1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy teaches that Paul divides believers into two groups—spiritual and carnal, mature and babes. The chapter unfolds in four parts: infants in Christ (v 1-3), the need for God’s Spirit to bring growth (v 4-7), each person’s individual responsibility (v 8-20), and the inheritance believers receive (v 21-23). Each section guides us toward spiritual maturity and understanding what God has provided.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
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1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Scriptures used in the lesson:
1 Corinthians 3:1-3, 1 Corinthians 3:4-7, 1 Corinthians 3:8-20, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23,
Previous Lesson Overview
The teachers of the New Testament did not have the New Testament writings. They relied on the Old Testament scriptures for their teaching. Paul quotes from two passages in the Old Testament in this chapter. These scriptures were their primary source for instruction.
Sometimes, people forget that the early Christian teachers used the Old Testament. They may ignore its importance or teachings. It is essential to recall that Paul and others drew from the Old Testament. Their lessons and messages came from these scriptures.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Paul divides people into two groups in chapter 1. He calls them Jews and Greeks, or Jews and Gentiles. Jews look for power. Gentiles look for wisdom. But Paul says Jesus Christ is both power and wisdom. He is all that people need.
In chapter 2, Paul again separates people into two groups. He talks about the natural man and the spiritual man. The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God. The spiritual man can understand and judge all things. Paul uses these groups to illustrate the various ways people respond to God.
In chapter 3, Paul divides the church into two groups. Some are spiritual, while others are carnal. Some are babes in Christ, while others are maturing in their faith. Paul wants us to understand this idea. It is vital for our spiritual growth. He encourages us to see what the Spirit of the Lord wants to teach us.
Breakdown of Chapter 3
This chapter can be divided into four main parts. The first part, in verses 1-3, discusses infants in Christ. The second part, in verses 4-7, discusses the indwelling of God’s Spirit. Paul explains that ministry alone is not enough. We can plant and water, but without God’s Spirit, there will be no growth. The presence of God is necessary for increase.
The third section, found in verses 8-20, focuses on the individual. Each person needs to have a personal sense of purpose. Everyone must know what they are called to do and work on it individually.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
The last section, verses 21-23, is about inheritance. Paul teaches that all things have been given to us. Every ministry, whether it belongs to Paul, Apollos, or Cephas, is ours. Everything has been provided for our benefit.
These are the four main divisions Paul presents in this chapter. Each part helps us understand our spiritual growth and what God has provided for us.
I want to say a few things before we get into the chapter.
You cannot work for your salvation. Salvation comes by grace. Your works do not save you, but you will be rewarded based on your works.
It is your works that are tested, not your salvation. If your works are burned up, you are still saved. You may go through difficult times, but your salvation remains. These are the key points to remember as we continue.
Before beginning this teaching, I would like to pause and make an important point. The book of Revelation shows us where the Lord can be found right now. When John had his vision on the Isle of Patmos, Revelation tells us about the Lord’s presence.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
If you want to know where Jesus is, He is in His church. Not just in any religious setting or building called a church, but in His true church. This is the church that desires His Spirit and seeks to follow His ways.
The Lord is present in a church that is not just watching from the sidelines. He is with those who are growing in grace and in the knowledge of God. If you genuinely want to find Him, look for a church that is alive and seeking Him.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
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,
3 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?
In 1 Corinthians, the first division covers verses one through three. Here, Paul talks about spiritual infants or babies. He says he could not speak to the people as spiritual adults, but had to address them as those still living in the flesh, as babes in Christ.
Paul explains that not everyone is at the same level of spiritual growth. When dealing with people, you must treat each one differently. Everyone is at a unique stage in their spiritual journey.
Some people want direct answers. They want you to be honest and straightforward because they are ready to grow. Young people, in particular, often seek clear guidance. They want real answers for life and do not want things sugarcoated. They look to those with experience for direction and truth.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Some people in the church are older but still act like spiritual babies. You have to adjust your approach for them. Sometimes, you need to make things easier to understand or gentler.
When I began learning new things about God’s kingdom, I shared them with the Sunday school class I was teaching at the time. My teaching scared some people because the ideas were new to them. They went to the pastor and said I was going too far.
