What is the ‘steering wheel’ that pilots the human will?

A spiritual person surrenders his will to the Spirit of God to guide it, whereas a carnal person employs it to fulfill his desires and bodily lusts. And a natural person ignores the grace of God and thinks he is able to govern all his inner energies and external actions as he wills. The spiritual person is he who is fervent in his worship and aflame with God’s love. The carnal person is he who has obvious weaknesses in his life from which he is unable to escape. The natural person is he who is lukewarm and who considers himself as not needing the grace of God and His support. He is a person who is beguiled by cultivating certain personas, such as appearing to know the Holy Bible inside out, or being an influential preacher who is capable of moving the hearts of many, or smugly being a monk — or he has a certain perceptions about worship or service, but he does not live a repentant life with a contrite heart

1064 St. Augustine of Hippo, Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 53.8 (NPNF I/7:293– 294) amended.

1065 St. Cyril of Alexandria, A Commentary upon the Gospel According to St. Luke: Part II , trans. R. Payne Smith (Oxford University Press, 1859) 117: p. 542–543 amended.

1066 St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew 1.7.18 (FOTC 117:95).

or experience a relationship with the Lord. This type is dangerous because his outside appearance deceives others as well as himself.

Abba Daniel says, “There are, according to the statements of Scripture, three kinds of souls; the first is the carnal, the second the natural, and the third the spiritual: which we find are thus described by the Apostle. For of the carnal he says: I gave you milk to drink, not meat: for you were not able as yet. But neither indeed are you now able; for you are yet carnal. And again: For whereas there is among you envying and contention, are you not carnal? (1 Cor. 3:2–3). Concerning the natural he also speaks as follows: But the natural man perceives not the things that are of the spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him. But concerning the spiritual: But the spiritual man judges all things: and he himself is judged by no man (1 Cor. 2:14–15). And again You who are spiritual instruct such ones in the spirit of meekness (Gal. 6:1).”¹⁰⁶⁷

St. Anthony says, “Regard as free not those whose status makes them outwardly free, but those who are free in their character and conduct. … Freedom and happiness of soul consist in genuine purity and detachment from transitory things.”¹⁰⁶⁸ And also, “A man is free if he is not a slave to sensual pleasures, but through good judgment and self-restraint masters the body and with true gratitude is satisfied with what God gives him, even though it is quite scanty.”¹⁰⁶⁹