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not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15The
spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one."
1Cor 2:14-15 (NNAS) "But a natural man does not accept the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand
them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15But he who is spiritual
appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one."
1Cor 3:1-3 (NNAS) "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual
men, but as to men of flesh [fleshly man], as to infants in Christ. 2I 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, 3for you are still fleshly [fleshly
man]. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly
[fleshly man], and are you not walking like mere men?"
So as we look at these two men, one “natural” or “lost” and one a “fleshly” Christian, the “natural”
man may look much better because he is moral and upright and the “fleshly” Christian may not be at
all moral and upright. Or in many cases, they may look very much the same. We cannot tell a lost
man from a believer by how they look. But morality is not the standard which God uses.
What is the problem with the “natural” man or “unspiritual” man? It is very simple: He still has and
walks in the old Adamic Nature - the nature or characteristic or spirit that he inherited from his
forefather, Adam. He has learned to dress up the man in “moral” clothes; he has learned to do “right”,
he has learned “moral” ways. So he looks good to the world around him. The problem is, he does not
look “good” to God. When God looks at man, He only looks at one thing: What does this person
believe about my Son, Jesus Christ.
John 6:28-29 (RSV) "Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing
the works of God?" 29Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that
you believe in him whom he has sent.""
Unfortunately for this “moral” man, God only looks at one “work” to determine our salvation: Do
you believe in Him (Jesus) whom He has sent? Nothing else matters. God has made only one
provision that man might be saved and that is belief in, trust in, the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
It is tragic that the world sees hundreds of these very moral people who do not know Jesus and do not
want to know Jesus and yet are moral and upright and honest. The world is aggravated, grieved, and
angry that the Christian community tells them that they are lost and will never go to heaven but the
fleshly Christian who may lie, cheat and steal, be unkind and so on and yet is going to heaven! That
insults the intelligence of the world who looks at the Christian community.
This is sad that the Christian church has no better reputation than this. It must hurt the heart of God
that many claim Christ as Savior and truly trust in Him and yet do not follow after His ways.
The third type of man is the “spiritual” man who loves the Lord Jesus and desires to follow Him in
every way possible. Even then he may fail frequently and have to repent over and over again. Yet,
when one looks at such a one, there is no doubt that his life looks much more like Jesus than the
“fleshly” Christian who is walking in the flesh. What is the difference? Both have Jesus Christ living
in them. Both have believed unto salvation. Both are trusting in the Lord for eternal life.
spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one."
1Cor 2:14-15 (NNAS) "But a natural man does not accept the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand
them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15But he who is spiritual
appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one."
1Cor 3:1-3 (NNAS) "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual
men, but as to men of flesh [fleshly man], as to infants in Christ. 2I 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, 3for you are still fleshly [fleshly
man]. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly
[fleshly man], and are you not walking like mere men?"
So as we look at these two men, one “natural” or “lost” and one a “fleshly” Christian, the “natural”
man may look much better because he is moral and upright and the “fleshly” Christian may not be at
all moral and upright. Or in many cases, they may look very much the same. We cannot tell a lost
man from a believer by how they look. But morality is not the standard which God uses.
What is the problem with the “natural” man or “unspiritual” man? It is very simple: He still has and
walks in the old Adamic Nature - the nature or characteristic or spirit that he inherited from his
forefather, Adam. He has learned to dress up the man in “moral” clothes; he has learned to do “right”,
he has learned “moral” ways. So he looks good to the world around him. The problem is, he does not
look “good” to God. When God looks at man, He only looks at one thing: What does this person
believe about my Son, Jesus Christ.
John 6:28-29 (RSV) "Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing
the works of God?" 29Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that
you believe in him whom he has sent.""
Unfortunately for this “moral” man, God only looks at one “work” to determine our salvation: Do
you believe in Him (Jesus) whom He has sent? Nothing else matters. God has made only one
provision that man might be saved and that is belief in, trust in, the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
It is tragic that the world sees hundreds of these very moral people who do not know Jesus and do not
want to know Jesus and yet are moral and upright and honest. The world is aggravated, grieved, and
angry that the Christian community tells them that they are lost and will never go to heaven but the
fleshly Christian who may lie, cheat and steal, be unkind and so on and yet is going to heaven! That
insults the intelligence of the world who looks at the Christian community.
This is sad that the Christian church has no better reputation than this. It must hurt the heart of God
that many claim Christ as Savior and truly trust in Him and yet do not follow after His ways.
The third type of man is the “spiritual” man who loves the Lord Jesus and desires to follow Him in
every way possible. Even then he may fail frequently and have to repent over and over again. Yet,
when one looks at such a one, there is no doubt that his life looks much more like Jesus than the
“fleshly” Christian who is walking in the flesh. What is the difference? Both have Jesus Christ living
in them. Both have believed unto salvation. Both are trusting in the Lord for eternal life.
