1 Corinthians 3 (NIV)
1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldlymere infants in Christ.
2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.
3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
Paul states that he could not address the people as spiritual, that he had to address them as worldly, or carnal, whom he described as infants in Christ
He goes on to say that he could not give them solid food, but had to give them milk as babies. The fact that he could not give them solid food is an indicator of their infancy in Christ. Only MATURE believers could handle solid food.
So what is the indicator of their lack of growth and maturity? It is in the next verse: He states that they are STILL worldly, and the evidence of that is that there is jealousy, and quarreling among them. In the KJ version he says there is envying, and strife, and divisions.
I want to ask you a question: Look around in the church today Is there not still jealousy, quarreling, strife and division? Not only is it there, but it is epidemic.
So, Paul is telling them that they are not acting like Christ, but instead, like mere men.
Paul understood that men who are worldly may not understand or even accept issues of a spiritual nature. In 1 Corinthians 2 he states: (NIV)
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.[c]
14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."
He is saying that the man without the Spirit does NOT accept things that come from the spirit. By without the spirit he doesnt mean that the Holy Spirit is not present. He means that those particular people can not hear the Holy Spirit because they are listening to their flesh. They have not opened up their spiritual ears. He goes on to say that issues of a spiritual nature (that go beyond their realm of knowledge) are foolishness to those people.
The reason for that is in the previous verse: This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. People who are spiritual receive revelation that goes beyond human knowledge and teaching. That even includes the written word. Natural or carnal believers will not accept anything that goes beyond the written word. They are in a theological bubble, with God on the outside.
The next verse describes an advantage that comes from the Holy Spirit, to those who are spiritual. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: This is because of two factors. Man receives great wisdom from the Holy Spirit. And a spiritually mature believer will share the nature of God
He is saying that the wisdom that man receives from the Holy Spirit allows him to judge all things, and because of his closeness to God, he will not be subject to any mans judgment.
Then he goes on, in the next verse to say why: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
This is incredible! He is saying that no man can instruct the spiritual believer, because the spiritual believer has the MIND OF CHRIST.
How many believers have to ACT like Christ when they go out, but are different at home? Spiritual believers do not have to act like Christ, because they ARE like Christ, even possessing his mind (wisdom and nature)
Based on these scriptures, I believe that the Christian church is a body of carnal believers, that MOST of them are still carnal. Paul said: You are still worldly. He didnt have a problem that they were carnal. His problem was that all that time passed and they were STILL carnal.
So, why is the church STILL carnal? Here is the problem. Paul stopped short of explaining to them (at least in what is written) how to become spiritual. That is why the church has not heeded this scripture and is still carnal. Oh, how to become spiritual is in the Bible. It is all over the Bible. But no where in the Bible is there a scripture that states: This is how you become spiritual ..
People, there is jealousy, envy, strife and separation all around in the church. That means that you are still carnal. It is not your fault. Most preachers dont know how to teach spiritual growth. It is time to grow beyond your carnality, and get where God wants you to be. Spiritual growth does not come from studying scripture. It comes from a spiritual one on one relationship with God where he is able to speak new revelation into your spiritual ears. It comes from giving Him every hour of every day and spending every day with God in your heart and on your mind. It comes from putting him first above everything else and allowing him to really take over your life. That means total self-giving surrender. It comes from totally trusting Him with your very lives. It comes from loving all you come in contact with, not just in word, but in deed a life of kindness with a loving heart.
It means that you have to open your heart and mind.. God is going to reveal things to you, about himself, that are not written. You must not be bound by the boundaries of scripture.
Its time to wake up and grow, church. A mature church would be united with one purpose loving God. A mature church would not have denominations and multiple doctrines. A mature church would be one united Body of Believers.
1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldlymere infants in Christ.
2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.
3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
Paul states that he could not address the people as spiritual, that he had to address them as worldly, or carnal, whom he described as infants in Christ
He goes on to say that he could not give them solid food, but had to give them milk as babies. The fact that he could not give them solid food is an indicator of their infancy in Christ. Only MATURE believers could handle solid food.
So what is the indicator of their lack of growth and maturity? It is in the next verse: He states that they are STILL worldly, and the evidence of that is that there is jealousy, and quarreling among them. In the KJ version he says there is envying, and strife, and divisions.
I want to ask you a question: Look around in the church today Is there not still jealousy, quarreling, strife and division? Not only is it there, but it is epidemic.
So, Paul is telling them that they are not acting like Christ, but instead, like mere men.
Paul understood that men who are worldly may not understand or even accept issues of a spiritual nature. In 1 Corinthians 2 he states: (NIV)
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.[c]
14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."
He is saying that the man without the Spirit does NOT accept things that come from the spirit. By without the spirit he doesnt mean that the Holy Spirit is not present. He means that those particular people can not hear the Holy Spirit because they are listening to their flesh. They have not opened up their spiritual ears. He goes on to say that issues of a spiritual nature (that go beyond their realm of knowledge) are foolishness to those people.
The reason for that is in the previous verse: This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. People who are spiritual receive revelation that goes beyond human knowledge and teaching. That even includes the written word. Natural or carnal believers will not accept anything that goes beyond the written word. They are in a theological bubble, with God on the outside.
The next verse describes an advantage that comes from the Holy Spirit, to those who are spiritual. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: This is because of two factors. Man receives great wisdom from the Holy Spirit. And a spiritually mature believer will share the nature of God
He is saying that the wisdom that man receives from the Holy Spirit allows him to judge all things, and because of his closeness to God, he will not be subject to any mans judgment.
Then he goes on, in the next verse to say why: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
This is incredible! He is saying that no man can instruct the spiritual believer, because the spiritual believer has the MIND OF CHRIST.
How many believers have to ACT like Christ when they go out, but are different at home? Spiritual believers do not have to act like Christ, because they ARE like Christ, even possessing his mind (wisdom and nature)
Based on these scriptures, I believe that the Christian church is a body of carnal believers, that MOST of them are still carnal. Paul said: You are still worldly. He didnt have a problem that they were carnal. His problem was that all that time passed and they were STILL carnal.
So, why is the church STILL carnal? Here is the problem. Paul stopped short of explaining to them (at least in what is written) how to become spiritual. That is why the church has not heeded this scripture and is still carnal. Oh, how to become spiritual is in the Bible. It is all over the Bible. But no where in the Bible is there a scripture that states: This is how you become spiritual ..
People, there is jealousy, envy, strife and separation all around in the church. That means that you are still carnal. It is not your fault. Most preachers dont know how to teach spiritual growth. It is time to grow beyond your carnality, and get where God wants you to be. Spiritual growth does not come from studying scripture. It comes from a spiritual one on one relationship with God where he is able to speak new revelation into your spiritual ears. It comes from giving Him every hour of every day and spending every day with God in your heart and on your mind. It comes from putting him first above everything else and allowing him to really take over your life. That means total self-giving surrender. It comes from totally trusting Him with your very lives. It comes from loving all you come in contact with, not just in word, but in deed a life of kindness with a loving heart.
It means that you have to open your heart and mind.. God is going to reveal things to you, about himself, that are not written. You must not be bound by the boundaries of scripture.
Its time to wake up and grow, church. A mature church would be united with one purpose loving God. A mature church would not have denominations and multiple doctrines. A mature church would be one united Body of Believers.
Last edited:
