I Corinthians – “Moral Solutions to Immoral Problems”

Scripture: I Corinthians 2:12-16

C.I.: The Immorality of Immaturity

In this series… - Today we will conclude this series by dealing with the root of all their problems.

•  The Moral Way to Deal with Spiritual Immaturity, (I Corinthians 3:1-11)

•  Three Types of People in the World (and the church)

1. In the Scripture Reading, Paul speaks of the nature of inspiration…
a. ( 2:12-13 ), “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world , but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the
things freely given to us by God, which things we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by
the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”
1) The apostles were promised the Holy Spirit so they could accurately tell us what God wants us to know
2) ( Jn. 14:26 ), “…the H.S., whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring….”
3) Paul is telling us that Jesus fulfilled the promise He made to His apostles.


2. The spiritual maturity of a person can be known - by how they deal with the word of God!
a. Natural Man: “…the things of the Spirit of God are foolishness … spiritually appraised.” – Jesus is outside! –
These are more concerned about what others think – than with what God thinks!!
b. Spiritual Man: “…spiritual appraises all things … we have the mind of Christ.” – Jesus is on the throne!
c. Thus, the natural man is an unbeliever (and thus, lost), the spiritual man is a believer and is saved.
d. Paul desired to speak to the Corinthian Christians as if they were spiritually mature… but they are not!

•  Paul's Criticism of the Believers in Corinth, (vs. 1-3)

•  ( v. 1 ), “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ.”
a. Like the “Spiritual Man” – these are believers who have Jesus in their lives.
2) Yet instead of Jesus being on the throne in– they, like immature children ( babes ), want their own way!!

b. There is a “right time” for a person to act “immature” – and that is when they are new to the faith.
1) ( I Pt. 1:23 ), “For you have been born again , not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is….”
2) And both physically & spiritually, when a person is a babe – you give them milk to drink, ( I Pt. 2:2 ).
3) ( I Cor. 3:2 ), “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.”
4) They are not able – because they had not yet matured past the point of “babyhood” – ( Heb. 5:13-14 ),
“Everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe . – But solid
food is for the mature , who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”

•  Their “immaturity” is seen by what a person knows – AND - by how they live their lives!
a. ( v. 3 ), “…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) Like wisdom, maturity is not determined by a person's chronological age – but by how they act.
2) What Jesus says about wisdom – is true in our context as well, ( Matt. 7:24 ), “Everyone who hears….”

b. Therefore, the cause of all the division, immorality, and lack of submission in Corinth – secondary to their
spiritual immaturity. - Yet not because they were new/young believers – but they chose to remain that way.

C. Paul's Correction of the Believers in Corinth, (vs. 4-11)

1. As an example of their immaturity – Paul points to their view of their leaders.

a. ( v. 4 ), “ For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,' and another, ‘I am of Apollos,' are you not mere men?”
1) In their focus on people – instead of upon Jesus – they are acting just like the people of the world act!
2) Clearly, leaders who are desirous or accepting of such adulation – are part of the problem.
3) ( III Jn. 9 ), “I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes who loves to be first among them, does not accept
what we say .”


2. Five “Truths” about Leaders that “You Can Handle,” (vs. 5-11)

a. #1. Leaders are responsible to help people grow spiritually.
1) ( v. 5 ), “What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? – Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave
opportunity to each one.”
a) The “natural man” sees a leaders as; the one in charge, in the lead, the “big kahuna!”
b) Yet God defines a leader – as the one who serves the needs – of the most people!
3) ( Eph. 4:11-12 ), “He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets … for the equipping of….”

b. #2. Leaders are nothing when compared to God.
1) ( vs. 6-7 ), “I planted, Apollos watered – but God was causing the growth. – So then neither the one who plants
nor the one who waters is anything, - but God who causes the growth .”
a) “Preacher-it is,” i.e., elevating the preacher, - is putting the focus in the wrong place.
b) Churches grow because people follow/obey Jesus – not because they have a good preacher!
c) God considers preachers faithful – when they obey His mandate, ( II Tim. 1:13-14; 4:2 ).
d) Thus, my responsibility is to “Preserve ( retain ) – Protect ( guard ) – Proclaim ( preach )”!!!

c. #3. Leaders are equal in the sight of God.
1) ( v. 8 ), “Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his
own labor.”
a) There are “evangelists” & there are the “equippers.” – Both are necessary in the kingdom.
b) The same God who said, “Preach the word” II Tim. 4:2 , - also said, quote Eph. 4:11-12 .
c) And just like everyone else, leaders will be judged by what he does, ( II Cor. 5:10 ).

d. #4. Leaders are co-workers with God.
1) ( v. 9 ), “For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.”
a) I do not believe there is any higher or more noble work – than being a minister for Jesus!!!
b) We are involved in the greatest work in the world, ( Lk. 19:10 ) – with the greatest One!!!!
c) So while preachers are not to be elevated – the work itself must never be denigrated!!!

e. #5. Leaders are to provide the means for people to build their lives..
1) ( vs. 10-11 ), “According to the grace of God given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and
another is building upon it.“
a) I we are going to build; a great life, marriage, family, or church – we are going to need to start
with a strong foundation,
b) ( v. 11 ), For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
2) Jesus must be the very foundation of not only His church – but of all that we do - otherwise none of us
will grow towards the maturity that God desires of us all !!!

Mark 16:15-16