1 Coríntios 3
William Barclay · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 Coríntios 3
Barclay says "the man who is pneumatikos is the man who is sensitive to the Spirit and whose life is guided by the Spirit." Pneumatikos primarily is used of impersonal things - law (Ro 7:14), gift (Ro 1:11), blessing (Eph 1:3), songs (Eph 5:19, Col 3:16), food (1Cor 10:13), understanding (Col 1:9 - as given by the Spirit). Believers are a spiritual (pneumatikos) house and offer spiritual sacrifices (1Pe 2:5). Pneumatikos can refer to what belongs to, or is actuated by, the Divine Spirit and so speaks of persons: 1 Cor 2:13, 2:15, 3:1, 14:37; Gal 6:1; 1 Pet 2:5. Pneumatikos refers to Jesus (1Cor 15:47). Vine says "Pneumatikos "always connotes the ideas of invisibility and of power....The spiritual man is one who walks by the Spirit both in the sense of Galatians 5:16 and in that of Galatians 5:25 , and who himself manifests the fruit of the Spirit in his own ways." NT uses of pneumatikos - Ro 1:11; Ro 7:14; Ro 15:27; 1 Co. 2:13; 1 Co. 2:15; 1 Co. 3:1; 1 Co. 9:11; 1 Co. 10:3; 1 Co. 10:4; 1 Co. 12:1; 1 Co. 14:1; 1 Co. 14:37; 1 Co. 15:44; 1 Co. 15:46; Gal. 6:1; Eph. 1:3; Eph. 5:19; Eph. 6:12; Col. 1:9; Col. 3:16; 1 Pet. 2:5. But (alla - strong term of contrast) as to men of flesh (sarkinos), as to infants (nepios) in Christ - Wuest paraphrases men of flesh as "those dominated by the evil nature." Infants is an apropos metaphor for those who were born again (Jn 3:3+) which they were because Paul says they were in Christ. To the Greeks an infant was one who had no power and needed the assistance of parents or guardians, both good descriptions of the saints at Corinth. Although they had the indwelling Spirit, they clearly had not "tapped into" the Power that was dwelling in their mortal bodies (1 Cor 6:19+), and thus instead of living "spiritual" lives full of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23+), they were living fleshly lives and bearing the rotten fruit of the works of the flesh as Paul described in Gal 5:19-21+ "which are: immorality (1 Cor 5:1+, 1 Cor 6:13, 18+, 1 Cor 7:2+, 2 Cor 12:21), impurity (2 Cor 12:21), sensuality (2 Cor 12:21), idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife (1 Cor 1:11+ same word eris translated quarrels, 2 Cor 12:20) , jealousy (1 Cor 3:3, 2 Cor 12:20), outbursts of anger (2 Cor 12:20), disputes (2 Cor 12:20), dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." The writer of Hebrews addressed his readers in a similar way ... Concerning him (Melchizedek) we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing (? backslidden). 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. (SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS LIKE RIDING A BIKE - STOP PEDALING, STOP GOING. STOP READING, OBEYING WORD, STOP GROWING! I FEEL ON MY BIKE YESTERDAY BECAUSE I WAS STANDING STILL! YOU CAN SEE THE SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS!) 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness (NOT NEW TRUTHS BUT DEEPER ASPECTS OF THE BASIC TRUTHS- SEE NOTE), for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14+) Men of flesh (sarkinos) - Literally "fleshly ones." As believers they were no longer positionally IN ADAM, or "in the flesh," but were now IN CHRIST (cf 1 Cor 15:22+) as their new, eternal position. However they were failing to PRACTICE their POSITION, or conduct themselves in a manner concordant with their new identities in Christ. And the only alternative to living enabled by the Spirit, is to live "enabled" by the fallen flesh, which is what they were doing. So while they were not IN THE FLESH, they were definitely acting like they were and thus they were FLESHLY or walking "after the flesh." Babies are cute when they are little, but when 20, 30, 40 year olds act like babies, they no longer cute and it is the same way spiritually speaking! How many Christians have set in church pews for years and failed to mature from spiritual babies to spiritual men. That is tragic and gives a weak picture of the power of Christ in a believer's life. Little wonder that so many pagans scoff at and not attracted by the genre of Christianity they see in their spiritually immature friends! The Corinthians needed to examine themselves carefully to determine whether their profession is