In 1 Corinthians, 'perfect' means mature, not sinless or without fault.
Les Feldick explains that in 1 Corinthians 2:6 the King James word 'perfect' really means mature. The Corinthians were carnal and recently saved out of paganism, yet they had enough of the basic fundamentals of Paul's gospel to be referred to as mature. Maturity is not the same as sinlessness; it describes spiritual growth in believers.
1 Corinthians 2:6 — This is the key verse in Corinthians where Paul uses the word 'perfect' and speaks wisdom among those who are mature.
1 Corinthians 3:1-2 — This passage shows the Corinthians as carnal babes in Christ who needed milk, not meat, demonstrating the need for growth toward maturity.
Genesis 6:9 — Les uses Noah as an example to show that 'perfect' in Scripture means mature spirituality, not sinlessness.
In 1 Corinthians 2:6, Paul says, "Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought." The word "perfect" here is used of those among whom Paul speaks wisdom, and the context shows it refers to those who are mature rather than the worldly wise. The same letter calls the Corinthians babes in Christ who were still carnal: "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able" (1 Corinthians 3:1-2). Scripture also connects spiritual growth to newborn babes desiring the milk of the Word: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2).
Les Feldick teaches that in 1 Corinthians 2:6 the King James word "perfect" really means mature. The Corinthian believers, even though they were carnal, had enough of the basic fundamentals of Paul's gospel to be referred to as mature. Les emphasizes that the spiritual life parallels the physical life: people are born into the family of God as babes in Christ, not as fully mature spiritual persons. These Corinthians had been saved out of abject paganism, idolatry, and immorality, so they still had hang-ups and needed nurturing and growth. In spite of all their problems, they were in grace, and God did not give up on them. Les also shows from Noah that "perfect" does not mean sinless; it means mature spirituality, and God expects His children to grow.
No. Les Feldick plainly states that the word "perfect" does not mean that Noah was sinless. In Noah's case, "perfect" meant a mature spirituality like no one else of his day. The same is true in Corinthians: "perfect" points to spiritual maturity, not absolute sinlessness.
Les explains that even though the Corinthians were carnal, they had enough of the basic fundamentals of Paul's gospel to be referred to as mature. Paul was not bringing them the wisdom of this world or the wisdom of its princes; he was speaking the hidden wisdom of God among those who were mature enough to receive it.
Les compares the spiritual life to the physical life: no one is born again as a full, mature spiritual person. All believers enter as babes in Christ. God expects growth from His children. The Corinthians were believers who had been placed into the Body of Christ, but they were still fleshly minded and needed time to grow, just as Peter says newborn babes are to desire the sincere milk of the Word.
Why God Chooses the Foolish Over the Wise — 1 Corinthians 1:27-31
When he puts a little message in the bottle and he throws it out in the ocean and the whole thing goes away and pretty soon here it comes back. Hey listen, that's us. That's us. All we have to do is plant a seed once in a while. And just like old B.C.'s bottle, it's going to go out it's going to accomplish something and one day it'll come back.
Perfect Means Mature
Les teaches that in 1 Corinthians 2:6 the King James word 'perfect' really means mature, and the Corinthian believers, though carnal, had enough of the basic fundamentals of Paul's gospel to be referred to as mature.
Believers Start as Babes
Les compares the spiritual life to the physical life: no one is born into God's family as a full, mature spiritual person; all enter as babes in Christ.
Saved Out of Paganism
Les reminds readers that the Corinthians were saved out of abject paganism, idolatry, and immorality, so there was a time of nurturing and growth—yet they had all of God's grace at salvation.
Carnal Versus Mature
Les describes a carnal Christian as the opposite of a mature spiritual Christian, and notes these recent converts still had hang-ups from past immoral practices, but they were in grace.
God Kept Them Growing
Les notes that although Corinth was plagued with almost every sin imaginable, God did not give up on them; He kept them in a place of growing.
God Expects Growth
Les stresses that God expects growth from His children; the Corinthians were believers born again into the Body of Christ but still fleshly minded.
Perfect Doesn't Mean Sinless
Using Noah, Les shows that the word 'perfect' does not mean sinless; it means mature spirituality. He ties this to believers beginning as newborn babes and needing to grow.
1 Corinthians 2:6: Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
Paul uses the word 'perfect' to describe those among whom he speaks God's wisdom, which the context shows means mature believers.
1 Corinthians 3:1-2: And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
This passage pictures the Corinthians as babes in Christ who needed milk, not meat, showing that maturity is a process.
1 Peter 2:2: As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
Les cites this verse to show that spiritual life begins with babes who must desire the Word in order to grow.
Genesis 6:9: These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Les uses Noah to demonstrate that 'perfect' in the King James Bible does not mean sinless but mature spirituality.
No. In 1 Corinthians 2:6, 'perfect' means mature. Les Feldick teaches that the Corinthian believers, though carnal, had enough basic fundamentals of Paul's gospel to be referred to as mature. He also points to Noah, where 'perfect' does not mean sinless but mature spirituality.
Les explains that the King James word 'perfect' really means mature. Even though the Corinthians were carnal, they had enough of the basic fundamentals of Paul's gospel to be referred to as mature. They were not sinless; they were believers who still needed to grow.
Les says the spiritual life parallels the physical life: everyone is born into the family of God as a babe in Christ. God expects growth from His children. The Corinthians were saved out of gross paganism and immorality, so they needed a time of nurturing and growth, but they were always in grace.
Watch the Teaching: Why God Chooses the Foolish Over the Wise — 1 Corinthians 1:27-31