Carnal and Mature Believers

 Text: 1Corinthians 3:1-9

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

The exhortation in 1 Corinthians 3 verses 1 to 9 can be summarized as a call to maturity and unity within the church.I n these verses, the Apostle Paul addresses the believers in Corinth, expressing his concern about their spiritual condition. He refers to them as infants in Christ, implying that they are not growing or maturing in their faith. He admonishes them for their jealousy, quarreling, and division, stating that they are behaving like mere humans who are still ruled by their fleshly desires.

Paul urges them to move beyond their immaturity and divisive attitudes, and strive for spiritual growth, comparing their faith journey to that of building a solid foundation. He emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the foundation, and believers are called to build upon it with good works and righteousness.

Furthermore, Paul highlights that there are different roles within the body of Christ, with himself and Apollos mentioned as examples. He reminds us that these leaders are merely servants of God, and it is God who ultimately causes growth and expansion.

The message in these verses encourages believers to let go of jealousy, division, and immaturity in faith, and instead focus on unity and spiritual growth. It reminds us of the importance of building our faith on the foundation of Christ and striving for righteousness in all we do.

Beloved, how much have you grown since you first met Christ the lord. Do you still get angry easily, lash out, gossip? Do you still quarrel, backbite and find it hard to let go offences? As a dead man which you claim to be (for we all are the moment we take up the title "born again") you ought no longer to give in to desires of the flesh. Paul says to allow the holy spirit bring to life your deadened members to live life according to the dictates and demands of  the spirit as opposed to the flesh.

Prayer: Father for grace to reckon ourselves as dead men who cannot be pushed by any emotions and for strength to yield completely to the leading of the holy spirit so as to mature unto the stature and fullness of Christ in Jesus name, Amen