The natural man/woman

What are the limitations of the natural man in 1 Cor 2:14?

Why don't you offer your opinion first? That way we have some idea of what your are looking for in an answer.... thanks

(hint)

1 Corinthians 3:21

The main limittion of the natural man is the total inability to be used for works of God. He may go through the motions of being a vessel of our Fagther, but th works will b e vain and false.

The natural man as described in 1 Cor 2:14 can not understand anything of a spiritual nature, such as the natural man has no spiritual conscience and will not repent of breaking one of God's spiritual commandments. Neither will he accept the spiritual works of Christ. He looks at all spiritual things as foolishness to him. The only way that the natural man/woman will dwell on spiritual things is after God has regenerated him as explained in Eph 2. Once he has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit he can began to discern spiritual things.

The natural man is the unregenerated person. He can understand the Gospel, which is quite simple. But he cannot understand the deep things of God as stated in 1 Cor 2.

Yeah.......but kinda harsh.........the "natural man" in my opinion is the Carnal Christian that Paul spoke of often. He simply has not (as you stated) received the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit......and/or not grown/matured enough in Christ to understand the Spiritual Truths of the Gospel.

I believe one of his limitations is his inability to produce "fruit" for the Kingdom.

thanks

The first. He has no faith to believe God.

Too many times in the New Testament we have folks unsaved, unregenerate yet inclined of a spiritual things/nature. The Philipian Jailor for instance, asked the most important things of his life about salvation. He is a natural man yet he was saved the moment he believed. That is the natural man that is capable of understanding the works of Christ. Often, what keeps the ‘natural man’ away is that he/she reject, repulse or resist the truth or the gospel. Contrary, it is the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and the seed of the Gospel, the word of God that regenerates the person so, whenever a person receives, believe the gospel truth i.e. presented to hi/her then he/she is saved, regenerated and can begin to know more of spiritual insights and even the deep things of God.

It could be said that the cultist (JW, the Mormons etc) are also aware of many things of the Bible. They know the story of Moses, Abraham but unlearned when it comes to the basic teachings found in the Bible about Salvation, Sin, the Saviour and more. About the text, however, must be understood in the light of its context and the context must elucidate us on this matter and what would you offer FGC?

Thanks

I may only speak for myself. Yes, long before the Holy Spirit entered into my very being I believed Jesus loved me and was a good man. I did not understand a word of the Bible.

The instant I received the Holy Spirit it all came into me, and when I opened a Bible to read for the first time, every word came to life, unlike previously when nothing made sense and I could not read een a phrase .et alone an entire sentwence.

Here is the kicker, the first book I was led to read was teh Book of Isaiah, and from teh first word my heart lept and it was all me aying, "This is true" throughout my first ever read of the Word.

Now I am not arguing what you have posted but this is my fisrt-hand and true experience.

I think its useful to look at the Greek and see what term was translated there as "natural" - psychikos. It means "animal". Let us Bible define itself:

There are just few uses of "psychikos" in the New Testament, so its quite easy to look at them all:

"They kept telling you, “In the last times there will be mockers, following their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who cause divisions. They are like animals, devoid of the Spirit."
Jude 1:19

"But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, animal, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."
James 3:15

"It is sown an animal body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is an animal body, there is also a spiritual."
1 Cor 15:44

Next uses are similar to 1 Cor 15:44, about bodies and one is mentioned in the OP.

So, how can we define "psychikos" biblically, then? What are its properties?

1. Mocking
2. Ungodly desires
3. Divisions
4. Envy
5. Selfish ambitions
6. Denying the truth
7. Disorder
8. Evil practice

People with such properties cannot, of course, understand or accept the things of the Spirit of God. Not all people who are not Christians are "psychikoi", i.e. animalistic, though. As some pointed out.

They can not receive the things of the Spirit because he/she considers them utter foolishness neither can they understand them as they can only be discerned by the Spirit of God, my friend.

Jesus even told Nicodemus in John 3 that no one can even see the kingdom unless they are first born again.

I believe the scriptures to teach that the natural man/woman will not respond to a spiritual God until he has been regenerated and given the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as explained in Eph 2, especially in verse 5. I believe that the Philipian jailor understood that what just happened was a miracle of God, therefore he had already been regenerated. The natural man/woman can not believe in spiritual things until he has been given the Holy Spirit in regeneration. Believing in spiritual things is a product of being born of the Spirit. I also believe the scriptures to teach that those groups of people who are trying to worship God, even though they have not been revealed the truths of the doctrine, are regenerated children of God. I also believe that the scriptures must harmonize with each other to reveal the truth of the doctrine that Jesus taught.

The natural man/woman is not IN CHRIST until he has been regenerated (Eph 2). The babes in Christ are taught the milk of the word and not the deep things of the word until they are matured in Christ. The natural man/woman is not in Christ and can not understand even the milk of the word.

If you believed in a spiritual God and his Son then you were already regenerated and given the Holy Spirit. The new birth comes hardly noticed, as a gentle breeze. However, conversion can be compared to the forth of July fireworks. You received the Holy Spirit before you were converted. and began to understand the gospel which was revealed to you by the Spirit that was already within you. The natural man/woman can never experience conversion.

EXACTLY.

The Holy Spirit taught me all I need know about my own salvation in Jesus Christ…….no one may add to it nor take away from it.

I believe this is true for all who are save, and they all have the experience Jesus knows isnecessary………….the result is the same but the way for each is very personal.

