The Remedy for Carnal Christians - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2026

I, brethren, 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; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 NKJV

The Remedy for Carnal Christians
In reflecting on this portion of Scripture, we must bear in mind the great object the apostle Paul had before him. He longed to see the Corinthian saints lifted up and out of their low spiritual condition, as he describes it here. He could not speak to them as spiritual believers, but instead he must speak to them as those that are carnal or fleshly. Their condition had led to worldliness and moral laxity, further opening the door to disorder and doctrinal error in the assembly. It left them with little spiritual discernment and a lack of spiritual strength to cope with the needs and difficulties in their midst. This is also a word for us today.

The condition of the believers, exposed in 1 Corinthians, is addressed in 2 Corinthians to show us God's way of transforming us into the likeness of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is being accomplished as the Holy Spirit works subjectively in us what God purposes objectively for us in Christ. Then problems and difficulties can be solved in a God-honoring way because self is set aside in all its varied forms, and in its place Christ is seen in all of His beauty.

It is not the intent to be occupied with difficulties and problems, but rather to see God's remedy for them. That does not mean that we try to escape the difficulties, for we cannot run away from them. Instead, we would see God's provision to meet every need; and that provision is in Christ: "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts" (Rom. 13:14).

-- Jacob Redekop