Is sophisticated or high-society living any different from fleshly living?
No. Living in high echelons of society or with pomp and circumstance is no different from fleshly living; it is still nothing but the gratification of the flesh. The outward style may be refined, but the inward source and aim remain the same—old Adam, not the Spirit.
Les teaches that those who are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh, and this describes the grand majority of the world. They have no concept of eternity or spiritual things; all they are concerned about is gratifying the flesh. Even if they do it with pomp and circumstance or in high echelons of society, it is still nothing but the gratification of the flesh. By contrast, those who are after the Spirit are concerned with the things of the Spirit. Les notes that in his travels, whether in upper or lower economic areas, believers want to talk about the book, not weather, sports, or politics, because their minds are on the things of the Spirit. The natural person will talk about anything but the things of the Spirit.