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The word for “perfect” here is Strong's G5046 - teleios and it has several biblical usages as complete, wanting nothing, perfect or full grown age, mature.

Paul is explaining he has “wisdom” to give to mature believers. We will see in the remainder of chapter 2 into chapter 3 how he desires to give the Corinthians this wisdom but they are not yet spiritual, they are not yet mature enough to receive it.

Quoting from the Old Testament scriptures, Paul says as it is “written” here going on to explain the things, meaning salvation for all mankind and the better promises of the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:6) weren’t heard or seen before.

Paul then says the mystery, the wisdom of God is now revealed “by his Spirit” to himself, the apostles and prophets. The things which God prepared for those that love him are no longer a mystery:

1. “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:” Ephesians 3:3-6

Paul wants to tell the Corinthians things of the Holy Spirit “comparing spiritual things with spiritual”. But there are two types of men, a natural (verse 14) and a spiritual (verse 15) man. We will see that each believer is one of these but not both. You fall into one of these two camps. Being labeled a “spiritual” person has requirements as we will see it doesn’t happen at salvation.

Context is key when reading this verse. Paul is writing to believers in Corinth, not the unregenerate (1 Corinthians 1:2).

Paul is contrasting two types of people in verses 14–15, and contextually, both categories can apply to believers. This is vital to keep in mind because Paul explicitly says the Corinthians are behaving like natural men (1 Corinthians 3:3):

1. The natural man (2:14) = A believer who behaves like an unbeliever, walking in the flesh and unable to receive the things of the Spirit. This describes an immature, carnal, “babe in Christ.”

2. The spiritual man (2:15) = A mature believer. This does not describe every Christian; spiritual maturity requires time, growth, obedience, and discipline.

From chapter 1 through chapter 3, Paul is addressing the Corinthian carnality, their natural man (flesh), which was causing divisions in the church. He makes this crystal clear in chapter 3 paralleling what he says here, that he could not speak to them spiritually because they were not ready for “spiritually discerned” things, even though they were believers in Christ.

1. “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:1

Then, for the second time, Paul returns to the same issue of division that he addressed in chapter 1, showing that chapters 1–3 form one cohesive argument. He again tells them in chapter 3 they cannot yet handle spiritual truths and are walking as mere men, that is, what he calls here in verse 14 the “natural man.”

1. “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?” 1 Corinthians 3:2-4

He just got stating he speaks wisdom to mature people:

1. “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:” 1 Corinthians 3:6

In summary, Paul wants to share “things of the Spirit of God”, the meat (1 Corinthians 3:2), mature things, but they cannot yet handle them, even though they are saved. Paul is not teaching that the natural man is incapable of responding to God’s call unto salvation, but rather that believers who behave carnally cannot grasp deeper spiritual truth.

While these are not Paul’s exegetical points in this passage, we can still address common questions that often arise:

1. Can the “natural man” understand or receive salvation itself?

   Yes, absolutely, in Mark 4:10-15 we see that unless Jesus spoke in parables, many would have heard, understood, and had their sins forgiven. Even though they were dead in their sins, they still could have believed. Jesus sometimes hid the truth in parables specifically to delay belief until the appointed time. Later, in Acts 2, Peter gives them a clear opportunity to believe and explains how they had killed their Messiah.

2. Can the “natural man” respond to God before being born again?

   Again, yes. Scripture is filled with examples, and Hebrews 11 highlights this reality in detail. We see numerous men and women, Abraham, David, Joseph, Rahab, and many others, who walked with God by faith before anyone in history had experienced new birth or regeneration. Their response to God was genuine, yet it occurred prior to the indwelling of the Spirit accomplished through the new covenant.

Not all Christians are “spiritual”, being spiritual has requirements. Paul is not including the Corinthians in this line here but instead is speaking of himself. How do we know? He specifically says they are not spiritual right now but carnal in the next chapter:

1. “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:1

A “spiritual” man is a mature man in Christ. It doesn’t happen instantly at the moment of belief. This is in direct contrast to the “natural man” in the previous verse. The Corinthians were walking in carnality, the natural man. They were babes and unable to meet these requirements yet:

1. Trials bring holiness and focus:

   “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” 1 Peter 4:1-2 (see also 1 Peter 1:6)

2. Restoration is done by mature ones:

   “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one…” Galatians 6:1

3. A teacher or leader must be mature:

   “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil”. 1 Timothy 3:6

4. A spiritual man understands the Word deeply, unlike a babe:

   “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.” Hebrews 5:13

5. Discernment comes with maturity:

   “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews 5:14

Upon salvation we aren’t instantly changed cognitively speaking. It takes time for us to learn and our minds to be renewed. Becoming “spiritual” is progressive, not instant.

By the power of the Holy Spirit any believer has “the mind of Christ” but as the Corithians needed to do we must put away carnal living and learn to live and walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25): “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26

It is quite simple, once we are saved, we aren’t instantly spiritual men even though we “have the mind of Christ” by the Spirit (1 John 2:27), our own physical minds new to be rewritten by the Bible, the Corinthians needed this in order to become spiritual and stop being carnal:

1. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

2. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,” Ephesians 5:26

3. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17