By "church", I mean the entire Christian church - every denomonation, catholic, protestant, LDS - ALL of them
Every congregation does not have mature members. Most don't.
Carnal believers can not even hear the Holy Spirit. Maturity in Christ is a personal walk that a person must do for themselves. Nobody else can do it for them and God certainly will not.
Well since your post here directly contradicts scripture, I think you've proven that your point here is not a biblical one.
We'll start with the easiest... "Carnal believers can not even hear the Holy Spirit". Scripture specifically says:
John 10 said:
25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."
It does NOT say "the mature sheep know my voice, but the carnal one's can't even hear me". Rather, Jesus made it clear that ALL His sheep know His voice... and no one can take them from Him. To state that someone who is a Christian has to reach a certain level of spirituality to be able to hear the Holy Spirit is simply elitism and born out of religious pride-- and actually is an indication that one fits Paul's definition of "carnality" in 1 Corinthians 3.
In the church in Corinth, the problem they were having was that they Christians were arguing over who was the "most spiritual". They were constantly trying to out-do each other with their "maturity", their spiritual gifts, etc. In the verses you quoted, Paul is actually criticizing them for this very thing. One was saying he was "more spiritual" (and the others were carnal) because they were "of Paul". Others were saying the same because they were "of Apollos". And yet others were being really "spiritual" and saying they didn't follow any man... they just "follow Christ". And each group was certain that all the other groups were "carnal".
And it was to the people accusing each other of "being carnal" that Paul wrote that the very fact that they were making such accusations was the proof that they, themselves, were in fact the carnal ones.
The verse you quote to further support your pov, 1 Corinthians 2:14... stating that the "the man without the Spirit does not accept the things of God" does not in any way imply what you are saying. Rather, it is speaking specifically of non-Christians and comtrasting the difference between non-Christians and Christians. In fact, while you started at verse 13 of that chapter, verse 12 actually clarifies:
12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
Paul makes it clear that those to whom he is writing (the "we") have received the Spirit of God and therefore "may understand what God has freely given".
In your OP, you make that statement:
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.
Why, indeed did Paul NOT explain to the Christians in Corinth how to "become spiritual"? Simple-- because they already were. Paul had just made it clear that they were spiritual because they had received the Spirit of God. And to make a statement such as yours here implying that one has to somehow go beyond "what is written" (that is the scripture) in order to become "spiritual"-- well, that in itself show huge problems with your pov.
But what of Paul's statement at the start of chapter 3 that Paul wants to speak to them as spiritual, but must speak to them as carnal/worldly instead? I challenge you to go back and read the passage again-- see if there is any point in it where Paul says that they are not spiritual. No... rather he is saying that even though they are spiritual (as he has just stated) he can't deal with them on that level but must deal with them on a carnal level instead. They are BOTH spiritual and carnal at the same time.
Now... let's deal with
Maturity in Christ is a personal walk that a person must do for themselves. Nobody else can do it for them and God certainly will not
Now.. it is true that each of us is responsible to God individually. BUT... we are NOT the ones who hold final responsibility of our growth in God-- rather it is He who draws us to Himself. It is the Holy Spirit who "leads us into all truth", not our own ability. Yes, we can resist Him... but we cannot drive Him. We can only grow/develop in our walk with God as He leads us. And it is not only His guidance, but His empowering. He does not save us then leave us on our own to grow and mature-- but He is the one actively working in our lives.
Philippians 1:3-6 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Note... it does NOT say--"he began a good work in you... now noone else can do it for you, certainly not God". Rather, it is clear-- He who began the good work will be the one to "carry it on to completion".
From the very beginning, your premise here actually contradicts these principles taught throughout scripture. He is the one who draws us. He is the one who saves us. And He is the one who completes the work in us....
And to say that such isn't happening is, in fact, saying that the Holy Spirit is incapable of of "doing His job"... and actually elevating us and our abilities (or lack there of) above Him and His ability to work in us.
AMEN!
