Knowledge Series #1 Knowledge Puffs Up
You may have heard it was said that "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Because the emphasis is often placed on the fact that "knowledge puffs up," many people think that for a Christian, having love is enough—and that possessing knowledge is unimportant. But have we understood that Bible verse correctly?
ENGLISH - BASICS
YTM
5/3/20264 min read
"Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him."
(1 Corinthians 8:1-3; NKJV)
Above is the passage where people got encouraged to pursue love instead of knowledge. Let's dive into it. First of all, let's look at its context. Paul is answering one of the questions from the Corinthian church. In Corinth's society at that time, much of the food sold in the marketplace had been offered in sacrifice to idols. When people from this pagan cultural background became Christians, living out the testimony of the Lord Christ in everyday life is challenging. If a friend (unbeliever) invites me to his home and the food on the table has been offered to idols, should I eat it or not? If I want to eat meat, but all the food sold in the markets around me has been offered to idols, should I buy it or not? If a friend of mine has only just come to know Christ, and I go with him to another person's home, and he thinks the meal I am eating was offered to idols and begins to doubt the faith because of it, what should do? There were many practical questions like these.
Paul spent many words to answer this question. In the NKJ Version, the heading for chapter 8 is "Be Sensitive to Conscience" but this may mislead readers as if this topic had been dealt with in chapter 8. Actually, Paul used three chapters (chapters 8-10) to answer this question. There is another important reason he wrote this at such length: some people in the Corinthian church (especially those of Jewish background) were probably speaking ill of Paul, saying that when he was in Corinth he had even eaten food offered to idols. Such accusation really can damage the gospel Paul was preaching in Corinth, so he answered the question at great length.
Below is a summary of Paul's answer to this question:
Chapter 8: 1) We know that "an idol has no real existence in the world" (v. 4). 2) All things (including false gods) come from God the Father and existed through Christ (v. 6). 3) A weak conscience is defiled by eating "food offered to idols." 4) Food does not bring us closer to God: we lose nothing if we eat, and gain nothing if we do not eat (v. 8). 5) If eating would cause a brother with a weak conscience to stumble, then do not eat.
Chapter 9: 1) The apostle Paul has his own freedom and has the right to eat and drink by the gospel he preaches (vv. 1-3). That is to say, when Paul preached the gospel in the homes of unbelievers, the food set before him might well have been offered to idols, and Paul had the right to eat it and to receive his life supplies from them (vv. 4-11). 2) But Paul stresses that he did not profit from believers and instead endured all things, although the Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel can make their living from the gospel (vv. 12-18). 3) "To all people I have become all things, that by all means I might save some." Paul certainly associated with these Gentiles, and did so for the sake of the gospel (vv. 19-23). 4) Paul exercised self-control in every respect and disciplined his body (vv. 24-27). This seems to imply that Paul practiced restraint in eating and drinking when associating with Gentiles, even though he had the freedom.
Chapter 10: 1) A warning not to worship idols, not to take part in sacrifices to idols, not to drink the cup of demons, and not to eat at the table of demons (vv. 1-22).
Now, let's summaries Paul's answer on eating food offered to idols:
All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial. Similarly, all things are lawful, but not all things can build up believers. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (vv. 23-31). The principle by which Paul handled this matter was not how much "knowledge" people had about it, but the principle of how to use such "knowledge" for the "benefits" of others, and for the sake of the gospel.
How should we handle daily life in matters like this? The best approach is not to cling to rigid doctrine under the legalism. Whether eating or drinking, as long as it is not a feast of demons, we should follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and make the choice that glorifies God and loves others who may have weak consciences.
Having laid out the context and application of this passage, we can quickly draw a conclusion: the practice in some churches of belittling knowledge and exalting love is a misuse of Paul's teaching. The Bible urges us in many places to seek wisdom and knowledge, especially the knowledge of God, the knowing of God, and the knowledge of how to serve him.
So what kind of knowledge should we seek? And what does such knowledge mean for our lives? do you know such knowledge can be the life and death of a believer?
You are welcome to keep reading: Knowledge Series #2 Destroyed for lack of knowledge.