Dr. Anthony T. Evans and The Carnal Christian

by: DanielLaLondJr.
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Bad doctrine has always crept into the Christian church. Among the believers of Paul's day men such as Hymenaeus and Philetus postulated ideas that Paul said "will eat as doth a canker" (2 Tim 2:17). In the modern Christian church one prevalent false teaching takes the form of a doctrinal half-breed known as the "carnal Christian."

Trumpeting this "carnal Christian" theme around the globe is Dr. Tony Evans. All of the quotations from Dr. Evans' contained in this article are excerpted from his pamphlet The Carnal Christian. In opposition to historic Christianity Dr. Evans gathers his carnal Christian theory from three solitary verses in first Corinthians chapter three:

"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" 1 Cor 3:1-3

"It is possible," insists Tony Evans, "to be on your way to heaven but be of no earthly good because you compromise your faith...notice that Paul calls them brethren." At the time of this rebuke Paul did include these Corinthians in the family of believers. From this passage, however, Dr. Evans continues his slide down a slippery slope of unsupported claims. Consider Dr. Tony Evans' carnal Christian:

- "Simply defined, carnality is a spiritual state in which a born-again Christian knowingly, willingly, intentionally and persistently lives to please and serve self rather than Jesus Christ."

- [The carnal Christian] "is a sick Christian, attempting to keep one foot planted in two mutually-exclusive worlds."

Does Paul's reference to the Christians at Corinth as "brethren" and "carnal" (or worldly) automatically mean that they might remain carnal and unrepentant and yet be welcomed into paradise as Dr. Evans imagines? The answer: not a chance. Remaining in an unrepentant, carnal state wasn't an alternative for the Corinthians. Paul's reproof of the "carnal" in 1 Corinthians 3 is spelled out in greater detail soon after in the same book (note that Tony Evans ignores this passage):

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor 6:9-10

Paul isn't the only one to disavow the "carnal Christian." Not even a hint of this dogma can be found in any teacher, confession or catechism that I have researched from Christian history. From the Ante-Nicene Fathers to the Westminster Confession and the Baptist Confession of 1689 no carnal Christian dogma may be found. From Martin Luther to James Arminius or John Calvin no carnal Christian dogma may be found. From Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield to John Wesley or Charles Finney no carnal Christian dogma may be found. Tony Evans' "carnal Christian" is not true.

About the Author

Daniel LaLond Jr. is a writer and a minister. His book, The Lying Promise, tests the gospel teaching of Tony Evans. The Lying Promise also analyzes teachings like the carnal Christian, eternal security and free grace.  

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