“Ye Are Yet Carnal”

A good measure of your spiritual state is the way you treat other people. The apostle Paul pointed out to church members in Corinth that they could use some improvement:

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 Corinthians 3:3

In contrast, Mormon saw indications of spiritual strength among his people:

I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.

And now my brethren, I judge these things of you because of your peaceable walk with the children of men.

Moroni 7:3-4

I think the practical implication of these passages is clear: If you want to take your own spiritual temperature, look at how you’re treating the people around you. If you’re experiencing “envying, strife, and divisions,” you may need to make some changes. But if you are walking peaceably with the people around you, that is a good sign.

President Russell M. Nelson has given us the following invitation and blessing:

I invite you to examine your discipleship within the context of the way you treat others. I bless you to make any adjustments that may be needed so that your behavior is ennobling, respectful, and representative of a true follower of Jesus Christ.

“Peacemakers Needed,” General Conference, April 2023

Today I will evaluate my discipleship in terms of my interactions with others. I will adjust my behavior as needed to be a “peaceable follower of Christ.”