My pastor, who was also a friend, called me in to talk. He told me to “season” my teaching. He didn’t tell me what to teach, but he wanted me to be careful with how I shared things. I understood what he meant, and I respect authority.
You cannot always speak to everyone the same way. Paul says you must talk to people based on their level of spiritual maturity. With mature believers, you can speak directly and share more profound truths. With spiritual babies, you need to be more careful and gentle.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Before discussing spiritual babies, I want you to take a moment to reflect on yourself. Do not judge your spouse or anyone else. Ask yourself if you are mature, growing, or still a baby in faith.
Infants in Christ
Feed Themselves
Others must feed babies. Someone else has to prepare their food and make sure they eat. Spiritually, this means that someone else must blend truth, spirit, and praise on your behalf. They have to give you just the right amount and feed it to you.
Ask yourself if you rely on others to nourish your spiritual life. Do you only get one meal a week? If so, you will not grow. Mature believers recognize the need to sustain themselves daily. They mix prayer, praise, and time with God on their own.
A spiritual person spends time with God daily and seeks answers in the Word of God. Are you feeding yourself, or do you depend on others for your spiritual nourishment?
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Change Diapers
Babies need their diapers changed often. They cannot do it themselves. If no one helps them, they will stay in their mess. If babies are not changed regularly, they become uncomfortable and irritable. They may even develop a rash. Spiritually, this means some people cannot clean up their own messes. They need others to help them confess their sins, ask for forgiveness, or make amends.
Ask yourself if you can accept and learn from your own mistakes. Do you confess your sins and seek restoration on your own? Or does someone else always have to help you out of trouble? If you do not deal with your issues, they can cause more problems and keep people away from you. It is essential to learn how to handle your own spiritual messes. This is a sign of maturity.
Bathe Themselves
Babies need regular baths. They get dirty easily. Food, spit-up, and other things make them unclean. Babies cannot bathe themselves. Someone else must clean them.
Spiritually, we are cleansed in three ways. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin. The Word of God washes our minds and souls. The Spirit purifies us through the pressures and challenges of life.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Ask yourself if you keep yourself spiritually clean. Do you go to God’s Word, seek forgiveness, and let the Spirit purify you? Or do you wait for someone else to help you clean up your life? If you do not maintain your moral integrity, you may lose your ability to distinguish right from wrong. Your words and actions may cause problems. Spiritual maturity means knowing how to keep yourself clean before God.
Dress Themselves
Babies cannot dress themselves. Someone else must put clothes on them. In the same way, spiritual babies need help putting on the things God gives.
Paul teaches in Ephesians 6 that believers should put on the armor of God. This includes truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. Prayer is also part of this armor. These are the spiritual clothes God provides for protection and strength.
You should ask yourself if you are putting on these spiritual garments. Are you wearing what God gives, or are you still like a baby, only wearing a diaper? It is not enough to go through life unprepared.
The Bible also mentions other garments. There is the garment of praise, which helps lift the spirit. There is a garment of light, which brings God’s presence wherever you go. The linen garment in Revelation stands for righteousness and doing what is right.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Jesus spoke about a wedding garment, which shows you belong to Him and are faithful. Jeremiah mentions a shepherd’s garment, which is for those who care for others.
These positive garments show spiritual maturity. They help you live as God wants and serve others well.
Some garments in the Bible represent negative things. Achan hid a Babylonian garment in his tent after Jericho fell. This garment stands for worldliness—something you hide and only wear in private. Jacob wore a hairy garment to deceive his father Isaac. This shows how people sometimes hide their true nature to fool spiritual leaders.
Joseph wore a coat of many colors, which he showed off to his brothers. This pride led to trouble and betrayal. The coat was later torn and dipped in blood, marking Joseph’s journey to Egypt. There are also garments of sackcloth, which people wear to look overly spiritual. Some wear garments of violence, showing anger and aggression. Others wear garments of cursing, losing their temper and speaking harsh words.
These examples ask us to reflect. Do you need someone else to dress you spiritually, or can you dress yourself? If you could see your spiritual self, would it look mature or still like a baby in a diaper? This is a call to examine your true spiritual condition.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Need Attention
Babies need constant attention. They demand to be held, fed, and changed. Their focus is on themselves. Everything is about their own needs.
