Today Pastor Choi talks about three types of spirituality: natural, carnal, and spiritual. A ‘natural’ person doesn’t know Christ or have the Holy Spirit. Her mind is blinded by the devil that she cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. A ‘carnal’ person believes in Jesus as Savior and Lord and has the Holy Spirit in her. However, she remains spiritual baby; she cannot handle the truth well. She still walks according to own desires. She demonstrates little fruits of the Holy Spirit. A ‘spiritual’ believer is mature in faith and practice. Her faith is grounded in God’s Word the truth, not in human words of wisdom. Her first and foremost interest in life is to please God and doing God’s will. Pastor Choi exhorts the congregation to keep growing mature in Christ by getting into the Word of God, pray daily, and walking in the Holy Spirit.
Following is a summary of the sermon:
Three Types of People 1 Corinthians 2:13-3:4
1 Corinthians 2:13-3:4 New King James Version (NKJV)
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Sectarianism Is Carnal
3 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 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; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
Introduction
Background info on today’s text: Paul the missionary started the church in Corinth. He didn’t stay there long and moved on to the next place. A man named Apollos followed him. He was a great Bible teacher. A few years later, there was a division among the believers; a half of the congregation remembered Paul and still followed him as their leader, yet the other half followed Apollos. So, in his letter to them, Paul lamented over the division four times saying, “You are carnal” (1 Corinthians 3: 1, 3, & 4). He says; you are immature; you are still babies in Christ because of the division, envy, and strife among you. You act like people who don’t know Christ at all. Don’t follow me. Don’t follow Apollos, either. Follow Christ only.
Once I met a lady who claimed that she was spiritual but not religious. Nowadays, many people consider themselves spiritual but not religious meaning that they believe in God but not necessarily go to church or are associated with any “organized religion.” I guess anyone can call themselves anyway they want. However, we the believers in Christ must have the clear and right understanding of what the Bible says about those terms. One thing is for sure: this lady’s claim ‘being spiritual’ is definitely NOT what the Word of God calls spiritual. Being spiritual in the Bible never means just having faith in God (even the demons believe that there is one God—James 2:19). Rather, it is reserved for those who are mature in Christ in their walk with God.
That’s what we are going to think about this morning: three types of people in terms of spirituality. In today’s text we see three words that are related to spirituality (in the order of maturity): Natural, Carnal, and Spiritual. God’s Word makes a clear distinction among them. Let me explain to you one by one.
Contents
Natural (ψυχικος, 1 Corinthians 2:14) [literal translation: soulish]
How does the Bible define a person who is ‘natural’? A person is natural when she doesn’t believe in Jesus as her Savior and Lord. The natural person doesn’t have the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14), either. Therefore, she cannot say that Jesus is the Lord. This definition includes, but not limited to, atheists, agnostics, all the followers in other religions than Christianity (Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Shamanism, Shintoism, etc.). Anyone who doesn’t confess Jesus as the Lord and Savior is natural.
The natural person is outside Jesus and cannot know or distinguish spiritual things of God. These spiritual things of God are hidden from their eyes and rather appear to them foolishness. E.g. Cross: foolishness to the Greek and a scandal to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23).
The wisdom of a natural person is not from above, but rather earthly, sensual, and demonic (James 3:15).
The natural people walk in the futility of mind, darkened in their understanding. They are excluded from the life of God, not because God wants them that way, but because of the ignorance in them and because of the hardness of their heart; having become callous, they give themselves to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness (Ephesians 4:17-19).
They are perishing in God’s eyes, because the god of this world [that is, the devil] has blinded their minds that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The Gospel is veiled to them. When they hear the word of the kingdom, they don’t understand it, because the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in their hearts (Matthew 13:19).
Don’t be arrogant that you are not natural. In fact, before we knew Christ, we were all natural in God’s eyes. We didn’t know Christ. We didn’t have the Holy Spirit. Our spirits were dead in sin. We lived according to our fleshly desires. We served and worshipped those who by nature are not gods (Galatians 4:8). E.g. Bob Dylan’s song: “Gotta serve somebody.” — Either the devil or the Lord. Thank God, because He has called us to be in His kingdom and we are no longer natural.
Carnal (σαρκικοι—1 Corinthians 3:1, 3, 4) [literal translation: following the flesh]
Who is carnal? A person who believes in Jesus as Savior and Lord; she has the Holy Spirit in her yet still lives according to the worldly pattern.
The carnal believers were born into God’s family, yet not growing and still remain babies in faith and practice. Like babies can digest only milk not solid foods (1 Corinthians 3:1, Hebrews 5:11-14), they cannot digest the truth well. E.g. Jesus says “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother (Matthew 18:15). A carnal believer doesn’t handle well the admonition of truth from other believers.
