The Corinthians were unable to handle strong spiritual teaching because they were carnal — genuine believers who were still like babes in Christ, controlled by the flesh rather than the Spirit.
Paul told them he could not speak to them as spiritual, but as carnal, and that he had fed them with milk and not with meat because they could not yet bear it. Les explains that although they were born again and in the Body of Christ, they had stagnated spiritually and so could not receive the deeper doctrinal truths of the Word.
1 Corinthians 3:1 — Paul directly identifies the Corinthians as carnal babes in Christ, which is why he could not give them deeper teaching.
1 Corinthians 3:2 — This verse shows Paul fed them milk, not strong meat, because they were not able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — It confirms the Corinthians were all baptized into the Body of Christ, so their carnality was not a lack of salvation.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “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). The Scripture plainly says they were not yet able to handle solid spiritual food. Paul also names the evidence of their carnal condition: “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?” (1 Corinthians 3:3–4). At the same time, he reminds them, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13), showing that they were indeed members of the Body of Christ.
Les explains that the Corinthians were genuine believers — born again and placed into the Body of Christ — yet they remained fleshly-minded and were not growing spiritually. They had largely come out of pagan idolatry, but instead of progressing in the faith, they stagnated in spiritual infancy. Because they were still carnal, Paul had to feed them with milk rather than the strong meat of the Word. Les identifies that strong meat as deeper doctrinal truths, which they were not yet able to handle. He emphasizes that God expects growth from His children, and the Corinthians’ failure to grow was the reason Paul addressed them the way he did. Their carnality also showed up in their practical problems, including divisions and lawsuits between believers. Interestingly, Les points out that even in this same letter to the most carnal congregation, Paul still wrote some of the profoundest doctrines, such as the resurrection.
Yes. Les says, “Don’t ever lose sight of that. They are believers. They’ve been born again, and they’ve been placed into the Body of Christ, but they are still so fleshly minded.” Paul calls them “babes in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1) and reminds them they were all baptized into one Body by one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). Their carnality did not cancel their position in Christ.
Les says the King James word “meat” in 1 Corinthians 3:2 should be understood as strong meat — not just food in general, but beef, mutton, or the like. It refers to the deeper doctrinal truths of Scripture that require spiritual growth to receive. Paul said the Corinthians were not able to bear it, “neither yet now are ye able” (1 Corinthians 3:2).
Les points to the Corinthians’ divisions and practical failures as evidence of their carnality. Members were saying “I am of Paul” and “I am of Apollos,” and some were suing one another in pagan courts. Paul himself wrote that envying, strife, and divisions show they were yet carnal (1 Corinthians 3:3–4).
Les contrasts the Corinthians with the Thessalonians. Paul had been in Thessalonica only a short time, yet that church had received teaching “from the rudimentary to the very deep things.” The Corinthians, however, had not gone into the deep things and were still stuck in spiritual infancy. So their problem was not just the short amount of time they had been believers.
Carnal Believers in the Body
Les shows that Paul addresses the entire Corinthian congregation as saints and members of the Body of Christ, but describes most of them as carnal, fleshly babes in Christ.
Milk Instead of Meat
Les emphasizes that the Corinthian church was plagued with problems because they were carnal; Paul had to feed them milk and could not give them the meat of the Word.
Spiritually Stagnated Infants
Les explains that the Corinthians were mostly recent pagan converts who were not growing; they stayed in spiritual infancy, so Paul had to give them milk rather than strong meat.
Fleshly-Minded Yet Believers
Les stresses that God expects spiritual growth and that the Corinthians, though born again, were still so fleshly-minded that Paul had to address them as carnal.
Spiritual Infants Can't Handle Solid Food
Les compares their condition to an infant unable to handle a t-bone steak, and says they had not grown sufficiently to take advantage of deeper spiritual truths; their major problem was division.
The Thessalonians as a Contrast
Les contrasts the Corinthians with the Thessalonians, who received the entire gamut from basic to deep teaching in a short time, showing the Corinthians' lack of growth was not just lack of opportunity.
Carnality's Practical Results
Les explains the whole letter is addressed to weak, carnal, fleshly believers, and their carnality produced problems such as personality preferences and lawsuits between believers.
Deep Doctrine in a Carnal Letter
Les notes that although Paul told the carnal Corinthians he could not give them strong meat, this same letter contains profound doctrines like the resurrection — the most carnal congregation still received deep truth.
1 Corinthians 3:1: And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
Paul directly states the Corinthians were carnal and needed to be addressed as babes in Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:2: 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 is the clearest scriptural reason why Paul withheld strong teaching from the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 3:3: For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Paul identifies the Corinthians' divisions as proof that they were still carnal.
1 Corinthians 3:4: For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Paul uses their partisan loyalties to teachers as evidence of carnality.
1 Corinthians 12:13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Paul writes to the same Corinthians, showing they were all in the Body of Christ despite their carnality.
1 Corinthians 2:11: For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Paul refers to how only the Spirit knows the deep things of God, which the Corinthians were not yet mature enough to receive.
Yes. Les stresses that Paul addresses them as believers and members of the Body of Christ. Paul says they were “babes in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1) and reminds them that by one Spirit they were all baptized into one Body (1 Corinthians 12:13). Carnality was their condition, not their standing.
Les says the milk refers to the basic teaching Paul gave them because they were babes, while the meat refers to strong or deeper doctrinal truths they were not yet able to bear. Paul told them plainly, “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat” (1 Corinthians 3:2).
Les points to their divisions and practical problems, such as saying “I am of Paul” or “I am of Apollos” and taking fellow believers to pagan courts. Paul himself said their envying, strife, and divisions proved they were yet carnal (1 Corinthians 3:3–4).
Watch the Teaching: Why Unbelievers Can't Understand the Bible — 1 Corinthians 2 Explained