3 Spiritual Stages of Man

Paul in Romans 8 draws a hard line between two minds. The natural mind is in the flesh, void of the Holy Spirit, and cannot please God. The carnal mind is enmity against God, not subject to His law, and its end is death. Christ in John 3 says a person must be born again. Ephesians 2 says God must quicken the dead. When the Spirit indwells, life and peace arrive because the Prince of Peace reigns in the heart.

Paul then names three spiritual conditions: the natural, the spiritual, the carnal. The natural man will always mind the things of the flesh. First Corinthians 2 says he does not receive the things of the Spirit, counts them moría, dull and absurd, and chases what flatters the belly and the now. The very Life-giver stands in Scripture from Genesis to Revelation, yet unbelief refuses to come to Him for life.

The spiritual man is the person controlled by the Spirit of God. His affections are set on things above, not on things of the earth. He discerns with the mind of Christ and makes righteous judgments because the Spirit’s job is to glorify Christ. His fruit bears witness. “You will know a tree by its fruit.” His appetite is the Word. “A verse a day does not keep Satan away.” The Word of Christ must dwell richly because the only way the Lord reveals Himself is by His Word, and the Spirit guides into all spiritual truth.

The carnal Christian is a babe in Christ. Carnality is a lapse, not a lifelong condition. If a life runs on flesh from start to finish, it never knew God. John says God’s seed abides, and the one born of God cannot live in sin. So a sin check comes first before pointing at another. Paul requires study to show oneself approved unto God. Failure to grow in Scripture, to pray, to sit under biblical teaching, and to fellowship with the saints will stunt the soul. Company matters. Iron sharpens iron. Gathering with God’s people warms the heart that livestream cannot keep warm.

Paul’s diagnosis of Corinth seals it. Envy, strife, divisions shout carnality, so he withholds meat and gives milk. The remedy for the natural man is the cross. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin so sinners could become righteous and receive the Spirit. The remedy for the carnal is confession and cleansing. The Spirit then restores peace, removes condemnation, and gives assurance of adoption. The delights of the spiritual man are in the age to come.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Only three spiritual conditions exist There is the natural, the spiritual, and the carnal. This is not a spectrum but three distinct states before God. Identity determines appetite and fruit, not the other way around. Self-knowledge here is mercy, because diagnosis invites the right remedy. [27:52]
• 2. Carnal mind brings death; Spirit peace Romans 8 does not flatter the flesh. The carnal mind is hostility, and its end is death, even when outward life looks successful. The Spirit brings life and peace because Christ Himself rules the inner life as Prince of Peace. Peace is not a mood but the sign of His reign. [33:02]
• 3. The natural calls grace foolishness First Corinthians 2 says the unregenerate cannot receive or know spiritual realities. To the natural man, the gospel feels dull, absurd, and distasteful, so he chases the belly and the now. This insult is actually a compass, pointing straight to the cross where God grants new sight. [41:36]
• 4. Real spirituality feeds on Scripture The Spirit glorifies Christ and leads into all truth, and He does that through the Word. A thin diet of verses will not sustain a soul facing real temptation and real sorrow. Deep intake forms deep discernment, and deep discernment bears clean fruit. [55:13]
• 5. Carnality shows in fruit and fellowship Envy, strife, and division betray a baby’s diet, not a mature palate. Company shapes the soul, either dulling desire for God or sharpening holy hunger. Confession restores, but formation requires steady Word, prayer, and the gathered church. [63:46]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [27:52] - Three spiritual stages named
• [30:10] - Carnal mind is death
• [32:15] - After flesh vs after Spirit
• [33:58] - Peace of the Prince of Peace
• [41:36] - Natural man rejects the Spirit
• [46:52] - Who is truly spiritual
• [50:27] - You will know a tree
• [55:13] - Christ reveals through His Word
• [57:50] - When desire for Word wanes
• [60:34] - Study to show thyself approved
• [63:18] - Milk not meat in Corinth
• [64:49] - Walk in the Spirit
• [69:04] - The cross and imputed righteousness
• [70:58] - Assurance as God’s children

1. According to Romans 8:5-9, what are the defining characteristics of the "natural mind," the "spiritual mind," and the "carnal mind"?
2. In 1 Corinthians 2:14, how does Paul describe the natural man’s response to spiritual truths, and what example was given in the sermon to illustrate this? [41:36]
3. What specific behaviors in the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) revealed their carnality, and how does this contrast with the spiritual man’s fruit? [01:03:18]
4. How does the sermon define the difference between a "carnal Christian" and someone who is "spiritual"? What marks a temporary lapse versus a lifelong condition? [59:08]

1. Why does Paul describe the carnal mind as "enmity against God" (Romans 8:7), and how does this explain the natural man’s rejection of the gospel?
2. The sermon states, "A verse a day does not keep Satan away." How does this relate to the idea that "the Word of Christ must dwell richly" in believers? [52:26]
3. In 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, Paul links envy, strife, and divisions to carnality. Why are these behaviors particularly indicative of spiritual immaturity?
4. The sermon emphasizes that "identity determines appetite and fruit." How does this principle align with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7:16-20 about recognizing a tree by its fruit? [50:27]

1. The natural man "chases what flatters the belly and the now." What practical steps can someone take to shift their desires from temporary, fleshly pursuits to eternal, spiritual priorities? [44:29]
2. If "a thin diet of verses will not sustain a soul facing real temptation," how might your daily habits of Scripture reading, prayer, or fellowship need to change to cultivate a "deep intake" of God’s Word? [55:13]
3. Envy, strife, or division can subtly creep into relationships. What specific area of your life (e.g., work, family, church) needs intentional reflection to address potential carnality? [01:03:46]
4. The sermon warns that "company shapes the soul." Are there relationships or environments in your life that dull your hunger for God? How can you prioritize "iron sharpening iron" connections this week? [01:05:59]
5. Confession and cleansing are the remedy for carnality. What sin or area of stagnation might you need to bring before God today to restore peace and assurance of His adoption? [01:10:58]