____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ November 12, 1995 ____________________________________________________ What is the "Natural Man" of 1 Corinthians 2:14? by Tom Edwards This morning I was reading through the first ten chapters of 1 Corinthians and ran across a verse in 2:14 that I've often heard misused by many of our religious friends. The verse states: "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." What The "Natural Man" Is Not One of the false concepts concerning this verse--which, unfortunately, is prevalent today--is that the "natural man" is any ordinary person who does not have the Holy Spirit in his or her life. The bases for this being another false concept, which expresses that "one cannot know the truth unless that person has the Holy Spirit in his life to interpret the Scriptures for him." In other words, one must have this miraculous operation of the Holy Spirit working in his or her life in order to even become a Christian; and, therefore, as long as this person remains merely a "natural man" in this sense, he can never come to an understanding of the truth. There are obvious errors with these positions: 1) The concept that one must have the Holy Spirit before that person can understand the word of God, is false. God has given His message to the world that we may know the Lord, believe, obey, be saved, and know how to continue living as a Christian. And 2), according to the Scriptures, God's Spirit is not given to the world--rather, it is given to those who have obeyed the Lord. Consider these following verses in John 14:16,17: "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, WHOM THE WORLD CANNOT RECEIVE, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you" (emphasis mine, tte). This was a promise that Jesus gave specifically to His apostles. They were to receive the Holy Spirit in a special way, for a unique purpose. However, we also note from this passage that the reason why the world could not receive the Holy Spirit is because it "does not behold Him or know Him." In other words, it was not due to God having not "given the Spirit to them"; but, rather, due to their own unbelief. Furthermore, in Acts 5:32, Luke records that the Holy Spirit is given "to those who obey God." Therefore, according to the Divine order: it is not that one has the Holy Spirit before he believes and obeys--but after having done so. God's plan is that one, first of all, HEARS the word of God in order to acquire faith (Romans 10:17), and then takes the initial steps toward salvation by believing, repenting, acknowledging faith in Christ, and being baptized for the remission of sins (Jn. 3:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:9,10; Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). So from these thoughts and Scriptures, we can deduce that the "natural man" of 1 Corinthians 2:14 is not simply an ordinary person who has not been "endowed" with the Holy Spirit. What Then Is The "Natural Man"? The Greek term that is translated as "natural man" in this verse is also used in Jude 19. I'll type out the verse, and you see if you can tell which word or phrase has been translated from this particular Greek word: "These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit." If you guessed "worldly-minded," you'd be right! From this, we can gather that the "natural man" of 1 Corinthians 2:14 is more than merely a "natural, ordinary person"--or just simply anyone per se who has not yet become a Christian; rather, it is talking about someone who is "worldly-minded" in the sense of having no interests whatsoever in the things of the Spirit; and, for that reason, is "devoid of the Spirit." And, according to Jude 19, it also appears that this is talking about the type of person who is a trouble-maker, causing "divisions," and spiritual conflicts. William Barclay defines this particular Greek word as referring to "the man who is living on the purely natural level; his standards are the self-preservation and the self-centeredness and the acquisitiveness which are characteristic to the animal" (Flesh and Spirit, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House), p. 13. One other place where this same Greek word is used is in James 3:15, where James points out that the one who is given to "bitter jealousy and selfish ambition" is not being motivated by the "wisdom" from above; but, rather, from that which is "earthly, sensual, (and) devilish." It is this middle word, "sensual," which certainly does not pertain to the spiritual, that is translated from the same Greek word as the "natural man" of 1 Corinthians 2:14 and the "worldly-minded" of Jude 1:19. Sensual Pleasures vs. Spiritual Pursuits Not all sensual experiences are wrong in themselves. Enjoying the warm sunshine or a gusty breeze or smelling the salty air while listening to the ocean's roar can certainly be sensual delights and even things we can be thankful for. But to be so consumed by even these innocent sensual pleasures that we lose interest in--or neglect--our spiritual well-being, can lead to "worldly-mindedness" and spiritual ruin. Actually, these above-mentioned pleasures of the sunshine, wind, and ocean