3:31 Corinthians 3:3

Envy and strife and divisions among believers prove they are yet carnal and walk as men, acting from the natural heart by ordinary human impulses rather than by the mind and Spirit of Christ.RH Dec 11, 1900+2 The carnal are babes in Christ who can bear only milk, the plainest simple truths, and not meat, the solid nourishing spiritual food for those advanced in divine knowledge.Lt 231, 1903, par. 13–15+4 This carnality shows itself in party spirit, claiming to belong to Paul or Apollos or Cephas, forgetting they are only ministers by whom belief came, one planting and another watering while God gives the increase.Lt 231, 1903, par. 13–15+2 Cherished envy and strife make the church weak and bring a dearth of the Spirit of God, who will not be sent as Comforter and Strengthener until His people are of one mind, loving and courteous.Ms 67, 1900, par. 14–16+2 The remedy is reconversion, removing every barrier, ceasing from reliance on man, feeding on Christ, and coming into unison with Him and into unity in the Master's service.STB 197.6–198.1+4

Envy, strife, and divisions among believers prove they are yet carnal and walk as men, acting from the natural heart by ordinary human impulses rather than by the mind and Spirit of Christ.RH Dec 11, 1900+4 Such conduct shows spiritual immaturity and lack of sanctification, including failure to put away inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong, for views and feelings bound about by selfishness and by narrow, conceited thinking displace the generosity, tenderness, and liberality that reveal Christ abiding within.RH Dec 11, 1900+2 Envy is a miserable trait, and strife and divisions are a deleterious order that must not be allowed but reproved, with believers coming instead into unison with Christ.Ms 111, 1909, par. 11–13+1

Carnal believers are babes in Christ who can bear only milk and not meat, showing dwarfed spiritual growth that cannot bear truth concerning self.Lt 231, 1903, par. 13–15+4 Such a state is offended by a plain message from God, by a plain Thus saith the Lord, and regards the faithful teacher as an accuser and faultfinder.Ms 74, 1899, par. 1–2 Because the Corinthians were in this carnal state, with party cries over the relative merits of different ministers, Paul could not speak to them as spiritual but had to feed them with milk and not with meat, which explains his simple manner of labor among them and the anxiety and hard labor their divisions caused him.Lt 231, 1903, par. 13–15+2

Milk means the plainest, most simple truths, the first lessons of Christian faith and doctrine suitable for converts young in the faith, while meat means the solid, nourishing, spiritual food suited to those who have progressed in knowledge of divine things.20MR 335.1–3+2 Remaining carnal comes from not feeding on Christ, so there is no advance in spiritual knowledge, leaving people on a low level dwelling on surface truth that calls for no thought or deep research.20MR 335.1–3+1 The instruction in the verse is of great importance and is to be understood and practiced.20MR 335.1–3+1

Minds distracted and troubled by envy and strife cannot comprehend or properly grasp the deep spiritual truths of God's word, since divine revelation can be rightly understood and appreciated only by the aid of the Spirit by whom it was given.Lt 280, 1906, par. 20–25+3 This carnal walk stands in contrast to spiritual discernment and the mind of Christ, and to the unity and love that mark God's people.Lt 280, 1906, par. 20–25 To those given to worldly pursuits, who have cultivated sharp worldly business traits and are too worldly-wise, the preaching of the cross is foolishness.Lt 56, 1893, par. 22–25

Claiming to belong to Paul or Apollos or Cephas or Christ forgets that Paul and Apollos are only ministers by whom belief came as the Lord gave to every man, one planting and another watering while God gives the increase.Lt 231, 1903, par. 13–15+3 Such party spirit, saying I am of Paul and I am of Apollos, is the concrete proof of this carnal walk and plainly reveals the cause of church difficulties.Lt 231, 1903, par. 13–15+2 In God's cause all do not have the same work to do, yet workers have different parts in united service with Christ as foundation.Lt 66, 1908, par. 2–6+1

Carnality appears as party spirit, where one claims I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos, and even I am of Cephas and I am of Christ become cries of division over the relative merits of different ministers teaching Christ.Lt 66, 1908, par. 2–6+2 It is linking up with the one man under whose labors the light of present truth was received, considering selves independent atoms, tying up in separate bundles and refusing to be in harmony with brethren.Lt 66, 1908, par. 2–6+2 Such a spirit shows want of meekness and humility and wholehearted kindness, proves believers are not sanctified through the truth, and stands on dangerous ground needing warning.Ms 130, 1901, par. 25–26+2 Those possessed by it require reconversion as soon as possible lest claimed conversion become a stumbling block, and require education to the spirit that should control believers so they present unity instead of division, strengthen one another, make straight paths, and help fellow members live in agreement.Ms 130, 1901, par. 25–26+2

It appears in withdrawing from some for reasons existing only in the imagination and binding up with others, cherishing discord, prejudice, jealousy, and evil surmisings against brethren.Ms 67, 1900, par. 14–16 Such differences separate from brethren and thus separate from God, make the church weak, greatly hinder the manifestation of the Spirit, and God will not send His Spirit as Comforter and Strengthener until His people are of one mind, loving as brethren, pitiful and courteous.Ms 67, 1900, par. 14–16 The whole chapter is to be understood as a whole, calling Christians to take responsibility for their own work rather than find fault with others.Lt 37, 1899, par. 13–17