Do not tell a brother or sistger how their salvation is becaus you have somekind of fomula for the experience. I believe this could be true for you because it is how you needed it to occur. Jesus is the oNLY oNE wHO KNOWS.

I only have a minute here, so will post a brief elaboration of a previous post I had made:


Another consideration (when viewing 1 Corinthians 2:14 and its context [incl'g 3:1 re: saved persons]) is how the word "G5591 - psuchikos" is used elsewhere (and distinct from "G5446 - phusikos" and how that is elsewhere used [linked below])

[quoting]

G5591 - psuchikos - "Definition: natural, of the soul or mind
Usage: animal, natural, sensuous." ..."soulish" [or 'of the senses' (mind/will/emotions)]

"5591 psyxikós (an adjective, derived from 5590 /psyxḗ, "soul, natural identity") – properly, soulish, i.e. what is natural, as it relates to physical (tangible) life alone (i.e. apart from God's inworking of faith)."

"natural, sensual.
From psuche; sensitive, i.e. Animate (in distinction on the one hand from pneumatikos, which is the higher or renovated nature; and on the other from phusikos [G5446], which is the lower or bestial nature) -- natural, sensual."

[end quoting; source: Bible Hub; some brackets mine, bold mine]


G5591 - psuchikos - https://biblehub.com/str/greek/5591.htm

G5590 - psuché - https://biblehub.com/str/greek/5590.htm

G5446 - phusikos - https://biblehub.com/str/greek/5446.htm "Cognate: 5446 physikós (an adjective, derived from 5449 /phýsis, "nature") – natural, describing the behavior of an unregenerate person, i.e. a nature lacking divine transformation (salvation). See 5449 (physis)." [source: Bible Hub]


--"soul" ['soulish'] pertains to the "mind/will/emotions"... things that can (and need to) be "renewed" after we are saved, and what is to be [increasingly] "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom8:27,29; see also 2Cor3:18 "beholding... the glory of [the risen/glorified/exalted] Lord..."); in other words, once we are "saved," we are not instantly [and completely] perfected [body & soul (beside spirit)] at that same moment [other than positionally / legally]

Hmm, I think you need first to consider context prior to other text. I have no problem that the Bible must harmonize with each other, but how can you harmonize the text with other text references when you cannot harmonize within its context. Absolutely, comparing spiritual things with spiritual is what the Bible says but have you not made so far completely going against what really the context is?
Hoho, Is that really what the Bible says about the Philippian Jailor? Did the jailor man understood what just happened(events of an earthquake) and therefore he had been regenerated?

How can a natural man/woman be regenerated if he/she will not respond to the spiritual God? It could be magic! That is what you are trying to offer to me. If the Holy Spirit cannot indwell the natural man/woman then no one is save. Everyone is lost until now.

Not only that, I referred to cultist groups, JW’s/Mormons etc and you are saying these groups of people are regenerated children of God?

Please clarify… are you not/now going to your own ideas?

Thanks,

The natural man is anybody that has not received the Spirit to be able to understand the spiritual things of God where He reveals that to those that have received the Spirit, and they have the mind of Christ to be able to understand truth as the man Christ Jesus could understand truth.

For the natural man can only understand things from his fleshy mind not having the Spirit.

And this natural man can be someone of the world, or someone claiming Christ but does not accept the truth of Christianity, for they have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof, ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, and are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, so where they err is they do not want to let go of all the ways of the world, and then have an excuse that they are still right with God, so it hinders them from the truth for they think they are alright despite their sins, which causes them to be unable to receive the Spirit.

That is why Jesus said enter in the straight gate, for many are on the wide path not having a proper understanding of the truth.

Which does not mean we might not sin after we are saved, but we should have the proper perspective of truth, for then we will get rid of it, and move forward in the Spirit, where many do not have the proper perspective of truth, but hold unto sin and think it does not affect their relationship with God.

Which the Bible says at the last generation they will be pure in their own eyes, but not washed away from their filthiness, which the Bible says if they hold unto sin then the blood of Jesus cannot wash it away, for God will not take something away from them that they hold unto.

1 Cor. 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

Paul came to Corinth bringing with him the Gospel, the testimony of God not as an orator or philosopher; he is determined to share Jesus Christ and what he did on the cross. His speech and preaching was a demonstration of the Spirit and of power not with enticing words as does the orator or came with the wisdom of men as does the philosopher. Notice the very reason why he used plainness of speech 2 Cor. 3:12 so that:

1 Cor. 2:5 “… your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

Whose faith is that? The Bible says “your faith” The faith of the Corinth did understand the spiritual things of God since Paul preached with power of God or in the plain message of the Gospel. Btw, the power of God unto salvation is the Gospel Romans 1:16

1 Cor. 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

If it is predestination in the context is concern, Paul speaks of the hidden wisdom of God that is ordained before the foundation of the world and not the predestination to salvation.

1 Cor. 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

So there are things which God prepared for the saved man/woman, those that love him and these are the things that the lost man/woman cannot comprehend. Yet God hath revealed to those every saved man/woman even the deep things of God as he/she grows in grace and in the knowledge of Christ.

1 Cor. 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

So in short the lost man/woman is incapable of comprehending the deep things of God which has been prepared for the saved man/woman because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor 2:14 therefore cannot be used as a ground/basis of predestination to salvation.

1 Cor. 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.