have often served to remind me of what a wonderful Lord we have; and, in addition, have caused me to give an inward praise to the Almighty God for having created such a beautiful planet for us to live on. But praising God and thanking Him for His blessings are merely part of what should characterize the life of a Christian. To neglect the rest would be sinful. The idea of one being led by only the flesh rather than the spirit conveys the image of one who is living to merely fulfill carnal desires which pertain to this temporary, earthly life--regardless of whether the fruition of these desires be innocent in themselves or sinful. To be so dominated by the flesh is always wrong. Often, however, the idea of "sensuality" in the Bible is used to express those sinful activities that are never innocent in themselves. Especially in the Roman letter, Paul emphasizes the great battle that exists between the flesh and the Spirit. The "flesh" here, apparently, alluding to the "sinful deeds or thoughts" that temptations of the flesh can lead us to; and this, of course, is in direct opposition to the way of the "Spirit." It is these sinful deeds that we are to "put to death." Hear Paul's description of these antithetical forces in Romans 8:5-8, 12,13: "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh--for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." The "mind set on the flesh" would definitely describe the one whom we saw James speak of previously as being "worldly-minded" and "devoid of the Spirit." This person cannot please God, as Paul points out, nor would the person whose mind is set only on the flesh even desire to do so--for his chief concerns pertain to the carnal, rather than the spiritual. Again, keep in mind that "flesh" in this passage--as well as the "deeds of the body"--is not merely standing for one's body or just any kind of deed, such as eating, which is a necessary bodily requirement; but rather, it refers to those sinfully carnal thoughts and deeds that are seen in opposition to the way of the Spirit. But also, we must be cautious that we do not allow our lives to be dominated by even innocent "deeds of the body" or innocent carnal pursuits, to the point that we have dethroned Christ from our hearts and have sacrificed our spiritual mindedness for a mind governed solely by carnal desires, sensuality, and pursuits pertaining to only this life. Flesh Per Se Is Not Sinful Let us also point out that Paul does not mean by this that our "flesh" is sinful by nature or by birth. As Whitesides comments: "Human flesh is not sinful in and of itself; if so, the flesh of Jesus was sinful...Christ had in his nature all that the word 'man' implies. 'Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also in like manner partook of the same' (Heb. 2:14). 'Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren' (Heb. 2:17). If Christ's brethren were born sinful and he was not, then he was not like them in all things. But as Jesus was made in all things like unto his brethren and was without sin, it shows conclusively that sin is not a part of man's nature. When Adam and Eve were created, they had all that belongs to human nature. Sin came into their lives as the result of a foreign element. Sin is no more a part of man's nature than is dust in the eye" (Robertson L. Whiteside, A New Commentary on the Epistle of Paul to Saints in Rome [Denton, Texas: Miss Inys Whiteside, 1945], p. 170). Conclusion The "natural man" of 1 Corinthians 2:14 is the person who has no genuine or sincere interest in spiritual things. Instead, he is led by his own carnal desires, which, as a consequence, make him hostile toward God and certainly not able to please Him. If, however, an individual who has reached an age of accountability wants to know the Lord and be saved, the Scriptures are for that person and for that reason. He, therefore, can read it, understand it, acquire faith, obey it, and become one of the Lord's very own. In the Judgment Day, God will never be held accountable for any lost soul; rather, each person will have to give an account of himself to God. This also indicates that the lost state of the millions of people who live today is not because God has "withheld His Holy Spirit from them"; it is because they have withheld themselves from God due to their own unbelief or their preference of the way of the flesh over the way of the Spirit. Where you will spend eternity is a choice that must be made by you; and if you do choose the way of salvation, your choice must be made by your faith and obedience. Choose wisely, choose today! ___________________________________________ Do you know of some people you would like us to study the Bible with? Let us know! ___________________________________________ As we look into God's word, never does it teach that there is only "one thing" involved in man's salvation, such as in the false doctrine of salvation by "faith only." Rather, we are told in Luke 6:46, "And why call ye me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not the THINGS which I say?" There are various "things" one must do to be saved. -- Tom ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________