1 Corinthians 3:1-4 says,...
Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 3:1-4, which read,
v.1 - And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
The problems of division in the Corinthian church were so deep and so destructive that Paul needed to go back to the basics. Paul is calling them "brethren" but they are infant brothers by the actions of their flesh. They were allowing their flesh to dictate their actions rather than the Spirit of God. To be mature in Christ is to walk in the Spirit rather than walk in the flesh. The Christians in Corinth by Paul's assessment were not acting as mature Christians at this point.
v.2, 3 - I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
As Christians we all start with milk and that is what Paul gave the Corinthian Christians. We typically don't cover the book of Romans with the children at Vacation Bible School rather we start with the events that point to Jesus and the cross. We don't advise a new Christian to start reading the book of Revelation but we direct them to one of the Gospels. Just as a baby starts with liquids and then progresses to solid food so does the Christian. You should see a progression of what you know and apply from scripture that is much different and more than when you first turned your eyes to your Savior. We are not to stay on milk.
The Christians in Corinth have or they have reverted back to a liquid diet. What is keeping them from going on to a "meatier" time with God? Paul points out "jealousy and strife." Jealousy is a severe form of selfishness which produces the action of strife which has the natural effect of divisions. Divisions in the church were there because Christians were being selfish instead of being self-less. A selfish Christian gets jealous of others and thus makes a division between "us and them." It is very hard, actually impossible, to love others when we have labeled them as "them." How can we even get to the two greatest commandments to love God and love others if we allow jealous to reign in our lives and in the life of the church. We are acting very childish before our God. We are acting like "mere men" and not adopted sons of God.
v.4 - For when one says "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not mere men?
Paul gives them a very personal example of what they were doing. When we attach ourselves to men as a way to elevate ourselves over others then we are acting like "mere men" and not as adopted sons following in the steps of Jesus. It is milk for Paul to have to point out their actions this plainly so they could see what is going on.
Maybe a question to ask oneself is what kind of diet am I on with God? Am I still being reminded and reproved over things that I was in the beginning of my walk with God? At some point you take away the milk and just offer solid food to the child, a transition takes place by eliminating or reducing the one and increasing the other. Has your walk with the Lord been going through that transition? If not, the danger is that you will continue to walk in the flesh and not in the Spirit.
"Lord, I know that there are things in my life that seem so childish or I act so childish. I try to excuse them away but they won't go away until I dig deeper in You. A stronger walk with You is the solution that You provide and I need to take it. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.1 - And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
The problems of division in the Corinthian church were so deep and so destructive that Paul needed to go back to the basics. Paul is calling them "brethren" but they are infant brothers by the actions of their flesh. They were allowing their flesh to dictate their actions rather than the Spirit of God. To be mature in Christ is to walk in the Spirit rather than walk in the flesh. The Christians in Corinth by Paul's assessment were not acting as mature Christians at this point.
v.2, 3 - I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
As Christians we all start with milk and that is what Paul gave the Corinthian Christians. We typically don't cover the book of Romans with the children at Vacation Bible School rather we start with the events that point to Jesus and the cross. We don't advise a new Christian to start reading the book of Revelation but we direct them to one of the Gospels. Just as a baby starts with liquids and then progresses to solid food so does the Christian. You should see a progression of what you know and apply from scripture that is much different and more than when you first turned your eyes to your Savior. We are not to stay on milk.
The Christians in Corinth have or they have reverted back to a liquid diet. What is keeping them from going on to a "meatier" time with God? Paul points out "jealousy and strife." Jealousy is a severe form of selfishness which produces the action of strife which has the natural effect of divisions. Divisions in the church were there because Christians were being selfish instead of being self-less. A selfish Christian gets jealous of others and thus makes a division between "us and them." It is very hard, actually impossible, to love others when we have labeled them as "them." How can we even get to the two greatest commandments to love God and love others if we allow jealous to reign in our lives and in the life of the church. We are acting very childish before our God. We are acting like "mere men" and not adopted sons of God.
v.4 - For when one says "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not mere men?
Paul gives them a very personal example of what they were doing. When we attach ourselves to men as a way to elevate ourselves over others then we are acting like "mere men" and not as adopted sons following in the steps of Jesus. It is milk for Paul to have to point out their actions this plainly so they could see what is going on.
Maybe a question to ask oneself is what kind of diet am I on with God? Am I still being reminded and reproved over things that I was in the beginning of my walk with God? At some point you take away the milk and just offer solid food to the child, a transition takes place by eliminating or reducing the one and increasing the other. Has your walk with the Lord been going through that transition? If not, the danger is that you will continue to walk in the flesh and not in the Spirit.
"Lord, I know that there are things in my life that seem so childish or I act so childish. I try to excuse them away but they won't go away until I dig deeper in You. A stronger walk with You is the solution that You provide and I need to take it. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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