Were the carnal Corinthians in 1 Corinthians saved believers?
Yes. The carnal Corinthians were saved believers. They had been born again and placed into the Body of Christ, yet they remained fleshly minded and spiritually weak, still controlled by the Old Adam rather than the Holy Spirit. Paul called them believers and fed them milk as spiritual babes.
Les explains that the word "carnal" in 1 Corinthians refers to believers who have not really come out of the fleshly experience and are still under the control of the Old Adam rather than the Holy Spirit. He contrasts this with Romans chapter 8, where Paul uses "carnal" of the unsaved individual. But here Paul speaks of believers who are saved, in Christ, yet still so weak spiritually that he calls them babes. Les notes Paul fed them with milk, an analogy to a newborn baby who is not given solid food. God expects growth from His children, but the Corinthians remained so steeped in the flesh that Paul was upset in his first and second letters. Les stresses they are believers, born again and placed into the Body of Christ, yet still fleshly minded.
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
More Questions
How did Paul address the Corinthian believers in 1 Corinthians 3?
Paul said he could not speak to the Corinthians as spiritual people but had to speak to them as carnal, fleshly babes in Christ.