Carnal Christians

Introduction

1 Cor. 2:6-3:4 is a key passage in a debate - sometimes called the “spiritual vs. carnal debate” (Naselli, No Quick Fix, 55). Let’s begin by first reviewing our past section.

1 Corinthians 2:14–16 (ESV)

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

All humans fall into 1 of 2 categories: the natural person (v. 14) or a spiritual person (v. 15), saved or unsaved. That is not a contentious statement, but some say, in ch. 3, Paul introduces a 3rd category, the “carnal Christian.”

1 Corinthians 3:1–4 (ESV)

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

Paul indicts the Corinthians as being what the KJV calls “carnal.” The KJV says, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal. He says they are “in Christ” (v. 1b) but “still in the flesh,” acting and living in way that corresponds to the flesh (v. 3). Few disagree if Paul is describing Christians living in sin.

People do disagree however on the duration of “carnality.” Can carnality, in the life of a believer, be a permanent reality? This is what is often meant by a “carnal Christian,” referring to one who is justified, but who potentially will never display godliness, repentance, or interest in the Lord.

ILL: John was invited to attend a city-wide crusade. At the evangelistic event, he was moved by the music, the speaker’s words, and seeing hundreds “make a decision for Jesus.” As he listened to the message, he understood he was a sinner, and he did not want to go to hell. So, at the invitation, he left his seat. He deeply felt the emotion of the moment, and tears streamed down his cheek as he recited a prayer and “asked Jesus into his heart.”

But when John returned home, nothing had really changed. The emotion of the crusade lessened as the days went on. John really didn’t desire the things of God. He saw no need to unite with God’s people, and he saw no need to live a different kind of existence than the one he lived before the crusade. And this remained true for all of John’s life. He never turned from his sin, never showing another interest in the things of God.

I don’t think anyone would expect a new disciple to instantly be mature and be free of all previous temptations and lifestyles. It is understood a babe in Christ can grow. However, what is debated is if a believer must grow at some point. Can the new believer permanently live in the same way they always lived? Is it possible to never manifest a different kind of life? Is it possible to be justified and not be in the process of being sanctified?

TRANS: These are very hard questions to answer. One reason it’s hard is because many of us have loved ones, who know the gospel, had some sort of “experience” perhaps walking an aisle or praying a prayer, and yet it seems they never really manifested a changed heart and life. Or, they ultimately abandon the faith, claiming to no longer believe, and never return to it. But, can one who is saved never manifest a different life? Again, is it possible to justified and be in the process of being sanctified?

I think it wise to provide a working definition of “sanctification.”

What is Sanctification?

The NT reveals 3 aspects of sanctification, what we call past, present, and future sanctification. At conversion, God sanctifies us, sets us apart unto Himself (1 Cor. 1:2).

However the NT also refers to “progressive sanctification,” where the Holy Spirit, including our responsible participation, is (progressively) delivering us from the pollution of sin, renewing our entire nature, and enabling us to live lives that are pleasing to Him.

Paul refers to the reality of “progressive sanctification” in 2 Cor. 3:18

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

TRANS: Is it possible to be justified and remain in a carnal state? I want to point out a couple ways some groups have answered that question.

The Pentecostal view, says one can be justified before God and not experience the Spirit’s sanctifying work. They say this because they believe receiving the Holy Spirit to be a 2nd act, something that may occur after salvation. So, to them it is possible to be a believer but living in the flesh, to be carnal, not living according to the Spirit as they have yet to receive the Spirit. However, once someone would receive the Spirit, the Spirit would then begin His work within, and the person would then start living a spiritual life.

Another view doesn’t go as far, as many believe all Christians are indwelt and baptized by the Spirit at salvation, but Christians are not necessarily “Spirit-filled” at salvation. They say, a Spirit-baptized believer may, at some point, experience a “crisis” or some sort of experience, and the person decides to “let go and let God,” and become consecrated to God. This experience then allows one to be “spirit-filled” and only then start to experience spiritual growth.

Both views allow for 3 categories of humans: the natural (unconverted), the carnal (converted with an unconverted lifestyle), and the spiritual (converted and Spirit filled). And so, they see 2 kinds of Christians: carnal believers and spiritual believers.

TRANS: Since 1 Cor. 3 is the linchpin passage for this topic, and since some of these ideas are part of some of our heritage, I want to walk through this text, and hopefully get a clear understanding of Paul’s intent for this passage.

M.T. The NT does not allow for 2 categories of Christians (carnal & spiritual), but one, and though true believers may experience times of carnality, there is an expectation that those who are justified will mature and will be changing through the power of the Holy Spirit.