When my son was a baby, if he cried in the middle of the night, we would do anything to quiet him. As a baby, he expected immediate care. But now that he is grown, it would be strange for him to expect the same treatment.
Babies pout and sulk if they do not get their way. They want attention and react if they feel ignored. Ask yourself how you respond when you do not get the attention you want. Do you react with maturity, or do you act like a baby?
Not Productive
Babies are not productive. They do not work or contribute. Their main focus is on play and living in a fantasy world. They watch cartoons and pretend, but do not help around the house unless told to.
Some Christians act the same way. They live in a spiritual fantasy, not facing real life or real problems. True Christianity is not about fantasy. It is about real people, real problems, and real growth, just like the church in First Corinthians. Watching church on television is not the same as being part of a real church. You cannot have fellowship with a TV or expect it to pray for you. Real spiritual life requires real involvement.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Ask yourself what you are producing in God’s house. Are you just making a mess and leaving, or are you helping and serving? Believers are called to do something, not just sit and watch. Signs of faith should follow those who believe. What are you doing in the house of God?
Selfish
Babies are selfish. Everything must revolve around them. If they do not get their way, they cry, throw fits, and pout. They want everyone to know when they are upset. This same attitude can be seen in the church. Some people insist on having things their way. If not, they become angry and let everyone know. Paul says this kind of behavior causes jealousy, strife, and divisions.
When people act selfishly, it divides the church. Paul points out that these actions show immaturity. Those who act this way are still “fleshy” and walk like mere men. Most church divisions come from people who do not get their way and respond like babies.
1 Corinthians 3:4-7
4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?
5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.
7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.
The second point Paul makes in verses 4 through 6 is about the indwelling of the Spirit of God. The Spirit must be present within believers for true growth to happen. Paul explains that while he can plant and Apollos can water, it is God who gives the increase. This means that human effort alone is not enough. No matter how much ministry work is done—planting or watering—without the Spirit of God, there will be no real growth or fruit.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
It is essential to understand that if we pray or desire anything, it must be for the Spirit of God to work among us. Without the indwelling power of the Spirit, all efforts are meaningless, and the gathering becomes just a group of people wasting time. The Spirit’s presence is what brings life and increase.
The Necessity of the Spirit’s Indwelling
To have the indwelling of the Spirit of God, you must give yourself fully to Him. Let Him baptize you and fill your entire being. Invite Him in and seek His presence with all your heart. You need to pursue God. Seek His face, His eyes, His ears, and His heart. Take hold of Him and do what you have been taught. Everyone who has been in church for even a short time knows how to reach for the Spirit of God.
You must reach out, grasp Him, and never let go. Without the Spirit, we are nothing. It is not by our own strength or skill, but by God’s Spirit that anything happens. Without the Spirit of God, all our efforts are empty. Eloquence, excitement, or impressive teaching mean nothing without His power. There will be no real change in lives, families, or the community unless the Spirit of God is present.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
1 Corinthians 3:8-20
8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.
14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”;
20 and again, “THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.”
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
The Foundation and Testing of Our Works
In verses 8 through 20, Paul focuses on individual labor and works. He wants believers to understand the importance of their personal efforts in God’s kingdom. Paul explains that true Christianity involves work. Being a Christian is not just about attending church or being passive. You are called to labor, minister, and actively serve.
Some people avoid real work in the church. They prefer comfort and fantasy over genuine service. Paul warns that works built on shallow foundations do not last. True works, rooted in God, will remain even after the original leader is gone.
Paul’s teaching makes it clear: everyone is supposed to do something in the Kingdom of God. Christianity requires commitment and effort, not just passive observation.
Paul first makes the teaching about works very personal. Every individual—man or woman—is called to work in God’s kingdom. Each person will receive a reward based on their own labor, not on someone else’s efforts. Salvation is by grace alone, not by works. Rewards, however, come from what you do for God. Paul repeats this idea often: works and rewards are linked, but works and salvation are not. You are saved by grace, but you are rewarded for your service and labor.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Paul uses the image of a building. Each believer is like a temple, and everyone must be careful how they build on the foundation, which is Christ. The church is also described as God’s field and God’s household. Every person is responsible for their own part. What you build—your works—will be tested by fire. If your works are strong, like gold or silver, they will last. If they are weak, like wood or straw, they will burn up. Even if your works do not last, you are still saved, but you will suffer loss.
