1 Corinthians 3:1-3 “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. (2) 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; (3) for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?”
In the above passage of scripture, the apostle Paul stated that he was the one who fed the church in Corinth. The Lord Jesus has placed the ministry gifts in His church, to edify His body (Ephesians 4:12). In other words, it is through the feeding of the ministry gifts, that the church grows spiritually. Also, it is through the ministry gifts, that the church is able to partake of the solid food of God’s word, for Paul stated that once they were ready to receive it, he was the one who would feed the church at Corinth, with solid food. In other words, without the ministry gifts, the church is limited to partaking of the milk of God’s word. It is not possible to grow strong spiritually, on the milk of God’s word alone. And so, believers who do not avail themselves to receiving spiritual food regularly through the ministry gifts, will also never grow strong spiritually. But I also want you to notice who placed the constraints on Paul, with regards to him being able to feed the church at Corinth with solid food. It was the believers in Corinth themselves. In order for them to grow strong in spirit, Paul was ready and able to feed them with the solid food of God’s word. But they were doing something that prevented Paul from giving them the food necessary for their spirits to grow strong. They were not acting on the word that they had already received, which was evidenced by their carnal behaviour. Because of that, the Lord would not allow any further revelation to be given to them.
Mark 4:24-25 “Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. (25) For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
In the above passage of scripture, our Lord Jesus taught us the principle, that more is given to those who hear, while those who do not hear, are in danger of losing even that which they have received. To hear the word of God, and not act on it, is to deceive oneself (James 1:22). Clearly, the church at Corinth were not valuing what they had already received, by acting on that word, and so the Lord would not allow any more to be given to them and even what they had received, they were in danger of losing. And so, we see that if we are going to grow strong spiritually, then we must spend quality time in God’s word every day, and we must also avail ourselves to regular teaching through the Lord’s ministry gifts. And then finally, we must also be doers of the word that we receive, and not hearers only.
Michael E.B. Maher
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