"I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?"
1 Corinthians 3:2, 3 (NKJV)
The church in Corinth had some real problems. In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians he addressed several issues that the people in Corinth were dealing with. This is a good letter for us to read because some of the problems they had are the same problems that we have today. What is interesting to take note of is what Paul pointed out in 1 Corinthians 3 as being their main problem. This was really the root of all of the things they were dealing with; the Corinthians were carnal, they were ruled by natural things and not spiritual things. Paul said that the people in Corinth were behaving like mere men.
When Paul told the people at Corinth that they were carnal people he meant that they were more focused on natural things than they were on spiritual things. Jesus said in John 17:14 that He and His disciples were not of this world and in John 18:36 that His Kingdom was not of this world. This same thing is true for us today as Christians, we may live in this world but we are really connected to a heavenly kingdom and this is why we cannot allow ourselves to be dominated by natural desires and this world system that we live in. As born again new creations in Christ we are to live by a different standard.
If we allow ourselves to be ruled by the culture and things of this world then we will live like ordinary, unchanged people. Too many believers never grow and develop spiritually and then they make excuses for their actions by saying things like "Well, I'm only human" or "This is just the kind of person that I am". But we are more than just a natural human being, we are a new creation in Christ and that is how we must live. Find out who you really are from God's Word and don't just allow natural influences to keep you living like a mere human. Step into the reality of who you are in Christ and live like the spiritual person God intended you to be!
1 Corinthians 3:2, 3 (NKJV)
The church in Corinth had some real problems. In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians he addressed several issues that the people in Corinth were dealing with. This is a good letter for us to read because some of the problems they had are the same problems that we have today. What is interesting to take note of is what Paul pointed out in 1 Corinthians 3 as being their main problem. This was really the root of all of the things they were dealing with; the Corinthians were carnal, they were ruled by natural things and not spiritual things. Paul said that the people in Corinth were behaving like mere men.
When Paul told the people at Corinth that they were carnal people he meant that they were more focused on natural things than they were on spiritual things. Jesus said in John 17:14 that He and His disciples were not of this world and in John 18:36 that His Kingdom was not of this world. This same thing is true for us today as Christians, we may live in this world but we are really connected to a heavenly kingdom and this is why we cannot allow ourselves to be dominated by natural desires and this world system that we live in. As born again new creations in Christ we are to live by a different standard.
If we allow ourselves to be ruled by the culture and things of this world then we will live like ordinary, unchanged people. Too many believers never grow and develop spiritually and then they make excuses for their actions by saying things like "Well, I'm only human" or "This is just the kind of person that I am". But we are more than just a natural human being, we are a new creation in Christ and that is how we must live. Find out who you really are from God's Word and don't just allow natural influences to keep you living like a mere human. Step into the reality of who you are in Christ and live like the spiritual person God intended you to be!
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