And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:1)
Apostle Paul identifies three groups of people here
1.Spiritual people
2.Carnal people – these are fleshly people
3.babes in Christ – immature Christians
The interesting thing is that Apostle Paul calls them brethren. This means that they are part of the family of God.
There is a fourth one that scripture identifies and that is the
4.Natural man – who rejects the things of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14)
Which one are you?
Let’s read the same verse in The Passion Translation
Brothers and sisters, when I was with you I found it impossible to speak to you as those who are spiritually mature people, for you are still dominated by the mind-set of the flesh. And because you are immature infants in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1 TPT)
Spiritually immature are those who are dominated by the mind-set of the flesh.
Spiritually mature are those who are led by the Word mind-set.
Apostle Paul found it difficult to speak to them because they had a mind-set of the flesh.
God was speaking through Paul. I believe the Lord finds it difficult to speak to us when our minds are dominated by the flesh.
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 (1 Corinthians 3:2)
Fed you with milk
Milk refers to the basic teachings of Christ. Though God had revealed deeper truths to Apostle Paul, he had no issues teaching believers the basics.
You were not able to receive it
It was not God that prevented them from receiving the solid food of the Word. The real problem was their carnality (1 Corinthians 3:3)
The evidence of their carnality
for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? (1 Corinthians 3:3-4)
The problems that they manifested in interpersonal relationships exposed that there was something wrong in their relationship with God. Their envy, strife, divisions and groupism was clear evidence of their fleshly way of thinking and living.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
The same verse in The Passion Translation
Don’t you realize that together you have become God’s inner sanctuary and that the Spirit of God makes his permanent home in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16 TPT)
The Church is people coming together.
Chapters