It appears in ordering, dictating to, and controlling God's workers, putting God's servants under human judgment and authority.Ms 128, 1908, par. 20–22 Exercising any ruling power that would compel men to obey the dictates of the finite mind is forbidden, and faith and practice need to be energized by the Holy Spirit rather than reliance on man whose breath is in his nostrils.Ms 128, 1908, par. 20–22+1 Turning the minds of men to lean on human wisdom creates confusion and dishonors God, and places a veil between God and man so that Him who is invisible is not seen.Ms 128, 1908, par. 20–22+2 Each person is to be free to seek God in prayer, receive instruction from Him, know His will, and carry out the work God has given.Ms 128, 1908, par. 20–22

Erecting national barriers between believers in God's service is carnality, proving envying and strife and divisions and walking as mere men instead of being one in Christ Jesus.STB 197.6–198.1+1 Such separation is a plan of human invention that God can never endorse.STB 197.6–198.1+1 The remedy is to remove every barrier and come into unity in the service of the Master, to demonstrate to the world that men of every nationality are one in Christ Jesus.STB 197.6–198.1

It appears in selfishness and narrow, conceited thinking, with views and feelings bound about by selfishness and walking after the wisdom of narrow, conceited minds rather than the mind and Spirit of Christ.RH Dec 11, 1900+1 Such conduct shows spiritual immaturity and failure to put away inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong, acting from the natural heart according to human ways.RH Dec 11, 1900 It displaces the liberality, generosity, and tenderness that reveal an abiding Christ within.RH Dec 11, 1900+1

It appears in gratifying sinful self-indulgence such as use of tobacco, which abuses conscience and forfeits the claim to stand as God's husbandry and God's building filled to the measure in Christ Jesus.Lt 354, 1905, par. 6 Spending the Lord's money to gratify bad appetite demoralizes the whole man in physical, mental, and moral condition and leaves him unable to be healthy and to discern between righteousness and unrighteousness.Lt 354, 1905, par. 6 Those who do so must become thorough reformers and missionaries for God, with every penny used to place the person in the best physical, mental, and moral condition.Lt 354, 1905, par. 6

It appears in giving chief affection to a woman who is not his wife and leaving his own wife to occupy second place.10MR 185.3–187.2 Such dangerous sentimentalism and spiritualistic affection is worked by the enemy, dishonors God, and allows impurity to abide in mind and heart.10MR 185.3–187.2 It shows need for repentance and conversion, turning wholly to God so Christ takes charge of the affections and causes them to center upon proper objects, giving grace to be true as steel to marriage vows in thought, word, and deed.10MR 185.3–187.2

Cherished envy and strife make the church weak, carnal, and walking as men, distracting and weakening it and bringing a dearth of the Spirit of God.Ms 67, 1900, par. 14–16+2 Such differences separate from brethren and thus separate from God, and greatly hinder the manifestation of the Spirit.Ms 67, 1900, par. 14–16+1 God will not send His Spirit as Comforter and Strengthener until His people are of one mind, loving as brethren, pitiful and courteous.Ms 67, 1900, par. 14–16 This rebuke applies with special force in the closing days, when evil works to cause dissension and disunion among God's people.ST Jan 7, 1913+1

The verse is full of instruction and is a reproof given to all churches wherever located, to be read in every church and received by ministers for their soul's sake.Ms 58, 1911, par. 6–7 Unless hearts are humbled before God under this reproof, names will not be placed in the book of life.Ms 58, 1911, par. 6–7 Those with divisions among them are not ready for the Lord's coming even when they think they are ready.Ms 111, 1909, par. 28–30

Those in this spirit stand on dangerous ground needing warning, and this warning applies to workers who are not in harmony and must help fellow members live in agreement.Ms 59, 1902, par. 7–9+2 Reconversion is needed as soon as possible, lest claimed conversion become a stumbling block to sinners.Ms 130, 1901, par. 25–26 Education is required to the spirit that should control believers, so that they do not present division in place of unity but strengthen one another, make straight paths for the feet, and present sanctifying truth in love and harmonious action.Ms 130, 1901, par. 25–26+1 The whole chapter serves this education, to bring those possessed by the divisive spirit to better understanding without giving them up as irreclaimable.16MR 196.1–2

The remedy is to remove every barrier and come into unity in the Master's service, to show all nationalities one in Christ, for erecting national barriers is a plan of human invention that God can never endorse.STB 197.6–198.1 Strife and divisions are a deleterious order that must not be allowed but reproved, with believers ceasing from reliance on man and coming into unison with Christ instead.Ms 111, 1909, par. 11–13+1 Remaining carnal comes from not feeding on Christ, leaving people on a low level dwelling on surface truth that calls for no thought or deep research, so feeding on Christ brings advance in spiritual knowledge.20MR 335.1–3+1 The verse and its chapter must be understood as a whole, taken home and thought over and applied to the heart until God makes it plain, and studied and prayed over with humility so each is free to seek God, receive instruction, know His will, separate from every hindrance, and carry out the work given.20MR 335.1–3+3