In the world where hate seems to continue to increase, and love grows cold, as Paul prophesied would characterize the end times, we must be careful to remain on the heavenly plain in our thinking and in the emotions of our heart.

 

A line from Joseph at the end of the Book of Genesis summarizes the entire book, and at some level summarizes the plan of God for human history – “Man meant evil but God meant it for good.”

 

Gen 50:20-21

“And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. 21 So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”

 

1Co 3:1

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ.

 

The word sarkinos (of flesh) refers to those who are ruled by the flesh and moved entirely by human drives. They are people who belong to the realm of the flesh and human self-sufficiency rather than depending upon the power and wisdom of God and His word.

 

“Living out of the flesh is the self-reliant attitude of the man who puts his trust in his own strength and in that which is controllable by him.” [Bultmann]

 

Sarx denotes persons in respect to their drive toward self-esteem, preservation, or success with no mind towards God and His spiritual life. Certainly, sensuality and immorality would come under the heading of “flesh” but it does not exclude people who don’t delve into sensuality but do delve into self-sufficiency. So then, we see the Corinthians to be moved entirely by human drives.

 

The phrase, “babes in Christ,” (those who are infantile) draws our attention to the contrast, those who are mature, and in the context, those who are mature are those who have given their lives over to control of the Holy Spirit.

 

1Co 3:2-3

I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

 

The elementary doctrine that Paul seems to refer to is in 2:1, which is Christ crucified. They are the doctrines of the cross; redemption, atonement, propitiation, reconciliation, sanctification, justification.

 

These are not less that doctrines that can be learned once these are heard. It is just that they are the beginning. We continue to learn all doctrines, especially the doctrines of the cross, in greater depth and detail throughout our journey.

 

The problem with the Corinthians was not the types of doctrines they were taught, but their perspective. They learned to love creative, tantalizing, false doctrines.

 

The foundation is Christ crucified. From there the believer learns the many doctrines concerning all things revealed in the scripture: the fall of man, the covenants to Israel, the prophets, the church, the love of God, the unlimited atonement, the Holy Spirit, redemption, election, etc. None of these doctrines make any sense nor have any validity without the crucifixion of Christ.

 

The Corinthians came to love synthetic doctrines from false teachers who had good oratory skills and tantalizing mysteries designed to tickle the ear, but of which all was false.

 

2Co 11:2-15

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin [the believer is betrothed to Christ as His bride awaiting the wedding ceremony]. 3 But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. 5 For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6 But even if I am unskilled in speech [he refused to use oratory skills that put the light upon himself], yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things. 7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to serve you; 9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia, they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine [knowledge of truth] will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 But what I am doing, I will continue to do, that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting [they have the truth]. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds.

 

1Co 3:2-3

I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

 

Still, Paul gave them milk, but because of their fleshliness, they were not able to digest it.

 

They were Christians who were nominally focused on Christ but in practice and stance still focused on the interest of self (fleshly).

 

The proof of their immaturity was their partisanship.

 

The hope of our calling, the confidence to know that we will see what the Lord has called us to be, is of prime importance. The fact that the Corinthians believers could be duped into continuing to pursue the self-life while thinking they were spiritual is a sobering and eye-opening reality.

 

It is an anomaly for a Christian to be jealous and have strife. He is unlike the world divided by parties who seek recognition and supremacy. Jealousy is the desire that the self may have the status, possessions, esteem, or honor supposedly accorded to others. Strife is the expression of this desire in active strategies to gain advantage for self or for the peer group of the self.

 

The anomaly is expressed in Paul’s shocked and indignant, “are you not behaving like any merely human person?”

 

Christians are people who have been reoriented and transformed on the basis of the cross. They cannot be mere persons if they live out the blessings that come with it.

 

1Co 1:18

For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.