By Kevin Harris, pastor of the Illawarra Community Baptist Church in Wollongong, NSW
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:14-3:1
Notice the three categories of people mentioned in this passage. I have highlighted them above.
Every human being who has ever lived, presently lives, or will someday live, fits into one of these three categories. Some of us have at one time fit into one category, and now live in another. Then there are those who have fit into two of these categories, but now live in the third and loftiest of them all.
Let’s summarise these three categories of people:
The Natural Man
We’re all born as sons of Adam, sinners by nature and by choice. Our passage today explains that natural men don’t welcome God’s truth. To live and die in this category leads to certain death in the eternal lake of fire.
The Carnal Man
Those who take Christ as Saviour are ‘babes in Christ’ meaning young in understanding and young in spiritual maturity. Definitely saved, a carnal (fleshly) man has a lot of growing to do!
The Spiritual Man
As we who are saved mature, we are not animated by the flesh, but by the Holy Spirit of God. He drives us. He controls us. Whereas carnal people live by whatever feels right, spiritual people live by whatever is right in the eyes of the Lord.
Previously in this chapter the Lord has explained that God has revealed to mankind His Word. Natural men don’t ‘get’ the Bible. Spiritual people do. To the natural man it seems foolish, irrelevant, even mistaken. But spiritual men search ‘the deep things of God’ in it. We increasingly understand its divine wisdom.
Which are you – natural, spiritual or carnal?
If natural, you need the second birth (John 3) into the family of God.
If carnal, recall Romans 8:8 ‘So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.’ Submit to the Spirit of God’s control.
If spiritual, thank the Lord that ‘eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him’ (1 Corinthians 2:9). He’s speaking of the precious Scriptures.
Father, more than anything I thank You for saving me, giving me the Holy Spirit, and blessing me with Your Word. I don’t want to be a flesh-driven Christian who reverts to spiritual babyhood. Mature me through Your precious Word. I want to value it like the Psalmist who said, ‘Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments’ (Psalm 119:164). I ask this in the Name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.
This article was written by Kevin Harris Dapto pastor of Illawarra Community Baptist Church.