Three Men and A Baby (It's Not What You Think)

Most of us probably remember the 1987 comedy movie entitled "Three Men and a Baby." As much as I enjoyed this movie, which showed three single men doing their best to cope with the challenges of parenthood, this post has nothing to do with the show.



Instead, I'll be focusing on the apostle Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church. In this first letter, he mentions three types of men, and the differences in these three men all come down to what they choose to do with Jesus.



The Spiritual Man

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 spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:

“For who has known the mind of the Lord
    that he may instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ. ~1 Corinthians 2:12-13, 15-16 (NIV)



Notice these truths about the spiritual man:


He has God's Spirit, which enables him to understand spiritual truths and make judgments.
He has the mind of Christ.

The Unspiritual Man

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. ~1 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV)  



The man without Christ cannot have God's Spirit, so therefore he can't and won't accept the things that come from God's Spirit. Since he can't spiritually discern spiritual truths, they become foolish to him. This is a very common ailment among men. We tend to disparage what we don't understand.



The Worldly Man

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? ~1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NIV)



When man refuses to apply what the Spirit reveals, he doesn't grow. Paul calls thesepeople babies. The proof of their lack of maturity is revealed in their behavior--specifically in jealousy and quarrels. Notice that these spiritual babies are in Christ, but they act like mere men. Because of their behavior it's difficult to tell the difference between this man and the unspiritual man who cannot discern the truths of God.



Application

We all have the same choice when it comes to God, and that choice centers around what we choose to do with the baby in the manger, the Son of God and the Savior of the world. To be spiritual men, we must choose to be obedient to Jesus so that we can grow in our faith. Unspiritual men must seek after God if they would understand the truth revealed by the Spirit. This requires belief in God's Son. It's all too easy to give in to our human tendencies, including jealousy and quarreling, but when we behave in such a way, it appears to the world that Christ has made no difference in our lives.



The choice is ours. What will we do with the baby?



Father God, thank You for the baby who came to the world--God incarnate--to make a way for us to be reconciled to You. May those who don't know You reach the place where they recognize Your sovereignty. May they exchange the foolishness of the world for the wisdom of God. Help us, Lord, to grow up in Christ. May we put aside the ways of the world in obedience to You. Thank You, Father, for giving us Your Spirit so that we might discern the things of God. In Jesus' Name, Amen.