genuine possession (2 Co 13:5, Titus 1:16). "Babes in Christ" need to "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pe 3:18, 1 Pe 2:1). THOUGHT- The popular term "CARNAL CHRISTIANS" (Latin =carneus) has been used erroneously to label those who PROFESS Christ as Lord and Savior but who live habitually (as their continual, unremitting practice) in bondage to and under domination to sin, their unchanging sinful lifestyle strongly suggesting that they were never POSSESSORS of the indwelling Spirit of Christ (See What is easy believism?). Writing to the Galatians, Paul solemnly declared that he had "forewarned...that those who practice (present tense = habitually, as their continuing lifestyle) such things (WHAT THINGS? SEE Gal 5:19-20+) will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal 5:21+) Beloved, could Paul have been any clearer? The teaching that says men with a continually sinful lifestyle are saved but are just living CONTINUALLY under the control of the flesh rather than the Spirit needs to be considered with extreme caution in light of Gal 5:21+, 1 Co 6:9-11+ ("will inherit the kingdom of God"), 1 Jn 3:4, 8,10+, Mt 7:23+ etc) MacArthur on why they were spiritually immature even in face of having Paul teach 18 months and then Apollos - Because they refused to give up their worldly ways and their carnal desires, they became what James calls forgetful hearers (James 1:25). A person who does not use information will lose it; and spiritual truth is no exception. Spiritual truths that we ignore and neglect will become less and less remembered and meaningful (cf. 2 Pet. 1:12–13). Nothing causes us to ignore God’s truth more than not living it. A sinning Christian is uncomfortable in the light of God’s truth. He either turns from his fleshly behavior or he begins to block out God’s light. Only when we put aside “malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander”—that is, the flesh—are we able to “long for the pure milk of the word” and “grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet. 2:1–2). (See The MacArthur New Testament Commentary) Henry Morris (Defender's Study Bible) has a wise comment on men of flesh - There is thus a distinction between "spiritual" believers and "carnal" believers, the one controlled by the Spirit, the other still largely controlled by the flesh (Romans 8:5-13; Galatians 5:16-25). Carnal Christians are not necessarily unsaved pseudo-Christians, although they need to examine themselves carefully to determine whether their profession of faith in Christ is genuine (2 Corinthians 13:5). Quite possibly they are just "babes in Christ" and need to "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). (Borrow The Defender's Study Bible) Ryrie on of flesh - The Greek word sarkinos means "fleshly" or "of the flesh," with the idea of weakness; in verse 3 fleshly has the overtone of willfulness. Fleshly Christians (brethren) are babes in Christ (i.e., undeveloped) who cannot understand the deeper truths of the Word of God (v. 2) and who are characterized by strife (v. 3). (Borrow Ryrie Study Bible) Of flesh (4560)(sarkinos from sarx- flesh) is used in some contexts to refer to that which is made of or consists of flesh (physical flesh). However, sarkinos can also refer to the moral/ethical aspect of human nature in its base behavior (1 Cor 3:1). Sarkinos - 4x in 4v in the NAS - Translated flesh(1), human(1), men of flesh(1), physical(1). - Ro. 7:14+; 1 Co. 3:1; 2 Co. 3:3; Heb. 7:16+ Summary - 1) fleshly, carnal 1a) having the nature of flesh, i.e. under the control of the animal appetites 1a1) governed by mere human nature not by the Spirit of God 1a2) having its seat in the animal nature or aroused by the animal nature 1a3) human: with the included idea of depravity 1b) pertaining to the flesh 1b1) to the body: related to birth, linage, etc Vine on sarkinos - (a) "consisting of flesh," 2 Cor. 3:3, "tables that are hearts of flesh" (AV, "fleshy tables of the heart"); (b) "pertaining to the natural, transient life of the body," Heb. 7:16, "a carnal commandment;" (c) given up to the flesh, i.e., with almost the same significance as sarkikos , Rom. 7:14, "I am carnal sold under sin;" 1 Cor. 3:1 (some texts have sarkikos , in both these places, and in those in (a) and (b), but textual evidence is against