Note the past tense here, indicating that this is referring to how Paul had to deal with the Corinthians in some previous incident. At that time he could not address then as spiritual but as worldly. When someone first comes to Christ they are like infants, they need spiritual milk, not spiritual steaks.
However, we are meant to grow and mature, but the Corinthians had not matured, or at least not as fast as they should have done. How did Paul know this? Because jealousy was evident among them. See that it is not a doctrinal deficiency that is a sign of immaturity, but a character deficiency. There is no virtue in having sound doctrine while having a childish character. The "I follow Paul", "I follow Apollos" nonsense was a sign of their immaturity.
Paul knew that his work was important, but he also knew how he fitted in the whole scheme of things. He was a servant of the Lord, and the Lord had assigned many tasks to many different people. Each had a different role. No one person on their own could actually produce anything, it is only God who can make things grow.
We all do well to remember this. The tasks we are given to do by God are important, we should enjoy doing them and derive satisfaction from doing them well, but our tasks, our gifts only have their true importance and value because of the Lord, and when working together with other people. Any one who starts to exalt his own "ministry" above that of others is on a dangerous road.
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