Spiritually Minded 05

Are you beginning to believe that Christians can be carnally-minded? This week we will look at another example of carnally minded Christians. As we do, remember to keep in mind the following statement: EVERY DECISION WE MAKE, EVERY ACTION WE TAKE, EVERY THOUGHT WE THINK, IS INFLUENCED BY EITHER THE SPIRIT OR THE FLESH.

The Believers in Corinth, 1 Corinthians 3
1And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2I 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; 3for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

By the time Paul wrote this letter, the city of Corinth had received visits from gifted leaders in the early Church. Some had become Christians under Paul’s ministry, and some through Apollos’ exceptional preaching. Some (according to 2 Cor 1:12) identified with Peter, while others only recognised Jesus.

The Corinthian believers, however, had taken these loyalties and preferences too far. They allowed their loyalties to become exclusive allegiances. The result of this was “envy, strife, and divisions” among them as each faction claimed exclusive ownership of the “Truth.” Paul wrote to reprimand them for this carnal-mindedness, pointing out that they were putting too much emphasis on the debateable things and not enough on the undeniable things.

Attributes of the Corinthian believers’ carnal minds that we need to guard against:

Denominational pride.

Allowing differences over debateable things to cause division.

Allowing a preference for one pastor to become divisive.

Allowing differences with leadership or denominational oversight to become divisive.