1 Corinthians 3:1

“The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”

Addresses the spiritual immaturity of the Corinthians and their inability to grasp spiritual truths.

“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.”

Parallel concept of spiritual immaturity and inability to digest solid spiritual food.

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways.”

Illustrates the contrast between immaturity and maturity.

“So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world.”

Speaks of a time when believers were immature and under the influence of worldly principles.

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”

Uses the imagery of infancy to describe spiritual instability and vulnerability to false teachings.