In 1 Cor. 2:14ff, the apostle Paul describes three kinds of people, as seen by their response to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is instructive to clearly understand these three types, and to honestly ponder which best describes each of us.
(1) The Natural Man – Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged, (1 Cor. 2:14). The word “natural” translates a Greek word psychikos, which means unspiritual. It is variously translated as “natural” “without the Spirit” “sensual” “unspiritual.” A person without the Spirit relies on human wisdom. The rhetorical skills and human philosophies so respected at Corinth made the gospel sound like “foolishness” to him, (cf. 1:18). His highest faith is in what he himself can see and understand. It is entirely secular, human, earthly. His outlook is physical, worldly, as opposed to spiritual, godly.
Today, people who are perishing reject the wisdom of God as revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. To them, the Bible is a book of superstitious nonsense. They generally regard it as full of mistakes and contradictions. They may think it is merely optional advice, to be followed at one’s own discretion. They often think of Christians as naïve, stupid, unlearned, and they have a low regard for the church. The Natural Man observes nature, but is blind to the Creator of nature. When he sees the beauty of creation, such as a bird in flight, or the glory of the heavens, he sees it merely as part of an evolutionary process. He refuses to see behind it a loving, all-powerful God. He has “swallowed the lie” of Satan, and cannot be saved because he refuses to “receive the love of the truth” of God’s word, (2 Thess. 2:10). The Natural Man may scoff at the preaching of God’s word. He may dismiss it as old-fashioned, outdated, irrelevant. By refusing to receive the word of God, he cannot be led by the Spirit of God, because the word is the means by which the Holy Spirit leads people, (cf. Eph. 5:17-18; Col. 3:16; Rom. 10:17; etc.). So long as the Natural Man continues to “walk after the flesh” rather than after the Spirit,” he cannot be subject to God, enjoying true life and peace, (Rom. 8:6-9). His understanding is “darkened” and he is “alienated” from the wonderful life of God, (Eph. 4:17-18).
(2) The Spiritual Man – But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man, (1 Cor. 2:15). The word “spiritual” is from the Greek word, pneumatikos, meaning “guided by the Spirit” “having the Spirit” “spiritual.” The person who is spiritual perceives not only the physical things of the earth, but also the things of heaven, so that he “judges,” discerns, examines, appraises all things. His view of reality is enlightened by the word of God, and he is able to appreciate the wisdom revealed by God, (1 Cor. 1:18).
The Spiritual Man is equipped by the gospel to make correct decisions throughout life. In possession of the gospel, he is “complete, furnished completely unto every good work,” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). He is “judged of no man” because he is able to make the required judgments himself, by the word of God. To his own Lord he stands or falls, (Rom. 14:4; 1 Cor. 4:1-5). Each of us should be a Spiritual Man, because such is approved by God, (2 Tim. 3:16-17). And since he is relying on God to guide his journey, the Spiritual Man may look forward to an eternity with God. The Spiritual Man walks by faith, relying on God to lead him gently home, (2 Cor. 5:7).
(3) The Carnal Man – And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ, (1 Cor. 3:1). The word “carnal” translates the Greek word, sarkikos, meaning “fleshly.” Paul uses this term to describe the Corinthian’s as “babes” who were immature, not full-grown. Although they had the Spirit, (both collectively, 1 Cor. 3:16; and individually, 1 Cor. 6:19), they had not grown or developed properly. This was obvious from the fact that they were jealous and contentious among themselves, (1 Cor. 3:3ff). They were stymieing or interfering with the work and development of the Spirit in their own lives. They were not walking by the Spirit, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, (Gal. 5:16ff) including love, peace, kindness and self-control.
Which of these three men are we? Are we Natural, refusing to accept the true wisdom that comes from God above? Are we Spiritual, meekly receiving the word which is able to save our souls? Or are we somewhere in between, still Carnal, fleshly, limited, failing to grow and mature as we ought? The choice is completely up to us. The type of man we choose to be will determine how we live our lives on this earth, and where we will spend eternity hereafter.
-by Robert C. Veil, Jr.
