Carnal Christians?

[Carbon]

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:1.

Cor 3:1 seems to have been a source of much debate and conflict. Many seem to use this verse as a proof text to prove the teaching called - "carnal Christianity."


This teaching asserts that there are two classes of Christians. The carnal and the spiritual.


According to their argument, a "carnal Christian" is a Christian who can continue living in sin and still be considered a true child of God. They look to Paul's teaching in this verse as the basis of their assertion.

But, is Paul teaching that a Christian can continue to live in sin and still be called a Christian?
Is he contradicting his own teaching in Romans 8:5-7
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.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.


Thoughts?

 

[makesends]

The supposed "two classes" leave a lot of room between the two notions, where most of us would fit (were the construction valid).

But there is something about language that doesn't usually work well with absolute consistent meaning of a word in all uses. I don't like the term, "carnal christian" for the rather obvious contradictions you show above, or, more to the point, because of what people make of the term. But if Paul says he must address them as unto carnal people, it may still be a valid way to point out immaturity.

 

[Alive]

Havea look at context…
“And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but only as fleshly, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people? For when one person says, “I am with Paul,” and another, “I am with Apollos,” are you not ordinary people?

What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

(1 Corinthians 3:1-9 NAS20)

 

[Alive]

And here…
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

(Hebrews 5:12-14 NKJV)

 

[LeviR]

Havea look at context…
“And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but only as fleshly, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people? For when one person says, “I am with Paul,” and another, “I am with Apollos,” are you not ordinary people?

What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

(1 Corinthians 3:1-9 NAS20)

Paul is feeding the Corinthians milk and not strong meat. What he writes in his letter to them ought be easy to understand if one is merely earthly.
He does not write of what is more meatier and heavenly because they can’t consume it.
Anyone should be able to easily understand his letter to them. If not there might be a problem.
Jesus told Nicodemus, “if I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”
It should be easy for even the earthly to understand what Jesus had told Nicodemus.