1Cor 2:14-15 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are things unto him: neither can he know them, because they are judged by excess. But that Atiq judges all things. And he is not judged by anyone.

Basic Division: The Scriptures generally divide all human beings into two categories (1) Natural humans ie male and female, Greek 'psuchikos' (1 Cor 2:14). They are usually identified as carnal men, that is, who are governed only by their instincts (2 Peter 2:12). This wise man does not have the Holy Spirit in him (Romans 8:9). He lives in Satan's kingdom (Acts 26:18) and is a slave to his flesh and his senses (Ephesians 2:3). He sympathizes with the people of the world (James 4:4). He ignores the righteous ways of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14). Normal people do not understand God and the way. It relies on human reasoning, growth or emotion.

(2) Spiritual man Greek pneumatikors' (pneumatikos) 1 Cor 2:15: 3:1 i.e. a regenerated man, or a man endowed with the Holy Spirit. This man is spiritual, he thinks of God (1 Cor 2:11-13) and lives in the Spirit of God (Rom 8:4-17: Gal 5:16-26). Such a person believes in Jesus Christ, strives to be led by the Spirit, and resists the lusts of the senses and the dominion of sin (Romans 8:13-14).

How a man can be a perfect man: When a man accepts the salvation given by God by faith, he is born again: the Holy Spirit can be more than a man. Given a new nature (2 Peter 1:4: see the article "Born Again" on page 1335). He is born again (John 3:5, 7), regenerated (Romans 12:2), made a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), and receives the righteousness of God through faith in Christ (Phil. 3:9).

Another difference between Christians: Reborn believers receive the new life of the Holy Spirit, but their sinful natures of evil instincts remain (Gal 5:16-21). Those sinful natures in their lives cannot be cured. Those natures must be mortified and overcome by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:13; Titus 2:12) and the obstacles of sin (Hebrews 12:1) and sinful inclinations must be resisted (Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:16; 1Peter 2:11). Believers themselves must declare war against the sinful nature by the power of the Spirit (Rom. 8:13-14; Gal. 5:16-18) and crucify (Gal. 5:24) and slay them daily (Col. 3:5). Through this process of self-sacrifice and obedience to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, believers experience freedom from the influence of the sinful nature and live as spiritual Christians (Romans 6:13: Galatians 5:16).

Not all Christians fully exert the strength necessary to overcome this sinful nature. In speaking to the Corinthians Paul remarked (1Cor 3:1, 3) that some of them were acting carnally, Greek (sarkikos), that is, instead of constantly resisting the impulses of their sinful nature, they were yielding to at least some of them. Although they were not living in constant disobedience, they were compromising with the world, with the flesh, and with the devil in some areas of their lives. Yet, they still wanted to be a part of God's people (10:21; 2 Cor. 6:14-18: 11:3; 13:5).

(1) The state of carnal Christians: Although carnality and rebellion were not the rule of their lives, and they did not enter into such gross immorality and ungodliness as would separate them from the kingdom of God (see 1 Cor. 6:9-11, and compare also Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5, etc.). Yet those carnal Christians were behaving as if they were no longer growing in grace, and they were walking as if they were brand new believers who had not yet understood the full meaning of salvation in Christ (1Cor 3:1-2). Their carnality was manifested in their envy and strife (3:3). They became indifferent and tolerant of immorality in the church (5:1-13, 6:13-20). They did not take God's Word or His Messenger with due importance (4:18-19). They were going to the law court over a small matter (6:7-8). But the point to note is that Christians who indulged in fornication, immorality or other heinous sins were considered by the Apostle Paul to be completely separated from the salvation of Christ (1 Cor 5:1,9-11: 6:9-10).

(2) The Danger of Carnal Christians: The carnal Christians of Corinth were gradually turning away from sincere devotion to Christ (2 Cor. 11:3) and they were moving toward worldliness (2 Cor. 6:14-18). Paul says that because of their carnality they will be judged and punished by God, and if they walk in harmony with the world, they will eventually be expelled from the kingdom of God (1Cor 6:9-10; 11:31-32). However, some of them, who had committed graver sins, and were approaching spiritual death, had already died spiritually (1 John 3:15; 5:17; Romans 8:13; 1 Cor 5:5: 2 Cor 12:21; 13:5). (3) Warning to carnal Christians: (a) Carnal Christians need to realize that they are in danger of falling away from the faith if they do not want to cleanse themselves from everything displeasing to God (Rom 6:14-16: 1 Cor 609-10: 2 Cor 11:3: Col 6:7-9. James 1:12-16). They should beware of the sad example of the children of Israel, because God destroyed them because of their sins (1Cor 10:5-12). (c) They need to understand that it is not possible to participate in the things of the Lord and at the same time in the things of Satan (Matthew 6:24: 1 Corinthians 10:21). (d) They must separate themselves completely from the world (2 Cor 6:14-18) and keep themselves pure from everything that defiles body and soul and thus be perfected in holiness in the fear of the Lord (2 Cor 7:1).