In our last post Paul explained to the Corinthians the superiority of God’s simple message over the wisdom of the world. Paul also explained that there is a spiritual wisdom that he shared among the spiritually mature. Here in chapter 3 Paul quickly tells the Corinthians that they are not mature enough for this wisdom. The Corinthians considered themselves sophisticated enough to understand any wisdom. After all Corinth was a center of Greek culture and philosophy. Paul corrects this wrong assumption by telling them that they are not spiritually mature. In fact, they were spiritual infants.
This must have come as a shock to the intellectually sophisticated Corinthians. After all, they were not only being taught by capable and respected teachers, but they also had the gifts of the spirit in full operation. Paul’s further instruction on how to conduct themselves as a church in the rest of this letter shows us the Corinthians spoke in tongues and interpreted, prophesied and laid hands on the sick and they recovered. Their gatherings were full of spiritual activity.
Spiritual activity is not the measure of spiritual maturity but the nature of our relationship with each other is a more accurate measure. Apparently, you can speak in tongues, lay hands on the sick and prophesy but still be spiritually immature infants that are not ready for mature teaching. Paul is letting them know that his message was simple when he taught them not because he was not capable of teaching wisdom but that they were not ready for it.
Paul drives this point home even further by telling them they are still not ready as evidenced by their quarreling. Paul tells them that their quarreling shows that they are not just immature Christians, but they are worldly and ruled by their sinful nature. They may have accepted Christ but are in affect part of team worldly sinful nature.
How many Christians even today consider themselves mature because of the qualifications of their teachers and their own or their churches powerful spiritual activity. Like the Corinthians the better measure of our spiritual maturity is our relationships with people because this is a direct reflection of our relationship with Christ. If we have quarrels over our denominational, church, cultural and other differences then we are also part of team worldly sinful nature.
God requires us to examine our spiritual maturity based on how we relate to each other and not our perceived spiritual accomplishments.