Paul warns against judging others by their works. Only God can judge, and He will test each work. Our job is to love people, not to judge their efforts. The actual test is whether your work has eternal value. Eternal works are those that last for generations, not just for one season.
Paul gives examples of people serving in different ways—cleaning, leading worship, preparing communion, or running ministries. In each case, when you see someone serving faithfully, you should recognize God at work through them. Their service is not for recognition but to reveal God’s presence in the church.
The foundation is already laid—Jesus Christ. Each person must build on that foundation with their own work. What you do becomes a dwelling place for God, and others can see God in your service. Eternal works are like gold and precious stones; they last and can be handed down. Temporary works are like wood and straw; they do not last.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
Paul’s message is clear: you have something to do in God’s kingdom. Your work should be built on Christ and have eternal value. It will be tested, and only what is real will stand. Even if your works fail, you are still saved by grace, but you may lose your reward. The focus is on personal responsibility, building wisely, and seeking to do things that last beyond your own life.
Spiritual burnout happens to many people in ministry. When their work is built on shallow foundations—like wood, hay, and stubble—it cannot withstand pressure or testing. When challenges come, these ministries fall apart. People become exhausted, lose hope, and sometimes leave the ministry. They may still have faith, but their efforts are gone because their work was not lasting.
It is crucial to examine your own life and the ministry in which you are involved. Ask yourself what you are building. Are you working only for personal gain, or are you trying to create something that will last for future generations? The goal should be to build with gold, silver, and precious stones—things that have eternal value.
No one should attach themselves to just one leader or one ministry. The era of following a single person is over. There are many ministries and teachers, each with their own gifts and revelations. For example, Yeon Ji Cho shared deep insights on prayer, and Dick Iverson taught about family. These leaders, and many others, are gifts to the church. Their teachings are available to everyone.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
It is not healthy to become polarized around one person. Instead, seek out the truth in many ministries. Sometimes, a message needs to be heard from more than one voice for it to take root. The Spirit of God speaks through many people, not just one.
Some ministries focus on various topics: some preach about life, others about judgment, some about the present, and still others about the future. All these teachings are valuable. They are part of your spiritual inheritance. The Bible says that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are gifts to the church. Their purpose is to reveal God’s mysteries and help people grow.
Do not limit yourself to one teacher. All ministries are yours. Look for leaders who build with eternal things. If you see lasting, godly qualities in their work, you can learn from them. This is how you know if someone is truly a servant of God.
The Danger of Division and the Call to Unity
1 Corinthians 3:21-23
21 So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you,
22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you,
23 and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
There is a strong warning against dividing into groups based on leaders or denominations. It is wrong to claim loyalty to Paul, Apollos, or Cephas. All these leaders belong to everyone. People should not identify as Baptist or Methodist. Instead, they should simply be Christians. Even those who claim to need no leader are reminded that they belong to Christ.
Everyone who has given their life to Jesus is no longer their own. They have been bought with a price and now belong to Christ. Believers are marked by a spiritual change in their hearts. Each person is building something with their life. It could be temporary, like wood or hay, or lasting, like gold and silver.
The idea of the temple is not just individual. The church as a whole is the temple of God. God lives among His people. The warning is clear: do not harm the church. If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy them. This applies to both natural and spiritual Israel. The promise to Abraham was that those who bless his seed will be blessed, and those who curse it will be cursed.
Jesus loves His church deeply. He gave His life for it. People must learn not to criticize or harm the body of Christ. Paul says that some are weak or sick because they do not respect the body of Christ. Criticism among believers must stop. When people stop criticizing and start supporting each other, God’s power will be released in new ways.
God wants more than just meetings and songs. He wants a true church—a genuine community of people who love and support one another. Jesus is the ultimate goal that everyone should strive for.
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
1 Corinthians Chapter 3: How to Grow from Spiritual Infancy
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