There are ministers who plant the word and ministers who water the word. Paul spends a great deal of time in Chapter 3 explaining the role of a minister to the carnal Christians who are at Corinth.
Paul calls them carnal early in chapter 3: “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. For ye are carnal: for there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1 Corinthians 3: 2-3).
carnal - sarkikos - pertaining to flesh, i.e. bodily, temporal, or animal, unregenerate.
Unregenerate means not reforming or showing repentance; obstinately wrong or bad.
The verses below further address being carnal or fleshly:
Romans 8:5-7
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Notice that Paul is specifically naming the brethren here. He is warning believers against becoming an enemy to God = being carnal (walking in the flesh)13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Again, Paul uses ye several times in this verse to indicate that he is specifically addressing/warning the brethren. Since every person lives literally and dies literally, Paul is not making a reference to physically living and dying. Instead, he is confirming what so many verses of the Bible state: If one does not abide in Christ and is not led of His Spirit, that once believer will face eternal damnation instead of eternal life.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
A believer is a son of God only if the believer is LED by the Spirit. Verse 13 just before this verse shows Paul warning believers that they must through the Spirit - which means being LED of the Spirit - mortify the deeds of the flesh. If a believer continues to be carnal, that believer is not being led by the Spirit of God.
Throughout 1 Corinthians, Paul exhorts this group of carnal Christians for good reason. A Christian must grow in the faith from milk to meat. A babe in Christ does not have mature fruit, and we know that Jesus speaks of fruit many times to exhibit how we will know those who have eternal life. Before continuing in 1 Corinthians 3, it is necessary to further address why a believer must grow beyond milk.
In Hebrews chapter 5, those on milk instead of meat are addressed:
11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
unskilful - apeiros - inexperienced, i.e. ignorant
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Immediately after he states this to the believers who must be taught again (verse 12) with milk (verse 12 & 13), he begins chapter 6 of Hebrews. The Lord showed me some years ago by His Spirit of Grace that a believer can reject the faith he once believed in, can remain carnal and never bear fruit ( fruit indicates maturity in Christ), and thus will not inherit eternal life.
Immediately after ending chapter 5 with verse 13, he then moves straight into chapter 6 with an undeniable truth regarding believers:
1Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
perfection - teleiotes - a completer, i.e. consummator
He is telling these believers who are "back on milk again" that they must continue to grow and to mature.
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Immediately after telling these believers in Hebrews that they needed to be taught again on “milk”, he then illustrates that a believer who has the Holy Ghost, is enlightened, and has tasted the word of God and the powers to come will be rejected and burned IF those believers fall away. There remains no more sacrifice for sins because those who fall away have newly crucified Christ. He is telling them this for a very specific reason. He is using this as a warning. This should be a warning to all believers who are carnal or who have made progress but falter on their journey in Christ. Repent and continue on to perfection/completion IN CHRIST. A believer’s heart that is gradually hardened can find him or herself in this very same situation of possible eternal damnation.
We must understand the danger of remaining a carnal believer or making progress only to digress and become carnal again. Romans 8 and Hebrews 5 & 6 specifically warn us of the dangers.
This is why Paul exhorts the Church at Corinth very specifically.
Again, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:,
“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. For ye are carnal: for there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1 Corinthians 3: 2-3).
carnal - sarkikos - pertaining to flesh, i.e. bodily, temporal, or animal, unregenerate.
Unregenerate means not reforming or showing repentance; obstinately wrong or bad.
He then goes on to explain that there are divisions within the church. They are not united - some of them say, “I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos” (verse 4). Both Paul and Apollos have ministered to the Corinthians. Acts 19 shows that Apollos has ministered there: “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth” (verse 1).
Paul explains that they are carnal in their divisions. He explains that he and Apollos are ministers (teachers) and that the Corinthians should not say,”I am of Paul or Apollos”, but instead they should say, ”I am of God.”
_-_James_Tissot.jpg)
Remaining silent on these issues would be a grave sin on my part, a denial of what His Grace has taught me these last years. I love Him and others too much to do that.
No comments:
Post a Comment