Are You Putting New Wine Into Old Bottles?
The Differences Between Carnal and Spiritual Discernment
'Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.' Mt 9:17
Have you ever wondered why you might hear any number of different interpretations for the same verse of scripture? Is there a difference between interpreting the Bible carnally vs spiritually? Can a person ever know what the Spirit is saying apart from the Spirit revealing it? Are we seeing natural carnal minds more at work today in the church than ever before?
Welcome to Eyes of Vision!
Now before we get into answering our newsletter cover page verse found in Mt 9:17, we must first understand that no one, not even those who are born again, can ever know what the Word of God is saying apart from revelation from the Spirit of God. Many have become shipwrecked, and their minds corrupted, as a result of interpreting what is spiritual, and instead use their natural / fleshly / carnal minds to interpret the scriptures (1Cor 2:9-14). Sadly, that's the case today for probably 95% or more of those who profess to be believers in Jesus Christ.
The Lord said in Hos 4:6 that HIS people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Can a person 'appear' to have knowledge of His word, and yet have no knowledge whatsoever? If you were to understand everything that the Lord taught in His word by using your natural minds to interpret it, then you'll have fulfilled what was written in 1Tim 6:5, that is, you're destitute of the truth. Many have been taught in error that all we need to do is to memorize the scriptures. But this is not what it means to study and shew ourselves approved unto God (2Tim 2:15).
The Lord wants us not only to hide His word in our hearts (Ps 119:11; Jer 20:9; Rom 10:9) but that we also understand it. Otherwise, the devil will come and take the word out of our heart (Lk 8:12). And those who wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead (Pro 21:16). To understand therefore is not about memorization. We know that the Devil also knows His word, but he certainly hasn't put His word in his heart. And there are many today who speak His word, even quite eloquently, and yet may not be the Lord's ministers at all, but in actuality we might discover they're the Devil's ministers (Rom 16:18; 2Cor 11:14-15; Phil 3:17-19). They, like the devil, only find place for His word in their carnal minds, and do not hide His word in their heart, neither do they understand the things the Spirit is teaching (Isa 56:11) as it is meant to be understood spiritually (not carnally) and thereby they corrupt themselves along with those who are hearing their messages (1Tim 6:5; 2Tim 3:8). Once again, the message here is that you'll never understand what is written in His word if you're relying on your carnal mind to do so. This is why we need to be renewed by the transforming of our minds (Rom 12:2). And that's only possible by studying and rightly dividing His word, as the Holy Spirit guides you into all truth (Jn 16:13). You might think to yourself that you have the mind of Christ (1Cor 2:16), but what is that to you if you don't use what you've been given? Understanding therefore, not memorization of His word and doctrines, are a key foundation if you're to be walking in the faith.
I'll be teaching further on this subject in upcoming teachings, topics that will include God's righteousness, the law of Moses vs. the law of faith, the two covenants, the fruit of the Spirit vs. the works of the flesh, the lies we've been told, covetousness, idolatry, and much more. Many of these critical topics are not so much even whispered about from the pulpit today due to covetousness. And as a result, many have replaced the truth with fables to tickle our ears (2Tim 4:3-4), prophesying lies, and speaking falsehoods (Jer 14:14; Jer 23:25-26; Eze 13:22).
Another topic that we must address is that of keeping things in their proper context. Now we've all been told that we need to see what's before and after a certain verse, as well as knowing who the verse is being addressed to, among other things. And those things are true. But what's not mentioned is that if you're discerning those verses using your carnal mind, it won't matter how many verses you decide to use, you'll never understand the spiritual meaning of the verses, and thus you'll interpret them incorrectly. We need to make sure that we get counsel of the Holy Spirit, and in doing so we'll keep those verses in their proper 'spiritual' context.
A few verses which have been interpreted incorrectly because of carnal minds being at work are as follows:
'If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.' 1Co 3:17
The carnal mind will often interpret this verse as saying that if you smoke, drink excessively, do drugs, or don't take care of your body in some way or another, that this is what it means to defile the temple of God. And yet the Lord tells us in Mt 15:14-20 what defiles the man, and it is not those things which entereth into the body, but which proceedeth from one's heart. These are the things which defile a man. And did you happen to notice in Mt 15:16 what Jesus said to Peter? 'Are you also yet without understanding?' Here again we see that what was spoken by Jesus was not discerned spiritually, but instead naturally, and as a result Peter didn't understand what the Lord was telling Him, even though to the natural mind it would make perfect sense. Many have ended up in bondage and fear simply as a result of an incorrect understanding of this verse of scripture. Today, many scriptures have been mistranslated because they've not been spiritually discerned. As a result, many are deceived and being led into perdition.
