Articles
Failure to Thrive
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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? (1 Cor. 3:1-4)
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The church in Corinth was Paul’s most challenging project, not because of any external persecution, but because of the church’s own immaturity. Despite all the teaching, counseling, and mentoring that Paul poured into this group, they struggled to “get it.” They remained spiritual infants, stuck in a perpetual state of dysfunction.
When a child fails to gain weight, parents and physicians know that something is wrong. Medical science calls this condition “failure to thrive.” There can be any number of underlying causes, none of which are child's fault. It's a fitting metaphor for a spiritual problem that also exists among adults--including the church at Corinth.
However, unlike children, the adults who suffer from this condition bear responsibility for their stunted growth. Three times in these verses Paul uses the word “carnal” (or in some versions, “fleshly”) to describe the mindset of these people. Their behaviors were guided almost entirely by brutish impulses, with little regard for the interests of others. They struggled to appreciate any virtue beyond their own selfish desires. The result was rivalry, competition, strife, hard feelings--a congregational train wreck that embittered everyone involved, and hurt their influence in the community.
If your relationships are mired in drama, consider that the root problem may not be the other people in your life, but YOU. Perhaps your failure to thrive in life is the result of your own childish attitudes. Maybe its your own self-centered pride that is poisoning your ability to bond with others in goodwill and affection.
It’s time to grow up. Ditch the carnal attitudes that are choking your spiritual maturity, and get busy helping and serving others in a spirit of unconditional kindness. God designed you for that purpose, and you will never find true contentment in life until you learn to put aside your childish ways.
-- David
