Which Kind of Person?
Where do you fit in? According to the New Testament, there are four kinds of people regarding the spiritual life. First, there is the “natural man,” i.e. the fallen son of Adam. He is without God.
The apostle Paul wrote, “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) Second, there is the “babe in Christ.” When a person sees himself as a sinner and trusts Christ as his personal Savior, he is born again and becomes a babe in Christ. But babes can and should grow, so they are exhorted, “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” (1 Peter 2:2) Third, there is the “carnal” Christian. He is the one who, though he has been a Christian for years, has not grown spiritually. It is due to indifference and neglect of the Word of God. While a Christian long enough to have grown, he still responds to life as a natural man in worldly thinking. This person must be treated as a babe in Christ. Paul wrote to this one, “I … could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-2) Fourth, there is the “spiritual” Christian. This one prayerfully studies God’s Word and is growing toward spiritual maturity. As believers, “we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine.” (Ephesians 4:14) Instead, we are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18) Which kind of person are you?
Sin cera, Erik
Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