In God's word there are many times where someone didn't correctly understand the spiritual meaning of things that were being spoken. Nicodemus was an example of what it means to use the carnal mind. He was blind spiritually to what the Lord was saying to him, in regard to what Jesus meant by that of being 'born again' (Jn 3:1-10). Another place we see this happening is when Jesus said, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' (Jn 2:19; Mt 26:61; Mk 14:58). They thought he was referring to a temple building, however they did not know He was speaking of the temple of His body. There are quite a few instances where we read scriptures whereby we can see that they'd only been interpreted using their natural carnal minds. Unless Jesus had revealed it to them, many could not understand the things He was saying until after the Holy Spirit had been given to them, which wasn't until after the Lord had been crucified.
I'll give a few more examples whereby scriptures have been misinterpreted because carnal minds have been at work. However, I won't give you the interpretation of these verses. It's important that you learn to seek counsel of the Holy Ghost (not bible commentaries) and that He reveals the interpretation to you through His word. Rest assured, it IS in His word!
'The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.' Ps 14:1
The interpretation which most of us have heard is that the 'fool' is an atheist. This is the kind of answer you'll hear from a person using their carnal mind. It is not the correct meaning of this verse. Take time and study, and get counsel of the Holy Spirit, and learn who the 'fool' really is.
'For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.' Heb 10:26-27
The carnal mind often interprets this verse by saying that this is a certain sin that we do wilfully. The interesting thing here is they cannot fully explain what they mean by that. Moreover, they cannot explain what's meant when it says that 'there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins' when you sin wilfully, especially since knowing that Jesus had already told us that EVERY sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, except for one (Mt 12:31). I'm actually giving you a clue to the correct interpretation of what it means to 'sin wilfully'.
'And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.' Re 11:3
Carnal minds are also so often in disagreement with each other because they're forever leaning on their own understanding, which then causes strifes, contentions, divisions, and heresies (1Cor 3:3; 1Tim 6:3-5; 1Cor 11:18; Tit 3:9). Many carnal minds are in disagreement with the verse above as to who these two witnesses are. Some say Moses and Elijah, others say Moses and Enoch. But just as Paul had said in 1Cor 11:18-19, where there are divisions among you, there must also be heresies among you as well. Here's just another example of not being of one mind, because carnal minds will never be, nor can they ever be, of one mind when it comes to the Spirit. We need only to look to the world as an example. The carnal mind is thinking 'two' witnesses, as in two people. Makes sense, right? Yes, it absolutely will to your carnal mind. And yet this is not the correct interpretation of this verse. This verse is not speaking about two individual people. We need to take time to study these and all relevant verses, asking the Lord to reveal through His Spirit the correct meaning of this verse.
Carnal minds can only produce works of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21), fruit which brings forth death (Rom 7:5). This is why we're called to walk in the newness of the Spirit (Rom 7:6) and not in the oldness of the letter, so that we might bring forth fruit unto holiness, and in the end everlasting life (Rom 6:22). For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace' (Rom 8:6). Our mind is still carnal even after we're born again (1Cor 3:1-3) which is why we must renew our minds (Rom 12:2) which is only possible by the working of the Holy Ghost (Tit 3:5). Anything done in the flesh (the works of the flesh) will cause us to glory in our flesh (Gal 6:13; 1Pet 1:24) and thus we glory in our shame (Phil 3:19). The carnal mind is our fleshly/fallen/natural mind which the Lord said profiteth us nothing (Jn 6:63). In times past, our nature was to follow our flesh and its desires and lusts (Eph 2:2-3) but now we're called to follow and walk after the Spirit and to mind those things of the Spirit (Rom 8:5). And believe me, this is no easy transition! It's a fight, a fight that's called the 'good fight of faith'. This transition doesn't occur automatically the day you were saved. It might take years, and in many cases it'll never happen, if we forever go about refusing to submit to and obey the Holy Ghost.
One word of caution about spiritual discernment. If you receive anything which opposes or contradicts anything in His word, know that what you've received is not of the Lord. Do not be deceived!!! (Isa 30:10; Eze 13:7; Jer 23:25; 1Jn 4:1; Mt 24:24; Mk 13:22; Lk 6:26; 1Tim 6:3).
I pray that the Lord has blessed you with this study of His word.
Copyright / Disclaimer: The reader of this article is granted permission to reproduce and/or distribute this article in its entirety (unaltered and unchanged) with the following guidelines: Articles may never be distributed for profit or 'so-called' non-profit purposes. In other words, it's not to be sold. Any reproduction and/or distribution is to be made at NO COST. The Lord commanded His people in Mt 10:8, 'freely ye have received, freely give' (also referenced in Rom 8:32; 1Cor 2:12; and 2Cor 11:7). However as a result of epidemic covetousness in His church today, many have fallen and now serve mammon, and their own belly, and do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 16:18). Please address any questions, concerns, and/or comments to the author: Mike@eyesofvision.com.
