Knowledge Puffs Up, Love Builds Up

I Corinthians
8b Knowledge puffs up, but Love builds up.

My mother used to say, “You can have Book sense but not have any Common sense.”
Knowledge is power, but knowledge in the hands of the wrong person can be lethal. We are never to use knowledge to destroy but to benefit others. This is why the Apostle Paul admonishes the Christians in Corinth that Love is better than knowledge. The best knowledge is to be known by God. We all need knowledge. Paul told young Timothy, his Protégée, “study to show yourself approved as a workman who needs not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth,” but our priority is to be known by God. We need to make sure we have relationship with our Heavenly Father or else we become abusive with our Knowledge.

In Corinth, there was a great debate about eating food sacrificed to idols. There were hundreds of idol gods in Corinth that non-Christians paid homage to. Mature Christians were able to co-exist with idol worshippers, shop in their stores, without being corrupted by their influence. These idol worshippers even sacrificed meat to their idol gods and took the leftover meat to the butcher shop. Some Christians would take advantage of this “fire sale” and purchase meat left over from the sacrifice. These Christians had “knowledge” that if I do not believe in idol gods but I believe in the True and Living God then I am not defiled by eating this meat. The new Christians were very careful not to offend a Holy God so they took great stock in the commandment, “you shall not have any other god before me.” The mature Christians knew the difference between allegiance to God and consumption of goods, but what they did not take into consideration was how their use of freedom or their knowledge could destroy young believers.

We always have to be careful of how we practice what we believe.

You and I know that going to a night club will not cause you to go to hell but if someone new to the faith associates the Night Club with drugs, alcohol, and sexual promiscuity and sees a Christian there it leads them to think that you endorse all of the activities there.

You and I know that drinking wine at dinner will not cause you to go to hell but the Bible does warn of strong drink being a mocker but if someone new to Christ sees a Christian drinking they might associate you with being a drunk and you will crush them.

Paul says, “I know there is nothing wrong with eating meat sacrificed to idols but if my eating meat causes someone to fall I will NEVER eat meat. What are some things you have to cut out of your lifestyle so you will not cause other baby Christians to fall? What do you have to alleviate to protect your witness? In order to get into shape even athletes have restricted diets. Do you want to be a champion of faith or are you just satisfied playing the game?

Dear God, I want to build up more than I tear down your people. Let my behavior always be in alignment for the greater good of your children and not just my guilty pleasures. Let my knowledge be edifying to your people and glorifying to you. Help me to "Know the Ledge" of how far to step out without destroying my witness.

In Jesus Name,
Amen