THE THREE CATEGORIES OF SPIRITUAL PEOPLE.

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE: 1 CORINTHIANS 2:14-1 CORINTHIANS 3:1-4.

CATEGORY ONE:  "THE NATURAL MAN ".

Who is the natural man and what are his ways and behavior? The "natural" relates to nature, or to parts of the physical world not made or altered by man.

The natural man was originally created with God's Spirit in him. He is now dead, though physically alive because of Adam's sin. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 declares " For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die even so in Christ all shall be made alive". The natural man has refused by choice, the new birth through Christ. He is unregenerate [ not become or made morally, spiritually, or physically improved ]. Has not been revived, reawaken or reinvigorated from spiritual death. As a result, he is devoid of the Spirit and has no appreciation for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Everything in him responds and gravitates to the fallen nature.

CHARACTERISTICS:

Has no regard for God and His ways. Job 21:14-15. "Yet they say to God, Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him? NKJ.

The Natural Man serves the God of this world and lives solely or primarily to satisfy the desires of the flesh.

END OF THE NATURAL MAN:

Destruction and the wrath of God for him and his seed. Job 21:16-20 " Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me. How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their destruction come upon them, The sorrows God distributes in His anger? They are like straw before the wind, And like chaff that a storm carries away. They say, God lays up one's iniquity for his children; Let Him recompense him, that he may know it. Let his eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty ".  Revelation 21:8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death". NKJ.

Note: The wrath of God is like being stripped naked and oil boiled to 360 degrees centigrade is poured all over you. Two things wings will happen to you, you will be severely burned to no repair or you will die. If you should survive the burns at all your entire life will be worthless. This wrath of God has sometimes caused uncontrollable burning sensations in the bodies of some people. Doctors, together with many medical tests cannot pinpoint the cause let alone find a cure. It's a terrible thing to come under the wrath of God of Heaven and Earth.

CATEGORY TWO:  "THE CARNAL MAN"

Who is the carnal man and what are his ways and behavior? He is generate [ has become or been made morally, spiritually or physically improved ]. In other words, he has received the New Birth through Christ. However, he lives much like the unregenerate. He is a believer with childish ways, as seen in a jealous and sectarian spirit. An immature Christian lives more for human opinion rather than for Christ, and he is inclined the more to please man instead of pleasing God.

CHARACTERISTICS:

 Sows to the flesh and is earthbound. Galatians 6:7-8 " Don't' be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life". NKJ. Joshua 7:21 [ Achan ] " When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it ". NKJ.

Matthew 26:15 [Judas Iscariot] "and said, What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you? And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver ". Isaiah 56:11 " Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Everyone for his own gain, From his own territory ".

The Carnal Man looks for quick results that require little or no sacrifice at all. To be carnal means to remain in our human nature. God never intended for us to remain in our human, carnal nature but rather to be spiritual [ since we are primarily spiritual beings ]. Carnality is an enemy in reaching a city for God. The Wisdom and Revelation from God cannot flow through carnal persons because they are spiritual babes. A spiritual babe is unskillful in the Word of God according Hebrews 5:13. He does not know who he is in Christ, neither can he discern good from evil. A spiritual babe must be fed "easy" principles of God, for he does not allow himself to be groomed by the whole Word of God and by the Holy Spirit. A carnal person "picks and chooses" what he wants to hear because he is full of envy, spite, strife and division. This nature or type of man [person] is quickly angered and very easily offended when things don't fall his way; and sometimes simply angered and offended by the Truth. Carnal people fail to take responsibility for their Christian walk. They are unsteady, unreliable, and talkative. The carnal person [man] makes quick commitments but never finishes the course. The carnal man is sectarian and clique or coterie minded. Does not have love, care, concern and respect for all but for some, especially his gang or coterie members. This type of Christian cannot win his or family, friends or neighbors for God, let alone cities or nations. The carnal man cannot uphold the things of God, cannot honor the requirements of God and cannot please God. He is a liability to God and the Kingdom.

END OF THE CARNAL MAN:

 Expectations fail here on earth and looses heavenly reward. Hosea 8:7, " They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; It shall never produce meal. If it should produce, Aliens would swallow it up". 1 Corinthians 3:13 "each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is".

What they sow never comes up; it has no stalk, no blade, or if it have, the bud shall yield no meal; it shall be as the ears in Pharaoh's dream, that were blasted with the east wind, and there and there was nothing in them. Or if it yield, if they do prosper for a while in their idolatrous courses, the strangers shall swallow it up; it shall be so far from doing them any service that it shall be but as a bit to invite strangers to invade them, and as a spoil to enrich those strangers and enable them to do so much the more mischief. The service of idols is an unprofitable service, and the works of darkness are unfruitful; nay, in the end they will be pernicious [harmful, destructive and deadly ]. Romans 6:21 " What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death ".

CATEGORY THREE; "THE SPIRITUAL MAN"

Who is the spiritual man and what are his ways and behavior? He is regenerate [ delivered and set free from the Adamic nature; the Fallen nature ] and possessing spiritual life and maturity, as seen in freedom from sectarian strife, [ 1 Corinthians 3:3-4 ] has a nature that responds to the Truth and loves the Truth and wants to hear it always. The Natural and the Carnal men find him difficult to understand.

CHARACTERISTICS…

He is concerned with pleasing God and is totally committed to God's work and His Kingdom. Acts 20:24 " But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God ".  John 8:29 " And He who sent Me is with Me, The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him ". The spiritual man is truly loyal to what they do, whether for God or man and they finish what they start.

END OF THE SPIRITUAL MAN…

 Long life, blessing and honor for him and his seed 1 Chronicles 29:28 " So he died in a good old age, full of days and riches and honor; and Solomon his son reigned in his place "; Psalm 112:2-3 " His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever ".

WHICH OF THESE CATEGORIES DO YOU BELONG TO?