The church at Corinth was asking the same questions as we do today. What do we do with the culture around us? What fits and what doesn’t fit? They tried to merge their existing culture with the belief in Jesus, and it just didn’t fit.
When we struggling with cultural questions, we must first ask, how are we rooted in the foundation of Jesus? Then we must ask, how that represents itself in the world around us?
Spirit = Life
God has given His spirit. God makes that happen. Our spirit dies to sin, but God gives us life with His spirit. We are given understanding of His truth.
Natural = Un-spiritual = Spirit of God is absent
To a natural person, spiritual truth is foolishness. They do not accept or understand God’s truth.
In Corinth, the celebrities of their culture were the leaders of all the various religious beliefs. As Paul was addressing the people there, they began to category him and other Christian leaders in the same way.
They began to divide on which “leader” they were following. Paul addresses this as worldly pursuits, and asks whether they can grow with these worldly mindsets. That they are still infants in faith, and unable to grow.
Characteristics of “Babies”
There are instances where we show that we are in the same position as those in Corinth. Below are some categories of how we do this.
Distractions – We find our focus drifts from one thing to another. We get caught up on who we are going to listen to or watch or what we are going to do. We then risks putting selfish priorities over what God has directed us to do.
Distortions – When we work with children, we end up magnifying things to help them understand. The road is dangerous, the oven is hot, and things are heavy. We amplify the danger. We do this with God’s work as well. Unfortunately, God’s truth has either is changed or has no place when we operate in distortions.
Distance – We distance ourselves for various reasons from God’s truth. Maybe we think we know better. Maybe it is because we are too “bad” to be acceptable. This can be a result from the distortions that we have in God’s truth.
Disjointed – Each part of a person’s body operates together. When something is disjointed, it effects the entire system. But we must operate with God as the head and each of us as parts of the body. Being involved in God’s church.
You have been saved or redeemed. speaks of how we relate to one another and to listen and stop fighting. Don’t be disjointed.
Do not give control over to something else that takes you away from God. Such as being drunk or living in debauchery (out of control of living.) Don’t distance yourself from God.
Don’t give yourself over to sexual immorality. We are housing the Holy Spirit in our bodies as a holy temple.
All of this is rooted in the truth that we are alive in Jesus. There is no step A, B, and C to living as a Christian. It is a journey where we trust in Jesus, and we then live in that truth. And when we find ourselves disjointed, distorted, or distanced from God, we turn away from that and turn towards Him to let him correct our brokenness.
2:1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (ESV)
3:1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. (ESV)
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (ESV)
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (ESV)
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, (ESV)
6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.
23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (ESV)