1 Corinthians 2:14
Memory Verse
But the soulish man does not welcome the things from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he is not inherently able to know, because they are Spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).
A soulish man—or as some English translations state, a natural man—is a person who functions based upon their emotions. The body we possess now is a body that relates to the soul—the soul animates the body and interprets the five senses (1 Corinthians 15:44). Soulish wisdom is based upon envy and self-seeking, which will lie against the truth (James 3:14–15). This is the type of wisdom the unsaved man possesses: earthly, soulish, and demonic in nature.
One of the works of the flesh is religious superstitious awe (sorcery, Galatians 5:20); therefore, a soulish man may appear religious. These types of men and women crept into the local churches, focusing on what makes people feel good while causing division and walking according to their own ungodly strong desires (Jude 19).
An unbeliever—and a carnal Christian—is not able to discern the things from the Spirit of God becaues they are foolishness to him. Spiritual discernment begins at salvation and is only possible through the spirit, not the soul. There are many famous pastors today who teach a different gospel from what Paul taught, and bring a different spirit (2 Corinthians 11:4). Lordship salvation, the sinners’ prayer, and accepting Jesus into your heart are among these false gospels, due to the men behind these gospels lacking Spiritual understanding because they themselves are no saved or they are carnal. Even those who claim salvation is by grace through faith without believing in the fact that Christ died on behalf of our sins according to the Scripture, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scripture, present a false gospel. Paul states clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 the gospel that he evangelized, and the only message through which we are saved.
Along with false gospels, these men and women bring in many other harmful heresies. Whether it is living by law, women in the position of a pastor, elder boards that are not made up of pastors, services that focus on singing and emotional manipulation, and many other tactics used today to merchandise those who follow them. These men and women do not possess Spiritual discernment because they can only function from the soul—dependent on emotions and feelings.
Through our emotions, we are not able to discern the things from the Spirit of God, for they are Spiritually discerned and therefore must be understood in a rational, logical manner that is based upon truth, not feelings.