In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul describes the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer, helping him to understand the mind of God. The believer, a spiritual person, has the indwelling Holy Spirit, giving him the ability to discern spiritual truths.
but in the first verses of chapter 3, Paul tells the believers in Corinth that he has to address them as fleshly people, not as spiritual. They aren't able to handle solid foods. Milk was to be their diet, like babies.
The evidence of their immaturity was jealousy and strife among them. They were boasting about their spiritual heritage, which Paul points out in chapters one and three is foolishness. The laborers are not the ones who should get the glory, but God who brings the harvest. To argue about such things proved that they were carnal, immature believers.
So even though they had the Spirit in them to guide them in spiritual truth, they weren't maturing. They were competing with one another. They weren't able to move on to other spiritual truths, because they were filled with jealousy and strife.
Contemporary Christians can be guilty of the same things. Maybe not coveting a new car or better clothes, but being jealous about spiritual abilities. Wishing you could preach like him. Wishing you could serve on that committee instead of the one you're on. Wishing you could be a counselor. Wishing you had your family all together. Wishing you had a better education. Wishing people would notice your ministry.
While God does give us a desire to improve ourselves, if our motivation for improvement is to be as good as or better than someone else, we're in the same boat as the Corinthians.
And as long as we're in that boat, we'll be immature, carnal Christians. Like the Corinthians.
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