What does 'carnal' mean in 1 Corinthians 3?
In 1 Corinthians 3, 'carnal' refers to believers who are still controlled by the flesh rather than by the Holy Spirit. They remain babes in Christ, unable to handle the deeper doctrinal truths of Scripture, still on spiritual milk and not grown beyond the beginning.
Les explains that 'carnal' here refers to believers who are still controlled by the flesh rather than by the Holy Spirit. They are still babes in Christ, unable to handle the strong meat of the Word—the deeper doctrinal truths. Paul had nurtured them on spiritual milk, yet even after a year or two they had not grown beyond the beginning. Les notes this is a sad commentary, and many professing Christians today are in the same state, still on the milk of the Word and not ready for meat. He also mentions that God through the Word divides the whole human race into three categories, first in two, lost and saved.
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
More Questions
How did the Corinthian church show that they were carnal?
The first way the Corinthians showed their carnality was by having divisions -- envying and strife and pet people they wanted to follow -- which is the first thing Paul deals with in chapter 3, verse 3.
How did the Corinthian believers demonstrate their carnality?
The Corinthians showed their carnality by having divisions, because they had pet people they wanted to follow, which is the first thing Paul deals with in chapter 3, verse 3.