Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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Whenever a child of God is born of the Spirit, he is born having much of the old, carnal mind. The mind of Christ is not obtained merely by being born again. Attaining to the mind of Christ requires patience, effort, and perseverance in the things of God. Paul called those among the saints who were carnally minded "babes in Christ" (1Cor. 3:1), and he was sad that he could not teach them as he wanted to teach them because they were unable to comprehend what he wanted to say. There is such a thing as failing to grow up in the Lord when the time for it has come (Heb 5:12), but even then, God loves His children and still gives us time to repent and seek His face. At the same time, as I have often said, God is merciful and patient, but He is nobody's fool. There is an end to His patience with any one of us, and only the foolish push Him beyond that dreaded line.
Paul encouraged the saints to pursue holiness in the fear of God and walk in the Spirit until "we grow up [in Christ] in all things" (Eph. 4:15). Those who make that effort and pay the price to obtain the mind of Christ find themselves able to recognize and understand the voice of the Spirit. Dear brother, if you are not growing up in Christ, please listen to me. Seek the things of the Spirit, and let Jesus help you get rid of your old way of thinking!
Your greatest adversary, my dear brother is not the devil; rather, your greatest enemy is what remains in you of the carnal mind. God is very patient (otherwise, we would all be cut off!), and He will work with us for years to help us overcome spiritual weaknesses and faults. He will tenderly (or if we need it, harshly) deal with us to give us our best opportunity to stand before Him as "a perfect man" and to attain to "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). If any of us fail in our walk of faith, it will not be God's fault.
The heart of man is the most deceitful thing in this creation (Jer. 17:9). That is why some of you cannot believe what I am telling you right now. The carnal mind denies that it is even there, much less that it is a danger to your soul. It refuses to go away willingly; it sees no need to leave at all. But the carnal mind of man poses a greater threat to man's soul than does the devil himself. Until the holy Ghost completely purges your deceitful heart from your old thoughts and ways, your own heart will deceive you more quickly than the devil can. And the children of God who "harden their neck" against the gentle reproofs of God "shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy" (Prov. 29:1).
Peter's fervent hope for God's people was that "the God of all grace, who has called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." All of us have been and will be corrected by God. Some receive His correction, while others refuse it. But He offers it to us all. Be wise. Humble yourself to God; in due time, He will lift you up from the abyss of the carnal mind, and you will be happy that you were willing to be molded by His power.