP
When we were living in the flesh (mere physical lives), the sinful passions that were awakened and aroused up by [what] the Law [makes sin] were constantly operating in our natural powers (in our bodily organs, in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh), so that we bore fruit for death.
6 But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life]. Romans 7:5-6 AMP
You can be saved and still be a carnal Christian rather than a spiritual Christian. There is a difference between a carnal Christian and a spiritual Christian:
-Carnal Christians have not renewed their mind with the Word of God, or allowed the Holy Spirit to change them.
-They think, talk, and act, like the rest of the world and follow the world’s way of doing things.
-They allow their flesh and fleshly impulses to control them.
-They only function in the sense realm – what they can see, hear, touch, smell and taste.
-They only trust what they can see; they judge things by outward appearance.
-They try to keep God’s Law in their own ability.
-They try to control behavior without changing the heart.
-They try to serve God their way.
-They are afraid of God’s wrath.
-They do not have a revelation of God’s love for them, or His grace and mercy extended toward them, or the freedom that is available to them.
By mercy and love, truth and fidelity [to God and man–not by sacrificial offerings], iniquity is purged out of the heart, and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord men depart from and avoid evil. Proverbs 16:6 AMP
In contrast, the spiritual Christian has submitted themselves to the Word of God and the Spirit of God, to be taught and to be changed into His image:
-They have died to material ways of looking at things.
-They function not just in the earthly realm, but also in the Spirit realm.
-They trust the unseen – the Holy Spirit.
-They trust the Word of God.
-They know God loves them and they love Him.
-They joyfully submit themselves to God’s Word, obey God’s commands, and serve Him.
-They act on the Word, doing what it commands.
-They practice the love walk.
-They enjoy the liberty of the Spirit.
-They are not afraid of God or His wrath, because they believe His Word.
-They have a revelation of His grace and mercy extended to all who believe. -They think, talk, and act like Jesus.
-They have a revelation of their place in God’s family.
-They see themselves as God sees them.
-They humbly acknowledge that they are nothing without Him and that
He is always to be glorified and lifted up in their lives.
-At the same time, they are bold to stand up and declare and decree a thing, knowing that Heaven stands behind them to carry it out.
-They serve – not under obedience to the old code of written regulations – but under obedience to the promptings of the Spirit in newness of life.