THE “CARNAL” CORINTHIANS (1 Cor. 3:1-4)

1 Corinthians 3:1–4 (ESV)

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

TRANS: Paul returns to the source of divisions in the church: dividing over teachers. In v. 3, he reveals that strife and jealousy marked this church. Later we will see many of these believers were still engaging in the sexual practices found throughout the city, along with idolatry. And yet, in this section, Paul affirms...

I. The Corinthian’s Spiritual Position (vss. 1-4)

Paul places the Corinthians in the category of the “spiritual,” those who are not “natural.” They received the “Spirit who is from God.”

In v. 1, he calls them “brothers” and says they are “in Christ.” In v. 5 he affirms they “believed,” and in v. 9 he calls them God’s field and building. In v. 16, they are identified as “God’s Temple,” and the Spirit of God dwelt within them. V. 22 says they are “Christs.”

TRANS: And yet, Paul acknowledges a real problem with these Christians. He confronts them for how they were living.

II. The Corinthians Fleshly Living (v. 1)

“I could not address you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.”

TRANS: What does Paul mean by “spiritual people”? He seems to be using “spiritual people” in a different way than he did in 2:15. In 1 Cor. 2-3, Paul reveals 2 realities of the word “spiritual.”

Understanding “spiritual people” - “Spiritual people” in 2:14-15 refers to what MacArthur calls “positional spirituality” (MacArthur, 70). Those who are “in the spirit,” that is those who have been given spiritual life - those born again. However, only now, in 1 Cor. 3, does Paul use the idea of “spiritual” in an another sense. They were spiritual in their position, but practically, they were not acting spiritually.

They were not living in a way that corresponded with their position. They had the Spirit indwelling them (2:10), but their way of living did not matching that reality (Gardner, ECNT: 1 Corinthians, 157.).

APP: The reality is that Christians, though they have a new nature, they still struggle with what the Bible calls “the flesh.” Even though one has been justified, sinful desires are still at work within. Paul writes in

Galatians 5:17 (ESV)

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

A war wages within each believer. The desires of the flesh, once we are saved, do not instantly go away but remain. And yet, one who is justified is not the same person as they were before salvation. The Holy Spirit now indwells all who have been justified (SEE 1 Cor. 2:12). And as Gal. 5:17 shows, the Spirit works and the new believer also has Spirit-given desires for godliness. And these two entities, the flesh and the Spirit, are “opposed to each other.”

APP: It came out this week that one of the men I’ve respected most in ministry fell and had to step down as a pastor and preacher. I’ve been deeply saddened, but it once again reveals the inward struggle between the Spirit and the flesh. There is a war within.

TRANS: Paul calls the Corinthians as “people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.” because they were were not abstaining from the fleshly lusts (1 Pt. 2:11). There would never be a time on earth where they no longer struggled with fulfilling the desires of the flesh, nor would there ever be a time they would stop sinning. However, Paul also shows that expected them to grow or mature in their spiritual lives. However, instead, they were remaining as “infants.”

2. Understanding “infants in Christ” (v. 1)

a. Live According to the Flesh - He’s basically saying “y’all are acting like babies,” exhibiting the infantile behavior. And how do infants act? Babies are dominated by their flesh. I love babies. Babies are sweet and precious, but they are also tyrannical. They are completely and totally self-centered. When they are hungry, they only care about getting what their stomachs crave. If they want a toy, they will throw an absolute fit if someone takes it away. They have no patience; what they crave must be given to them now!

What were the characteristics of the Corinthians? V. 3 tells us: they were characterized by jealousy and strife. As we study 1 Corinthians more, we discover even more that these people prided themselves on being on a higher spiritual level. Paul is actually saying to them, “no, forget that notion! You’re actually babies!”

APP: Why? Everything was about them, and they hadn’t allowed the truth of the gospel to change them. They understood Jesus’ self-sacrifice for them, but they were not allowing Jesus’ example to impact their lives and how they lived. Instead, of laying down their lives for one another and seeking one another’s good, like one would do whose life corresponded to their spiritual condition, they continued to live as someone who did not have the Spirit indwelling them and who saw the gospel message as foolishness. They lived like the natural man, completely self-focused.

TRANS: Now, one would expect a 6 month old to cry when he’s hungry, or to scream if we have to take away a toy he wants. We expect that, why? They are babies. They have not yet developed and matured. But the behavior that’s expected for a 6 month old is disturbing and shocking if manifested by a 10 year old or a 40 year old. And it’s not okay when someone who has been saved for a while continues to act like the world, like one who is completely self-centered.

Paul is confronting the Corinthians, not because they were babes in Christ, but because they remained infants in Christ. He expected growth! Paul understood maturity takes time. The problem was they had time but they still not living in a manner that corresponded to the indwelling power of the Spirit.

b. No Growth (v. 3) “I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh.” Notice the verb cases. Paul said, “I fed you with milk,” presumably when he first arrived in Corinth, years ago. He stayed in Corinth, we think, for 1 1/2 years. Apollos and other teachers had come since to Corinth, but Paul says, “even now you are not yet ready” to be fed with solid food. For years, Paul said, through his ministry and Apollos’ ministry, they had not advanced.

