[Picture by Ian Robinson on Unsplash.]
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul uses a strong word to describe the Corinthian Christians. (1 Corinthians 3:3-4) This whole Day Share is about this word and what it means. He says that they are still 'carnal.' The New International Version uses the word 'worldly' to describe them and the English Standard Version translates what Paul is saying as follows: 'you are still of the flesh.' The word 'carnal' is the word used in the King James Version. It is probably the most accurate translation. Here is the whole verse in the King James Version
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions., are ye not carnal and walk as men? [1 Corinthians 3:4 KJV]
You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? [1 Corinthians 3:3-4 NIV]
Notice that the New International Version is translating this word 'carnal' in two ways - firstly the word is translated as 'worldly' and then as 'mere humans.'
The Greek word is sarkikos and it is used 11 times in the New Testament. [The references are given below at the end of the blog] It means fleshly or of the flesh. The Bible translators have found it difficult to render the meaning of the Greek word. There is an old nature in us which is constantly at war with the Holy Spirit which took up residence when we became a believer in the Lord Jesus. I am going to suggest that this old nature could sink to levels which are more like animal behaviour. I am not agreeing with those who teach that human beings have descended from apes. However, there is in human beings an instinct which is bestial and animal like.
In 1954 William Golding wrote a novel entitled, 'Lord of the Flies' in which he depicted young boys who are stranded on a desert island during a war. It is an allegory - he was telling a story to illustrate an important point. The boys degenerate from being innocent, civilised children into savages. Golding is making the point that this is what human beings are like by nature. The boys sink lower and lower in their urge to survive and they lose their inhibitions and moral scruples.
A writer named Thomas Hobbes wrote a philosophical book in 1651 which he called Leviathan. Hobbes argued that human beings needed laws and rulers to prevent us from degenerating into a state of nature. In our natural state humans become savage and brutal and a state of anarchy takes over. Hobbes was an ardent royalist at a time when the monarchy was under threat and he was saying that, without the rule of law, England would sink into anarchy and savagery. The kind of work I did for a living made me very aware of the depths of depravity to which human beings could sink. The Bible portrays human nature as basically sinful without God. The recent Booker prize winner, Douglas Stuart the writer of the novel, Shuggie Bain illustrates this same principle in a more recent Glasgow working class context. However, I want to add a warning that this sort of conduct is not restricted to any one city or any one social class.
The shock is that you and I are capable of the most atrocious behaviour. I was shocked as a teenager when I read about King David lusting for a woman who was having a bath outside. He took her into his palace for sex. When the deed was discovered, he tried to cover up his sin by having her husband killed in battle. I remember learning a lesson from the Lord. David was able to do what he wanted. There was no restrictions on his actions because of his position of authority. How would I behave if I was in a position of power like King David? What was stopping me from committing similar sins? And the Bible makes it clear that if I look lustfully at a woman in the same way as David did, I am in fact committing the act of adultery anyway. (Matthew 5:27-28)
Paul is saying that there is evidence from their conduct that they are behaving according to the old nature, the flesh which is totally depraved and sinful. He lists two examples of their conduct which leads him to that conclusion. They are divided into various groups and there is jealousy and rivalry instead of harmony and unity.
for you are still influenced by the flesh. For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people? [1 Corinthians 3:3 NET]
This is very powerful. Many churches in the 21st century are not united and there are cliques and divisions similar to Corinth. Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit is saying that all of this is part of the old nature. We are behaving like animals.
Here are some other verses dealing with this same theme of being carnal or behaving according to the flesh (the old sinful nature).
Romans 7:14; Romans 15:27; 1 Corinthians 3:1, 3-4 (used three times); 1 Corinthians 9:11; 2 Corinthians 10:4; Hebrews 7:16; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Peter 2:11. I would encourage you to look up these verses. This does not make for comfortable reading.
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