0522 KNOWLEDGE PUFFS UP

KNOWLEDGE PUFFS UP WHILE LOVE BUILDS UP

Some in the church of Corinth had come to a logical conclusion based on knowledge of truth. It went like this:

1. “An idol is nothing at all in the world.” 
2. There is truly only one God. 
3. All of those idols and names of gods are human inventions, not really gods at all.
4. Food offered to an idol is simply food sitting in front of a statue.
5. There is no reason to avoid such food, since it was dedicated to something that doesn’t exist.
6. There need be no guilt for the Christian to eat such food.
7. Those who are offended by this are merely being superstitious.
8. If someone is offended, tell them the above points.
9. If someone is still offended, tell them to grow up.
10.  Anyone should come to the same position, since “We all possess knowledge.”

Paul is addressing this issue in the church. He is going to tell them a different syllogism:

1. Their thinking is not wrong. 
2. But it is insensitive toward those who are weak in this matter.
3. Idols might not be real. But demons are.
4. A person who goes against their conscience in these matters is susceptible to demonic attack.
5. If you exercise your rights, it could be a stumbling block for the weak.
6. Your weaker brother or sister is destroyed by your knowledge.
7. You sin against them and wound their weak conscience.
8. That means you sin against Christ.
9. Now you are the one in spiritual danger.
10. “Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.”

Before he launches into the whole logical and spiritual mess, Paul starts with the stronger brother’s conclusion: “We all possess knowledge.” And then Paul says, “But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.”

I was well into adulthood when this verse smacked me in the face. Was this always in the Bible, or had they just inserted it onto page 262 of my New Testament? To be sure, knowledge puffs up. But I had been pursuing knowledge my whole life! I wanted to know the Scriptures. I had spent years pursuing education and credentials, and (now that I think about it) I was proud of my accomplishments. Knowledge had—dare I see it?—puffed me up!

That’s when it hit me between the eyes: I’m not even in Kindergarten when it comes to knowing about LOVE! It’s like I had been competing to win a race, only to find out that I was running in the wrong direction! Whatever knowledge I was dedicating myself to acquire only led me farther away from what God was calling me to do. Why wasn’t this the first lesson they taught me in seminary? Or in Sunday school, for that matter?

But it was true. For a deeply competitive individual, being knowledgeable only generates a perfect know-it-all. It takes genuine love to generate a true disciple. And how does a deeply competitive individual “win” at the contest of loving better than anyone else?

In the case of these Corinthians who held the true-but-insensitive position about meat sacrificed to idols, it led them to the relational opposite of where they needed to be. Relationships are what it’s all about. Not degrees. Not study. Even the knowledge of relationships themselves ends up leading to a puffed up head. Oh, who will deliver me from such a bondage to self?

Jesus. Follow Jesus. Just imitate what you see. Learn to love, and you will learn to build up those around you. Because love builds up, don’t you know? How do you win in a contest of love? Only really bad tennis players earn a score like that!

But I’m thinking, if I can really excel at knowing how to build others up, maybe I’ll win the annual MOST HUMBLE AWARD. And they’ll hang a gold medal around my neck. And then they’ll take it back again, because I would wear it.

I still have a long, long way to go.