The Spiritual Man vs. the Carnal Man, 1 Corinthians 2:12-16

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For 'who has known the mind of the Lord that he many insrruct Him?' But we have the mind of Christ."

     Lately I have been in a bit of a quandry it seems, not knowing how to act around unbelievers. I don't know that I've ever had this problem before, it seems to be a somewhat new one. For some reason certain people that have entered my life seem to bring about different reactions than I've had in the past, and such has caused me to question how I should be acting around them, being non-believers.
     A friend had explained to me that it's okay if they think I am "more holy than they", because I am more holy than they due to my being indwelt by the Holy Spirit and sanctified by God. I wasn't quite sure this was a good thing to think, but I kept it in mind. His general idea was not to go down to their level, but to remain above them in regards to our being spiritually superior, our life being superior therefore. It just seemed that this was kind of a haughty thing to think. After all, shouldn't one try and build a bridge? Shouldn't we show what we have in common and then build from there? But yet he would say that in doing so we would prove that we are no better than they.

     A verse the Lord gave me in regards to this was Romans 12:2, which says, "And do not be confomrmed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." By not comforming to the world, by not showing acceptance toward their behaviors and actions, we are proving that the perfect and acceptable will of God does not include those things which they are doing.
     Verse 13 of 1 Corinthians 2 teaches us that we are to compare spiritual things with spiritual; that is, we are not to compare carnal things with spiritual things. We aren't to compare worship music with secular music-- it is not on the same level. Worship music has a side to it, an element that no secular music could possibly contain. This is true for the everything else as well pertaining to spiritual life: the life lived in the Spirit is far above any aspect of the carnal life. To say this is not being haughty or arrogant, it is simply the truth, and the Bible states that this is so.

     When we keep in mind that the life we are living in Christ is far superior to any life that can be lived outside of Him, we will be able to remain separate from the world, consecrated unto God to be used as His vessels, bringing His light and love to those around us who are in the dark. But such living will no doubt bring persecution, and such is true because the natural man doesn't understand the things of the Spirit, nor can he, for such things are spiritually discerned, and the natural man is dead in spirit.
     We need not worry though if we are judged by the world. Because we have the mind of Christ, because we have been filled by His Spirit and He is rightly judged by no man, we too, because we are acting on His behalf in that we are walking in the Spirit, are rightly judged by no man. Therefore any judgment or ridicule, persecution or disdain we experience or endure from the world is not endured because we are at fault; it is they who are at fault, and they who will have to answer to God.
     We are simply to do the will of the Father and act in obedience to the calling of the Spirit of Christ. It is no concern of ours whether or not the world likes us or appreciates us or agrees with us. That doesn't mean we can go around acting in our flesh and being rude and obnoxious toward unbelievers, because that's not what Paul is saying. He is saying that as we are walking and living in the Spirit of God, as we are acting in accordance to His will, we can be assured that we are above them, we have attained that better life which is superior to anything the world can offer-- and we are rightly judged by no man in the world, because we are acting upon the calling of God, who is far above and beyond any man that ever lived.

     And so my friend was right. And I'm glad that the Lord has shown me a scriptural basis for what he was saying. May we all seek to remember that the world has nothing to offer us, and that the life we live is far superior and far better than theirs, and thus not seek to lower ourselves to the level of those without Christ in order to win them, because doing so will never win anyone but only damage our witness. If what we have looks the same as what they have, why would they want to change? It's the sharp contrast between light and darkness that divides: There is no gray in Christ.