it). It is difficult to discriminate between sarkikos and sarkinos in some passages. In regard to 1 Pet. 2:11, Trench (Syn. lxxi, lxxii) says that sarkikos describes the lusts which have their source in man's corrupt and fallen nature, and the man is sarkikos who allows to the flesh a place which does not belong to it of right; in 1 Cor. 3:1 sarkinos is an accusation far less grave than sarkikos would have been. The Corinthians saints were making no progress, but they were not anti-spiritual in respect of the particular point with which the Apostle was there dealing. In 1 Cor 3:3, 4, they are charged with being sarkikos. Infants (babes, immature) (3516)(nepios from nê = negative + epos = not able to talk) means literally not speaking and thus a small child above age of a helpless infant but probably not more than three or four years of age. Figuratively as here in Romans nepios refers to a person who lacks experience, is untried or ignorant or simple-minded. In context Paul is referring to the Gentiles. Nepios is the term used by the Jews to designate Gentile proselytes. Paul uses it of one not come of legal age (Ga 4:1). The writer to the Hebrews used it of one spiritually immature (Heb 5:13) as did Paul (1Co 3:1) for they cannot eat solid food (spiritually speaking). Wuest Word Studies comments that nepios in Hebrews 5:13 means…an infant, a little child, a minor, not of age, and in a metaphorical sense, “untaught, unskilled.” The idea of immaturity is in the word, and according to the context in which it is found, it could refer to either mental or spiritual immaturity. Paul defines the word when he says that the person whom he calls a babe is “unskillful in the word of righteousness.” Spiritual immaturity is referred to by the word “babe.” Thus those spoken of as of full age are spiritually mature (teleios)" Nepios used 10x - Matt. 11:25; Matt. 21:16; Lk. 10:21; Rom. 2:20; 1 Co. 3:1; 1 Co. 13:11; Gal. 4:1; Gal. 4:3; Eph. 4:14; Heb. 5:13 Steven Cole has related comments in his sermon on Hebrews 2:1-4 The Danger of Drifting Spiritually One of the mistaken ideas that the author of Hebrews confronts in this and in every other warning section is what we could call “the myth of the carnal Christian.” This idea was popularized by Lewis Sperry Chafer’s (ED: FOUNDER OF DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AND FROM WHENCE MUCH OF THE LITERATURE ON THIS QUESTIONABLE TEACHING ON "CARNAL CHRISTIAN" ORIGINATES) He That is Spiritual [Dunham] and by the Scofield Reference Bible (note on 1Co 2:14 [ED: SEE SCOFIELD'S ORIGINAL NOTE BELOW]) early in the 20th century. It was later picked up by Campus Crusade’s booklet, “How to Be Filled With the Holy Spirit.” The idea is that there are three classes of people: the natural man (unbeliever); the spiritual man (the Spirit-filled believer); and, the carnal man (the believer who is running his own life, not subject to the Holy Spirit). For the sake of time, I cannot go into many of the problems with this classification (see Ernest Reisinger’s booklet, “What Should We Think of 'The Carnal Christian?” See 7 ratings 16 ratings). But one problem is that it gives false assurance to the person who says, “I believe in Jesus as my Savior, so I am going to heaven. But I am not submitting to Him as my Lord.” (ED: OR TO SAY IT ANOTHER WAY - THIS PERSON BELIEVES THEY BECAME A CHRISTIAN AT A POINT IN TIME IN THE PAST BUT THEREAFTER THEY EXPERIENCE ESSENTIALLY NO CHANGE IN THEIR BEHAVIOR. THEY CONTINUED TO SIN TO THE SAME DEGREE THAT THEY DID BEFORE THEY PROFESSED CHRIST! SADLY THEY THINK THEY HAVE A "FIRE INSURANCE POLICY" SO TO SPEAK!) For the author of Hebrews, either you are holding fast to your confession of faith in Christ and are striving against sin, or you are drifting spiritually and are in danger of frightening judgment (Heb 2:1-4+). Those are the only options. True believers may drift and may get entangled in sin (SEE BACKSLIDING, ENTANGLED). But when they are confronted with the truth, they will turn from their sin and pursue holiness (cf Heb 12:14+). If they do not turn from it, they have no basis for assurance of salvation. The longer they continue in sin, the more reason they have to question whether their profession of faith was genuine. But no one has the option of saying, “I’m just a carnal Christian. I’m living