Not Spiritual But Carnal 1 Corinthians 3:1

The apostle Paul told the Corinthian church members, “he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man”, and in chapter three and verse one of First Corinthians, Paul the apostle shared how he “could not speak unto” the Corinthian church members “as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal” where we read:

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual,

but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

The verse begins, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual,...” Paul began with the words, “And I” which means “in addition Paul himself”, “brethren” or “fellow believers who are united to another by the bond of affection”, “could not speak” which means “was not able to tell, talk, preach and utter” “unto you” or “toward the church members in Corinth” “as unto spiritual” or “ones who are filled with and governed by the Spirit of God”. Paul was not able to share with the church members in a “spiritual” manner.

The verse continues, “...but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.”. Paul added the word, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “as unto carnal” which means “toward fleshly people who were under the control of animal appetites which pertain to the body”, “as unto babes” or “like infants, little children who are not of age, childish, untaught and unskilled” “in Christ” which means “into and among the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”. Paul was not able to share “spiritual things” with the church members of Corinth because they were still like “infant children or babies” who are ruled by their “bodily appetites”.

When we think through these words from Paul, we should desire to examine ourselves to determine whether or not we are “ruled by our bodily appetites”. Do we long constantly for the “body” to be satisfied? Are we thinking perpetually and fulfilling often the “fleshly” desires rather than discovering and acting upon the things of God? Paul could not share with the Corinthians because they were ruled by the desires of their bodies, and their “carnal” ways took precedence in their lives over the “spiritual”. Jesus Christ came to alter this way of thinking because the “carnal” appetites are “temporary”, not “eternal”. Let us allow the Lord as the Psalmist desired to “see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:24), and should He discover any “carnal” way, may we submit to Him to gain “the spiritual”.

Next time Paul shares how he “fed” the Corinthians “with milk, and not with meat”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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