The "carnal Christian" doctrine or category (taught by some Dispensationalists) which claims that Christians can live in a permanent condition without Christ on the throne of their life (viz. the Holy Spirit booklet) is a false doctrine. The Apostle John, inspired by the Holy Spirit declares: "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God." (1 John 3:9.) In 1 Corinthians 3 where Paul actually speaks of Christians being carnal he was speaking of the fact that they were acting carnally ... not promoting a permanent condition that Christians can choose to live in. We sin every day but those who sin have God's seed in them and the Spirit will therefore always convict Christians so that they mourn over their sin. Those who remain INDIFFERENT to their sin and have no care to change are simply not born again. God not only imputes Christ's righteousness to us but imparts his Holy Spirit to us that his commands would no longer be burdensome (1 John 5:1-4). In another place the Spirit says "when we judge ourselves we will not be judged by God but when we don't judge ourselves we are disciplined by God so that we may NOT BE condemned along with the world." (1 Corinthians 11:31-32).
Self on the throne, Christ at the feet. :(
Notes:
In light of 1 John 3:9 the carnal Christian doctrine is a denial of the new birth.
Please be mindful that I said, "some dispensationalists" and I especially those who came out of old Dallas Seminary... Obviously people like John MacArthur (a Dispensationalist) was tried by the IFCA and almost thrown out for his opposite view.... It does not appear to be based on their eschatology ... but somehow appears to simply be a byproduct of their other beliefs. Dispensationalism is not merely an eschatological position, but more importantly, it is a way to read the whole Bible, the time of the Jews and the time of the gentiles... the law and the gospel etc... I point to this group because they promoted it the loudest. I do not know of any other groups which believe this ... there may be, but I do not recall running across them.