Three Men

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV)

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:1 (NKJV)

Immature believers often continue to live in “worldly” thought patterns, controlled by their own desires; mature believers are more in tune with God’s desires. How much influence do your desires have on your life? To what degree have you allowed God’s Word and God’s Spirit to rewrite your personal desires? Seek to make God’s desires your own. Being controlled by your own desires will stunt your growth.

In Paul’s thought the human person is made up of body, mind (or soul), and spirit. The human spirit is the point of contact with the divine spirit, and when a person opens himself to the Holy Spirit, not only his spirit but also his whole being is renewed, sanctified, and put on the road to continuous spiritual progress 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

1. THE NATURAL MAN—(1 Cor. 2:14).
He is not a converted man (1 Pet. 1:23).
He may be a religious man (Jas. 1:26).
He may be an educated man (Acts 22:3).
He is dead in sins (Eph. 2:1).
He has no spiritual life (Eph. 4:17, 18).
He has no spiritual discernment (1 Cor. 2:14).
He is without God and without hope (Eph. 2:12).

2. THE CARNAL MAN—(1 Cor. 3:1-4).
He may be a Christian (1 Cor. 1:2 with 3:1).
He is like a child (1 Cor. 3:1).
He never advances spiritually (1 Cor. 3:2).
He follows the way of the flesh (Rom. 8:7; 1 Cor. 3:3).
He is conformed to the world (Rom. 12:2).
He causes division in the church (1 Cor. 1:10-13; 3:4).
He produces the fruit of carnality (Heb. 5:11-14).

3. THE SPIRITUAL MAN (1 Cor. 2:9-16).
He is led by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14).
He is not of the world (John 17:16).
He is not understood by the world (1 John 3:1).
He has the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5).
He seeks God’s deeper things (Ps. 1:2; 1 Cor. 3:1, 2)
He is able to overcome the world (1 John 5:4, 5).
He is producing the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-22).

Conclusion:
We are one of the three classes. We should ask ourselves where we are. We should seek to be out-and-out for Christ.

For the believer, the Scriptures are a light on his path and a lamp before his feet (Ps 119:105). He knows that in God’s light he sees light (Ps 36:9). In view of the spiritual person’s anointing with the Holy Spirit, he has a knowledge of the truth (1 John 2:20). Thus he is able to distinguish truth from error.

The spiritual man has the “mind of Christ.” This is the reason the believer can discern spiritual things: he has the “mind of Christ.” This does not mean that the spiritual man knows all there is to know about Christ, but it means that his mind is focused upon God and the things of God just as the mind of Christ was. The Spirit of God pulls, draws, and stirs the mind of the genuine believer to spiritual things. Paul writes that the spiritual man judges all things. By implication, this person receives the guidance of the Holy Spirit and uses the Scriptures as his guide for the voyage of his life (1 Corinthians 2:15).

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