1 Corinthians 3:1-4
And 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? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal? (NKJV)
Who Are You Following?
Having grown up in the church and then moved around the country and world, I've attended various types of churches. This passage in 1 Corinthians brings to mind a church I attended which placed strong emphasis on doctrine. In my view, emphasizing doctrine, and emphasizing the Bible, are two different things.Emphasis on Doctrine
Churches or Christians who emphasize doctrine rather than the Bible, often quote a particular writer rather than the Bible. And often when they quote the Bible, they quote it not from their own study, but rather "parrot" what a pastor or a Christian writer of their particular "stripe" has said. They often align themselves with a particular denomination, or belief system. For instance, rather than saying, "I'm a Bible-believing Christian," they may say, "I'm a Calvinist," or "I'm an Armenian."Spiritual Pride
Paul said such people are carnal. The word carnal speaks of the vain, fallen nature, a nature in which sin springs up and spreads. The New International Version uses the word "worldly." The word that I want to focus on for a minute is, "vain." An unfortunate by-product of aligning one's self with a particular niche of Christianity is spiritual smugness. This often suggests that one's beliefs are superior--that their particular "camp" holds a corner on the truth, and that those who disagree with their specific brand of Christianity at best are immature, and at worst, may not even be saved. These people, in their pride, consider themselves to be into the meat of the Word. However, Paul makes it clear that those who in their carnality align themselves with a particular way of thinking, are only able to receive the milk of the Word. In spite of the length of time they have been Christians, they are mere babies.Who Are You Following?
Please don't misunderstand; it isn't wrong to belong to a particular denomination or to study the writings of others, but if you closely identify yourself with a denomination or a particular doctrinal viewpoint, and thus follow man rather than God, you will never get beyond the baby stage in your walk with the Lord.See all Light Reflection Daily Devotionals
Rebecca Livermore is a freelance writer, speaker and guest contributor for About.com. Her passion is helping people grow in Christ. She is the author of the weekly devotional column Relevant Reflections on www.studylight.org and is a part-time staff writer for Memorize Truth (www.memorizetruth.com). For more information visit Rebecca's Bio Page.
