“Carnal State”
Though in the ultimate sense every act of virtue and nobility will be rewarded, if we have not placed the God of heaven and obedience to his commandments first it does not matter what we have chosen as a substitute. The remission of sins, the power to sanctify, is found only in Christ. Thus a good people like those to whom Benjamin spoke remain in a carnal state until they recognize Christ as their King, repent of their sins, and place their allegiance to his kingdom above all else.
“Viewed Themselves in Their Own Carnal State”
A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation (Lectures on Faith 6:7). Religious systems that require no more than the profession of belief can never deliver men from the bondage of sin. By denying their followers the privilege of sacrifice -of their worldliness and of their will -they thereby prevent those same adherents from developing that saving faith in Christ which leads unto life eternal.