Lessons for Christians. The third chapter of 1 Corinthians contains instruction which all who claim to be following Jesus should study. Contentions in the body of believers are not after the order of God. They result from the manifestation of the attributes of the natural heart. To all who bring in disorder and disunion, the words of Paul are applicable: "I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able." Paul here addressed a people whose advancement was not proportionate to their privileges and opportunities. They ought to have been able to bear the hearing of the plain word of God, but they were in the position in which the disciples were when Christ said to them, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye can not bear them now." They ought to have been far advanced in spiritual knowledge, able to comprehend and practice the higher truths of the word; but they were unsanctified. They had forgotten that they must be purged from their hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong, and that they must not cherish carnal attributes.

Det tredje kapitel i 1. korinterbrev indeholder undervisning som alle, der hævder at være Jesu efterølger, bør studere. Stridigheder i de troendes samlede legeme er ikke efter Guds orden. De kommer af at vise det naturlige hjertes egenskaber. For alle som bringer uorden og uenighed ind, er Paulus’ ord passende: ”Og brødre, jeg kunne ikke tale til jer som til åndelige, men kun som til kødeligsindede, som til spæde børn i Kristus. Mælk gav jeg jer at drikke, ikke fast føde, thi I kunne endnu ikke tåle den; ja, I kan det ikke engang nu.” Her henvender Paulus sig til et folk hvis opvækst ikke passede sig til deres privilegier og anledninger. De burde kunne klare at høre det tydelige Guds Ord, men de var på det sted hvor disciplene var, da Kristus sagde til dem: ”Jeg har endnu meget at sige jer; men I kan ikke bære det nu.” De burde have været langt længere fremme i åndelig kundskab, i stand til at fatte og praktisere Ordets højere sandheder; men de var ikke helligede. De havde glemt at de måtte renses fra deres nedarvede og opelskede tendenser til at fejle, og at de ikke må værne om kødelige egenskaber.