We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:
1 Corinthians 2:12-15
We must be clear. We are not to judge those outside of the church, but we are called to judge those inside it (1 Corinthians 5:12). Those outside are sinners, and we expect them to act like sinners. If they sin, it is their nature to sin, and we do not do well if we point fingers at the unregenerate, just as we do well not to fit into them, for there is no fellowship between light and dark. Likewise, when we enter into soulish, or carnal, judgement against a brother, failing to discern the Lord’s body, we do sin. Jesus said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (John 5:30). He did not use His own mind or understanding to judge, but He judged according to the Spirit, and was right when He prophesied judgement on the Pharisees, on Jerusalem, and on the cities that would not hear His Gospel.
Yet, Paul made it clear that the man of the flesh cannot receive the things of God, for they are spiritually discerned. Not will not, cannot. Jesus said it this way, that those who are not born again cannot see nor enter the Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:3-5).
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For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
