Ministry of Grace Church

But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.

Truth to Learn

A spiritual Christian is one who is under God’s control.

Behind the Words

The words “he who is spiritual” are translated from the Greek adjective pneumatikos. This word is derived from pneuma, which itself is derived from the verb pneuō, meaning “to breathe.” Pneuma refers to “air in motion,” that is “a breath,” “a breeze,” or “wind.” In Genesis 2:7, God breathed into Adam the “breath of life.” In the New Testament, pneuma is used as an expression of the rational spirit of man, the intellectual portion of man which distinguishes him from the lower animals. It is also used to describe the essence of beings who exist in the spiritual realm, separate from the physical realm. In this sense, it describes beings who communicate with the God of creation and other spirit beings. Therefore, pneumatikos describes those who have a spiritual relationship with God.

“No one” is translated from oudeis, which is composed of ou, the absolute negative particle and heis, the number “one.” Thus, oudeis literally means “not even one” or “no one.”

Meaning Explained

As we said in yesterday’s verse study, Paul is contrasting “a natural man” with “a spiritual man.” A natural man is someone who lives in the sphere of the soul, the physical and emotional world of nature. This person is controlled by physical appetites, physical pleasure, human intellect, and emotion. In contrast, a spiritual man is someone who lives in the sphere of the spirit of God. This person is controlled by a relationship with God through His Holy Spirit. As we learned in yesterday’s verse, a natural man can’t understand the things of God’s spirit (they are foolishness to him), because such things can only be examined or discerned by the Spirit of God.

Paul’s expression, “he who is spiritual” is a reference to someone who communicates with and is controlled by the Spirit of God. It is not simply a reference to someone who is saved, however. Christians, those who have God’s Spirit within, have a choice that unsaved people don’t have. They can choose to live under the control of the Holy Spirit or under the control of their lower, physical and emotional nature. In the next few verses, Paul will describe those who obey their lower nature as carnal:

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ … For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (1 Corinthians 3:1, 3)

In today’s verse, Paul tells us that the Christians who communicate with and are under the control of the Holy Spirit are able to judge (examine and discern) all things. These people have spiritual insight that a natural man or a carnal man doesn’t have. Paul also tells us that mature Christians (those who are spiritual rather than carnal) are judged by no one. In other words, no one can rightly discern the thinking, attitudes, and motives of someone who is controlled by the Spirit of God.

Application

If you are a Christian, then you are different than someone who has not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. However, you have a choice to be controlled by your own emotions and desires or by the Spirit of God. Who is in control of your life?