By Jodi Adrian | Photo by Halle Adrian Photography

Paul, in this letter to a church in Corinth, was confronting a group of believers he loved dearly. We know this because he referred to these Christians as his “beloved children” (1 Cor 4:14). And as a loving Father does, Paul confronted his “children,” imploring each one with the truth: “You are not as mature as you think you are” (paraphrase of 1 Cor 3:1-3).

“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?”

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Infants Don’t Eat Meat

“I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it”

1 Corinthians 3:2a

Paul came to Corinth, a city filled with highly esteemed philosophies, religion, and wealth, all of which opposed the humble message of the gospel. He began, as he should, with simple, easy-to-swallow truths. He gave the people milk.

I have two grandchildren. The youngest, my grandson, is two months old. When you observe him, it is indisputable that he needs milk, and only milk. The stage of development he is currently in does not allow him to chew food. Chewing is complex, involving various muscles and skills – muscles and skills he does not yet have. If my son and daughter-in-law were to give this precious baby anything other than milk, he would choke, and be at risk of dying. This is an awful thing to consider – no reasonable parent who cares for their child would ever give an infant food.

This metaphor Paul used was intentional. The Corinthians were spiritual infants when he first shared the gospel with them, and in their stage of development, they could only take in milk. To give them teaching that was solid food, would have been dangerous for their spiritual lives.

Five Year Olds Do

“. . . And even now, you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh”

1 Corinthians 3:2b-3a

Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians at least three years (possibly up to 5 years) after planting this church. “And even now, you are not yet ready” for meat. If my grandson, at three to five years of age, is not yet eating solid food, there will be signifiant reason for concern, because at that stage of development, his body and brain will need more than milk. The Corinthians were at a stage in their spiritual development where only drinking milk was inhibiting their ability to grow.

“For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?”

1 Corinthians 3:3b

What was contributing to this spiritual atrophy? Jealousy and strife. Those don’t sound profoundly damaging at first glance. I think most Christians today would minimize sin struggles that were only categorized as such. However, when we examine the immediate context of this letter, we can see that prideful proclamations of who was following whom, the thirst for worldly wisdom and sexual satisfaction, all fall under these seemingly benign categories. Paul was speaking truth to the Corinthians: it was merely human, fleshly, essentially sinful to live together (amongst other believers) while harbouring jealousy of various kinds, and contributing to divisions and strife. This was, in a word, immature.

Love, Humility, and Meat

How would God have us apply these truths to our lives as friends, family members, and small group leaders? First, for those of us who are called to speak truth, we ought to be encouraged and probably convicted by the fatherly heart with which Paul wrote to the immature Corinthians. He loved them; he desired health and growth in their lives. The state of the Corinthians’ maturity was understood by Paul; he did not try to cram meat down their throats when they were only infants. He wisely taught, discipled, and called these men and women to growth. Nor was Paul afraid to speak the truth. His confidence was in the commendation that came from the Lord, and this reality, joined with love, was what propelled him toward the risk of being misjudged or hated (1 Cor 4:5).

Second, for those of us who are being confronted, we ought to humbly consider the heart of the one who has risked bringing truth into our areas of darkness. We must listen for the love and care, work hard to see past our wounded pride, and consider the truth we are presented with. Solomon puts it this way: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Prov. 27:6). We should be very wary of friends and family who only blow gentle kisses our way. True love, true care, will speak truth, and the effect of truth combating a prideful heart, is pain. Growth does involve discomfort. To go back to the infant metaphor, it is rare for a growing child to ingest solid food without initial disgust and resistance. But we don’t stop feeding the child, and leave her in her state of anemic immaturity – we lovingly persist in providing the food she needs. As a child comes to see love and care in the parent who feeds her textures which initially repel, so we will come to see the one who feeds us meat, and speaks the truth, as one who does so out of love, care and maturity.

Jodi Adrian is a biblical counsellor at The Biblical Counselling Group in North Vancouver, British Columbia. She is the mother of three daughters, a son, and a daughter-in-law; and she is grandmother to two adorable little ones. Jodi works with children, youth and adults, and counts it a privilege to help individuals navigate relationships, including abuse.