for this world now, but when I die I’ll go to heaven.” That option does not exist. Question - What is a carnal Christian? Answer: Can a true Christian be carnal? In answering this question, let’s first define the term “carnal.” The word “carnal” is translated from the Greek word sarkikos, (ED: AND ALSO AS sarkinos IN 1 Cor 3:1) which literally means “fleshly.” This descriptive word is seen in the context of Christians in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. In this passage, the apostle Paul is addressing the readers as “brethren,” a term he uses almost exclusively to refer to other Christians; he then goes on to describe them as “carnal.” Therefore, we can conclude that Christians can be carnal. The Bible is absolutely clear that no one is sinless (1 John 1:8+). Every time we sin, we are acting carnally (ED: READ THAT STATEMENT AGAIN!). The key thing to understand is that while a Christian can be, for a time, carnal, a true Christian will not remain carnal for a lifetime. Some have abused the idea of a “carnal Christian” by saying that it is possible for people to come to faith in Christ and then proceed to live the rest of their lives in a completely carnal manner, with no evidence of being born again or a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17+). Such a concept is completely unbiblical. James 2:14-25+ makes it abundantly clear that genuine faith will always result in good works. Ephesians 2:8-10+ declares that while we are saved by grace alone through faith alone, that salvation will result in works. Can a Christian, in a time of failure and/or rebellion, appear to be carnal? Yes. Will a true Christian remain carnal? No. Since eternal security is a fact of Scripture, even the carnal Christian is still saved. Salvation cannot be lost, because salvation is a gift of God that He will not take away (see John 10:28; Romans 8:37-39+; 1 John 5:13+). Even in 1 Corinthians 3:15+, the carnal Christian is assured of salvation: “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” The question is not whether a person who claims to be a Christian but lives carnally has lost his salvation, but whether that person was truly saved in the first place (1 John 2:19+). Christians who become carnal in their behavior can expect God to lovingly discipline them (Hebrews 12:5-11+) so they can be restored to close fellowship with Him and be trained to obey Him. God’s desire in saving us is that we would progressively grow closer to the image of Christ (Romans 12:1-2+), becoming increasingly spiritual and decreasingly carnal, a process known as sanctification. Until we are delivered from our sinful flesh, there will be outbreaks of carnality. For a genuine believer in Christ, though, these outbreaks of carnality will be the exception, not the rule. GotQuestions.org Related Resources: What Should We Think of 'The Carnal Christian - Ernest Reisinger What does the Bible mean that we are not to judge others? Is Romans 7:14-25 describing a believer or an unbeliever? How can believers be in the world, but not of the world? Are Christians sinners, saints, or both? Do we sin daily? Is it possible to go an entire day without sinning? 1 Corinthians 3 Carnal Christians - Question/Answer from John MacArthur Question: What does the Bible say about Purgatory? | GotQuestions.org Answer: According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Purgatory is “a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace, are not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.” To summarize, in Catholic theology Purgatory is a place that a Christian’s soul goes to after death to be cleansed of the sins that had not been fully satisfied during life. Is this doctrine of Purgatory in agreement with the Bible? Absolutely not! Play Video from Gotquestions.org Jesus died to pay the penalty for all of our sins (Romans 5:8). Isaiah 53:5 declares, “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” Jesus suffered for our sins so that we could be delivered from suffering. To say that we must also suffer for our sins is to say that Jesus’ suffering was insufficient. To say that we must atone for our sins by cleansing in Purgatory is to deny the sufficiency of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus (1 John 2:2). The idea that those who are saved by