Baby Food

"I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are still not able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?" 

1 Corinthians 3:2-3

Have you ever wondered why you are not growing and maturing in your faith? Paul addresses the church in Corinth about their lack of spiritual growth. Paul says he had to treat them like infants in Christ. They had not grown spiritually as they should have. Though they had been Christians for some time, they were still acting like new believers, unable to handle more profound spiritual truths.

Imagine going to a fancy steakhouse with your family. Everyone orders something delicious, such as a juicy steak, roasted vegetables, and maybe a baked potato. But then you look over and see a baby in a highchair with a bib, holding a bottle of milk. Now imagine if that baby started crying for a steak like everyone else. You laugh a little—because even if you gave them a steak, they couldn’t chew it! Their little body isn’t ready for solid food yet. Milk is what they need at that stage. But here’s the thing, if that same child is still drinking only milk 10 years later, something’s wrong. Growth hasn’t happened. That’s what Paul is saying to the Corinthians.

Paul uses the word “fleshly” to describe their behavior. Instead of being led by the Holy Spirit, their actions were still governed by human desires and emotions. The church in Corinth had a maturity problem. Despite their gifts and knowledge (1 Corinthians 1:5-7), they were not growing in Christlike character. Their attitudes and actions—like jealousy and division—revealed that they were still thinking and acting like the world, not like Spirit-filled believers.

We often think of fleshly in terms of external sins, materialism, immorality, or pride, but Paul digs deeper. He says that when we envy others or stir up conflict, we’re acting like the world, not like Christ. These things divide the church and grieve the Spirit.

It’s sobering to realize that spiritual immaturity isn’t always about knowledge, but about character. You can be part of a church, know Scripture, and even serve, and still be ruled    by self-centeredness. The true mark of maturity is love, humility, and unity in the Spirit.

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark