All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. (Eph 2:3-4, NIV)
The cravings of the sinful nature feel natural, for we agree with them. The sinful nature, or the "flesh", is after all, part of us. The challenge is to recognize the desires of the flesh instead of following them headlong.
Those who are infants in Christ follow their sinful nature for their senses have not yet been trained to recognize good and evil (Heb 5:11-14). Those who are mature in Christ, recognize good from evil and refuse to let sin reign in their bodies and bring them into slavery to the desires of their sinful natures (Rom 6:12-13, 7:14; 1 Cor 2:15-3:4).
Infants in Christ resemble those who are in the world, for they have not yet learned to live as Christians.
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men? (1 Cor 3:1-4 NIV)
Selfish ambition is one of the works of the sinful nature (Gal 5:20); where selfish ambition is found, so is also every evil work (Jas 3:16). Selfish ambition convinces us that we have the right to impose our own opinions and preferences on others. And that is what the man's authority is all about, for if women have the freedom to follow God's will, but not their own wills, the whole authority issue is about the man's right to impose his will on a woman; God has nothing to do with it.
Infants in Christ delight in such display of power, but the mature in Christ forsake self-seeking, for they live the life of love, and love does not seek its own (Eph 5:1-2; 1 Cor 13:5).
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