Beware the Carnal Cliff
Monday, July 7, 2025
“If we are going to really follow the Lord, we must be prepared to walk the narrow path and join Moses who refused to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. We must leave behind the world’s maxims—its pleasure, and its religion too—and go far away to the place where the Lord calls His sanctified ones.” – C.H. Spurgeon
The logo we have used for Risk Takers for Christ since its inception in 2011 pictures a man walking along a tightrope or balancing himself on a ledge. The idea we are trying to convey to people is that life can be lived one of two ways: playing it safe and shying away from challenges OR embracing those challenges and taking calculated risks for the glory of God.
People that follow the “safe strategy” in life rarely if ever accomplish anything notable. Conversely, “risk takers” are the ones responsible for most of today’s inventions and innovations… and in the spiritual realm, for proclaiming the gospel and seeing souls saved.
However, you can look at the RTC logo and picture something else entirely: Christians tippy-toeing as close to what the world offers without going over the edge. The problem with adopting that lifestyle is that the edge of the “carnal cliff” is very slippery and the valley below is deep and filled with rocks designed to crush your soul.
Here is how Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers”, described living on the edge of carnality and compromise…
“Worldly wisdom recommends the path of compromise and talks of “moderation.” According to this carnal policy, purity is admitted to be very desirable, but we are warned against being too precise; truth is of course to be followed, but error is not to be severely denounced. “Yes,” says the world, “be spiritually minded by all means, but do not deny yourself a little friendship with the world, the odd journey to Vanity Fair. What’s the good of denouncing this empty lifestyle when it is so fashionable and everybody does it?” Multitudes of professors succumb to this cunning advice, to their own eternal ruin.”
My friend, the Christian life is – or at least should be – all or nothing, so stay away from the edge of the carnal cliff lest you fall.
“And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5 (BSB)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