I think the “milk” and “solid food” illustration (v. 2) has been misunderstood. When Paul refers to “milk,” some say he’s is referring to a basic gospel message of the cross, which I think is true. However, it’s also believed that when he’s referring to “solid food,” he’s referring to hidden truths they couldn’t yet handle, until they reached a “spiritual status.” I don’t think that’s entirely accurate.

Let’s try to understand Paul’s overall point. He’s showing that consuming milk is supposed to lead to consuming solid food. The more they absorbed the milk, that is the gospel of Christ crucified, the more they should have grown. Consuming the milk was meant to lead to an ability where they could partake of solid food!

What is solid food? I don’t think it’s a secret hidden knowledge only to be discovered on a higher Spiritual plane. Rather, the solid food refers to the deeper truths of the gospel. But, as we will see, that expanded understanding and appreciation for gospel truth will deeply impact the life, resulting in conformity to the original gospel message.

MacArthur writes, “there is no difference at all between the truths of a spiritual milk diet and a spiritual solid food diet, except in detail and depth. All doctrine may have both milk and meat elements. It is not that we are to be continually learning new doctrines in order to grow, but that we are to be learning more about the doctrines we have known for years.” (The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 1 Corinthians, 71).

APP: As they consumed the gospel message, understood it more and more, that food was meant to cause growth and impact the life. Our understanding and appreciation for the gospel is meant to expand, and it is meant to impact everything about how we live! As we understand and appreciate it more, believers are to live a life that seeks to match our new spiritual reality. That is, it is meant to lead us to live what is often called “a gospel-centered life” - a life changed by the truth of the gospel.

APP: Paul expected those who are justified to change, to grow in their understanding and appreciation of the gospel, and that was to cause them to grow in their holiness. But, evidently, that wasn’t happening. So, we have to affirm, as the Corinthians situation shows, it is possible for those who have been justified to experience times, perhaps even extended periods of time, of living according to the flesh.

APP: Believer, I don’t know what’s been going on in your life, but if you were honest, would you say you have been living like the Corinthians- living according to the flesh? Have you been living a life that corresponds to those who do not have the Spirit - a life consumed with self? I describe this kind of life as one completely turned inward, where “I” is the greatest concern, where “I” is the object of worship. Friend, has this been your life?

APP: You may say in your heart, “yes, I have not been living a life that reflects my spiritual position.” Perhaps you’ve been pursuing sexual sin. Perhaps you’ve allowed anger and resentment toward someone to become so large in your life, that you are backing away from God and God’s people. Perhaps because your marriage is so broken, you’ve become angry at God and it just feels as if all this just is a farce, not real. Have you been living as Paul describes in v. 3, “behaving only in a human way?”

You may say, “yes,” I have been, and I don’t know how to change. I don’t know how to stop being one who is of the flesh and and start being one whose life manifests their spiritual position. Can I offer 2 thoughts?

FEED ON SPIRITUAL FOOD. That is, turn to the gospel. Seek to understand and appreciate it more! Seek to comprehend all that Christ did for you. Expand your understanding of who you were before Christ saved you, and yet He still left heaven to come to earth for you. Expand your understanding of His Self-sacrifice and what His work on the cross achieve for you! Continue to learn what He provides for you in salvation, the work the Spirit does for you, and what He will do for you. Feed on the word of God and let your appreciation for His work grow and bloom in your life.

SEEK TO KILL THE SIN IN YOUR LIFE - Romans 8:12-15 says,

Romans 8:12–15 (ESV)

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Don’t play with sin, seek to kill it. Understand its severity and it consequences. As God for deliverance, get accountability and help, resist it, and pursue righteousness.

Conclusion:

So, back to our initial question: Is there a 3rd category? That is, can one who is truly justified permanently live a carnal existence? I believe we’ve seen from 1 Cor. 3 that it can be a temporary reality, but we’ve also seen that Paul expects spiritual growth and change for all in Christ. He is chastising the Corinthians for their carnality and calling them to live a life that corresponds to their spiritual position.

In just a few chapters he will write,

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (ESV)

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Paul is not providing a list of sins that indicates someone has lost their salvation. No such sin exists. Instead, he’s listing sins that are typical of the unsaved, those whose lives are characterized by such sins are not saved. They will not inherit the kingdom God. But there is an application for our question. Those who have been justified and set apart form the world are to be separated from living in unrepentant sin. And those who unrepentantly persist in these things, who never turn from them but permanently remain in them, reveal they will not inherit the kingdom of God.