The carnal believers base their faith on humans not on Christ; therefore, they tend to create factions. Remember today’s text where some believers followed Paul while others followed Apollos? The carnal Christians are not grounded in the Word of God that they are “tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14). They are also led by various impulses, weighed down with sins, and constantly learning yet never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3:6).
They still walk according to own desires like the days when they didn’t know Christ (1 Corinthians 3:3). Their minds are still set on the things of the flesh that leads to death (because it is hostile to God and unable to be subject to God’s law) [Romans 8:5-6].
In their lives, little or no fruits of the Holy Spirit are demonstrated such as peace, joy, love, kindness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). E.g. Sure signs of carnality are frequent rage, lack of self-control, addicted to gambling, games, pornography, and the love of money. A vast majority of believers today belong to this category. We don’t have to be that way, though; in fact, we should never be content with this state. We ought to grow in maturity. That leads us to the next point.
Spiritual (πνευματικοι—1 Corinthians 2:15, 3:1) [literal translation: following the Spirit]
A believer is spiritual when she believes in Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord; she has the Spirit of God; and she is mature (1 Corinthians 2:5 & 13) in faith and practice. She can digest solid food (meat) [Hebrews 5:14]. Her faith is grounded in God’s Word the truth, not in human words of wisdom. She doesn’t follow Paul or Apollos. She follows Christ alone. She is trained to distinguish what is good from what is evil (Hebrews 5:14). She accepts words of admonition from other believers with gratitude and humility. Her first and foremost interest in life is to please God and doing God’s will. E.g. Jesus’ food was doing God’s will (John 14:34).
She walks according to the Holy Spirit. She sets her mind on the things of the Spirit and the things above (Colossians 3:2). Her life demonstrates signs of love, peace, and righteousness (Romans 8:7). She stands fully assured in every will of God (Colossians 4:12).
She also demonstrates spiritual wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:6). E.g. John 8 (Jesus’ wisdom; ‘whoever sinless, first stone the adulterous woman’). King Solomon (when he was fully devoted to the LORD) ordered to cut the baby in two to find the true mother (1 Kings 3:16-28).
Going on Perfection
Let me remind you one more time: we all once were natural not knowing God and outside the salvation. We too were “foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures” (Titus 3:3). We too lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
However, by God’s grace, we were called to be the children of God in Christ and to be the coheirs of Heaven with Christ. We were born into God’s family. We were born anew in Christ. He saved us from our sins. Our spirits became alive in Christ.
Yet, many of us still remain spiritual babies. We are still carnal believers. In our daily lives, we still live like before we knew Christ. There’s not much of difference in lifestyles between us and the people in the world. For instance, many of us still struggle with our natural passions and desires. Many of us are still under the bondage of sin and lusts, greed, passion, and money. It is time for us to move upward and onward, free from such bondages of old self. If we are not happy with where we are now spiritually, neither is God.
In fact, God wants us to grow in Christ like any parent expects her child to grow over time. He has a plan to turn us from carnal Christians into mature ones in Christ. His expectation for us is the highest one we can ever imagine; be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). Here, perfect means not without sin or shortcomings. Rather, it means to be mature in Christ to the point where we demonstrate in our words and deeds every aspect of Christ’s character such as love and truth.
Until we become mature in the fullness of Christ, God will keep working on our inner beings (Ephesians 4:11-13). We can count on His faithfulness, wisdom, and patience. He will take time working on us. He will never give up on us nor give up on His part “until Christ is formed in us” (Galatians 4:19).
Tools for Perfection
To accomplish His purpose in us, and to sanctify us, God uses certain tools and venues. For instance, He often uses our life circumstances and people to shape us. But, we don’t have to wait until we get into those situations. We can be proactive and prepare ourselves with the tools that God has already made available to us; the Scripture and prayer.
The Bible helps us to know who God is, and to understand who we are. It also reminds us of the relationship between Him and us. It sufficiently equips us for life’s journey; it reproves us, edifies us, comforts us, and grants wisdom and courage for our daily lives.
Prayer is for daily conversation with God. Don’t neglect to use this great tool which was proven useful and beneficial by all the prophets of God, Jesus, and His disciples for the past thousands of years.
Finally, don’t forget the Holy Spirit our residential help from God 24/7; He teaches us, guides us, counsels us, and reminds us of Jesus’ teachings. All we have to do is: Ask for His help every day.
When we do all these things I have mentioned, we will grow mature in Christ every day and surely become ‘spiritual.’
Amen.