grace through faith have to suffer for their sins after death is contrary to everything the Bible says about salvation. The primary Scriptural passage Catholics point to for evidence of Purgatory is 1 Corinthians 3:15, which says, “If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” The passage (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) is using an illustration of things going through fire as a description of believers’ works being judged. If our works are of good quality “gold, silver, costly stones,” they will pass through the fire unharmed, and we will be rewarded for them. If our works are of poor quality “wood, hay, and straw,” they will be consumed by the fire, and there will be no reward. The passage does not say that believers pass through the fire, but rather that a believer’s works pass through the fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15 refers to the believer “escaping through the flames,” not “being cleansed by the flames.” Purgatory, like many other Catholic dogmas, is based on a misunderstanding of the nature of Christ’s sacrifice. Catholics view the Mass / Eucharist as a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice because they fail to understand that Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice was absolutely and perfectly sufficient (Hebrews 7:27). Catholics view meritorious works as contributing to salvation due to a failure to recognize that Jesus’ sacrificial payment has no need of additional “contribution” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Similarly, Purgatory is understood by Catholics as a place of cleansing in preparation for heaven because they do not recognize that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are already cleansed, declared righteous, forgiven, redeemed, reconciled, and sanctified. The very idea of Purgatory and the doctrines that are often attached to it (prayer for the dead, indulgences, meritorious works on behalf of the dead, etc.) fail to recognize that Jesus’ death was sufficient to pay the penalty for ALL of our sins. Jesus, who was God incarnate (John 1:1, 14), paid an infinite price for our sin. Jesus died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 2:2). To limit Jesus’ sacrifice to atoning for original sin or sins committed before salvation is an attack on the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. If we must, in order to be saved, pay for, atone for, or suffer because of our sins, then Jesus’ death was not a perfect, complete, and sufficient sacrifice. (ED: READ comments on John 19:30 - see Tetelestai - It is Finished) For believers, after death is to be "away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). Notice that this does not say "away from the body, in Purgatory with the cleansing fire." No, because of the perfection, completion, and sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are immediately in the Lord’s presence after death, fully cleansed, free from sin, glorified, perfected, and ultimately sanctified. (GotQuestions.org) 1 Corinthians 3:2 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, Amplified I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough [to be ready for it]; but even yet you are not strong enough [to be ready for it],
1 Coríntios 3
Barclay adds that eris "is the contention which is born of envy, ambition, the desire for prestige, and place and prominence. It comes from the heart in which there is jealousy.… Eris is the spirit that is born of unbridled and unholy competition. It comes from the desire for place and power and prestige and the hatred of being surpassed. It is essentially the sin which places self in the foreground and is the entire negation of Christian love. It is the characteristic of the man who has forgotten that only he who humbles himself can be exalted." Eris - 9x in NT - Ro 1:29; Ro 13:13; 1 Co. 1:11; 1 Co. 3:3; 2 Co. 12:20; Gal. 5:20; Phil. 1:15; 1 Tim. 6:4; Titus 3:9 Fleshly (flesh, material things)(4559)(sarkikos from sarx) means of flesh and can refer to physical flesh or to the moral/ethical aspects of flesh. In this context sarkikos speaks of behavior, having the characteristics of sa,rx (flesh) in its sensual, sinful tendencies worldly, carnal. 6v - Rom. 15:27; 1 Co. 3:3; 1 Co. 9:11; 2 Co. 1:12; 2 Co. 10:4; 1 Pet. 2:11.