Greetings!
Here’s a summary of the Bible study on March 16.
Knowledge & Love (1 Corinthians 8)
In Corinthian culture, eating food sacrificed to idols was very common. Such food was served in pagan temples, sold in the marketplace, and eaten in homes. Dinner parties, business and trade association meetings, and other social events were often held at the temple where “idol food” was served.
It wasn’t easy for Christians (especially those of high social status) to avoid such occasions. Yet Christians had been instructed, “You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols” (Acts 15:29). Apparently, the Corinthian Christians had questioned Paul about this issue.
“Knowledge” versus Love (8:1-3)
Paul wrote, “We know that ‘we all possess knowledge.’ But knowledge puffs up while love builds up" (8:1). Paul earlier said the Corinthians were “enriched… with all knowledge (1:5). Knowledge is good. But knowledge without love “puffs up" – that is, it inflates people’s pride. This is bad.
On the other hand, love “builds up.” Love is not prideful and self-centered. Love is concerned about others. Loving others results in a positive kind of building. This is good! Thus our knowledge needs to be guided and constrained by love.
Paul wrote, “Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know” (8:2, NIV). In other words, people don’t know as much as they think! As the NLT says, “Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much” (8:2, NLT).
Furthermore, the knowledge we really need is not knowledge of information. What we really need is to be “known by God” (8:3). To be “known by God” is to have a loving relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. This knowledge—a relational knowledge of God—is the most important kind of knowledge.
Truths We Know (8:4-6)
Paul listed some truths the Corinthian Christians knew, or should know. They knew there is only one true God. They knew that “idols are nothing” – that is, the gods represented by idols did not really exist, though the worship of “false gods” was a real problem (8:4-5). They knew that Jesus Christ is the Lord, through whom all things were created (8:6).
Love > Knowledge (8:7-13)
Since the “knowledgeable” Corinthians knew that “idols are nothing,” they felt free to eat food sacrificed to idols. However, other Christians had a “weak conscience” (8:7) – that is, they had difficulty accepting that idols are “nothing.” Affected by their former experience, idols were all too real for them, and eating idol food would violate their conscience, and was sin.
(By the way, we will return to the question “Is it wrong to eat food sacrificed to idols?” when we study 1 Corinthians 10, in Lesson 12.)
The “knowledgeable” ones felt free to “exercise their rights" concerning idol food. However, Paul warned them that their actions could cause great problems. Their actions could be a "stumbling block" to those with a weak conscience, "wounding" their conscience, and possibly "destroying" them (8:9-12). Their actions could influence former idolaters to fall back into idolatry. By doing this, these "knowledgeable” ones would sin against others, and sin against Christ.
Whatever we think we know, whatever we think we have a right to do, we need to think about how our actions affect others. Sometimes we need to set aside our "rights" for the good of others. Our knowledge needs to be guided and constrained by love.
This principle can be applied to various situations. Before I was a Christian, I had an alcohol abuse problem. As a new Christian it was hard for me to separate drinking alcohol from getting drunk. Some of my Christian friends felt free to drink alcohol as long as they didn’t get drunk. Thankfully, they typically abstained from drinking around me because they didn’t want to negatively influence me. This is just one example.
Paul said, "...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" (8:13). Think of Jesus Christ. He set aside his "rights" and died on a cross for our sins, so that we could be forgiven and have abundant, everlasting life through faith in him!
What About You?
What do you know? Where is your knowledge taking you? The most important thing in life is to be "known by God" – that is, to have a loving relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Do you need to enter a relationship with God through faith in Christ?
Brothers & sisters, knowledge is important. Knowledge of God’s word is important! But be careful. Are you driven by knowledge, and “rights or freedom” based on your knowledge? Or are you driven by love? Think about your actions and interactions with others. Are you willing to set aside your “rights” for the sake of others and the gospel? What do those rights include?
Your Servant,
Jay