Those People
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Have you ever sat at a table with that person who you always avoid. They have an opinion about everything. They always seem to be right. And, then, when you hit that certain topic, you want to run, because they get heated. Too heated. Like the cops-might-be-called heated.
And then, your other friend shows up, who believes completely differently than your first friend. And you just want to become invisible, because you know what is going to happen. Friend number one starts berating friend number two, because if friend number two actually had a brain, they would agree with friend number one.
Well, maybe this hasn’t happened to you at a meal table. But, it might have happened on social media, Facebook and the like. I have looked at friends’ posts and then at the comments and have been appalled at what has been said to each other. Perhaps it happened on your news program last night. We all know how network news treats those whom they do not agree with. Maybe it happened in church last month, or last year. Christians sometimes aren’t the nicest people to each other.
Paul, in 1 Corinthians, is moving from the subject of marriage, to the subject of freedom in Christ. But, as he dips his toe into that discussion, he first speaks about so-called knowledge. How are we to react when the knowledge that we have about life and Christianity is different from the knowledge that someone else has?
We all know that the Bible is the Word of God. It is completely correct. It is not flawed. It never changes.
Then, we have our viewpoint on the Word of God. We take the words and we apply them. Sometimes, intentionally or not, we twist them. Our viewpoint is flawed.
The Word of God is perfect. We are not.
What do we do when our viewpoint, or our knowledge, is different from the viewpoint or knowledge of someone else?
Let’s read what Paul says:
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.
So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 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.
This week, we will focus on the first 6 verses. Next week, we will look at the whole chapter and talk about freedom in Christ and those with weaker consciences.
Today, we are just going to talk about knowledge. We will see that knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
Let’s look at knowledge
Knowledge puffs up
Knowledge puffs up
Paul teaches that knowledge puffs up.
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
Now, why in the world would Paul say that?
Focuses on ourselves
Focuses on ourselves
Well, because knowledge just focuses on ourselves.
We live on this side of the Age of Enlightenment. We live in a world impacted by learning. Every kid is expected to be in school from the ages of 6 to 17. And, they are trying to get parents to send their kids to school as early as 3, if not earlier.
Now, I am not here to give my thoughts on those early childhood opportunities. We can talk at another time, if you want my opinion.
We live in a world where knowledge is king. We just people based upon what they know. Or what they perceive they know.
Groups are formed based upon what people know about the 2020 election. Other groups based upon what they know about healthy living. Other groups based upon what they know about the Bible.
The elderly in society talk about what the younger generation doesn’t know. For if they actually knew something, they wouldn’t be doing what they were doing.
All this focus on knowledge. If someone just knew something, they would make a different decision in life.
But, knowledge doesn’t cut it.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Too smart for his own good”?
There are some people who are intelligent. They have a bunch of knowledge. But, they do not use that knowledge well. In fact, they lack what many people call “common sense.” But, what the Bible calls, wisdom.
Interesting to note, the wisdom books in the Bible, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, never really promotes gaining knowledge. In fact, Ecclesiastes writes:
The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
Every senior loves that verse. Knowledge doesn’t bring satisfaction.
The wisdom literature focuses on wisdom.
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Knowledge is information. Wisdom is the ability to discern or judge what is true or right or lasting. Knowledge is knowing how to use a gun. Wisdom is knowing how to use it and when to keep it holstered.
“Knowledge is what is gathered over time through the study of Scriptures. It can be said that wisdom, in turn, acts properly upon that knowledge. Wisdom is the fitting application of that knowledge. Knowledge understands the light has turned red; wisdom applies the brakes. Knowledge sees the quicksand; wisdom walks around it. Knowledge memorizes the Ten Commandments; wisdom obeys them. Knowledge learns of God; wisdom loves Him.”
Knowledge by itself is just a bunch of facts. Knowledge by itself turns into a worship of ourselves.
It’s amazing how many Bible Churches, solid churches with solid doctrinal statements, like ours, are filled with people who know the Bible, but are stuck in their knowledge of the Bible. They are worshiping the fact that they know the Bible.
Look at me! I know all the books of the Bible and what their main themes are.
Look at me! I know the timeline of the end times, and I can prove it to you using 33 books of the Bible. And I can show you all the places that Left Behind got it wrong.
Look at me! I know, and you don’t. If you were truly someone who studied the Bible, this is what you would believe. What I say.
Knowledge for knowledge’s sake, puffs up, because it focuses on ourselves, what we know, what we have studied, what we have proven to be true, at least what we believe to be true.
Knowledge puffs up. It focuses on ourselves.
Creates an illusion
Creates an illusion
It creates an illusion.
Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.
When we are focused on knowledge, continually gaining knowledge, we create an illusion of who we actually are.
There are two different type of elderly people. There are those who talk about everything that they know. And then there are those who ask you what you know.
This is definitely being overly general, and I hate to make anyone self-conscious now.
But, there are people who constantly talk about what they know. And every time someone brings up something that they need to grow in, or learn, they immediately dismiss it and share something else that they know.
Others, in gaining wisdom in addition to knowledge, realize more and more what they do not know. So, most of the time, when talking to people, they ask questions, to fill in the gaps.
When we focus on knowledge, we are focused on boosting ourselves up. And we get to a point, that all we think about it what we know, instead of what we don’t know.
So, we have conversations, belittling those around us, because they do not think as we do.
It is one thing to say: this is what Scripture explicitly states, so I won’t listen to any other idea.
It is another thing to say: Scripture is silent, but based on my study, this is what is true, and I won’t listen to any other idea.
Paul wrote 1 Timothy to give Timothy explicit instructions on how to run a church and how to stand firm on correct doctrine.
After a lengthy discussion on a bunch of controversial topics, he wrote:
Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves.
These are the things you are to teach and insist on. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
These are people who have knowledge. But, even though they think that their knowledge is truth, it isn’t. However, they are unwilling to listen to anyone else. In fact, they go out of their way to pick fights and divide Christians.
This is not what a Christian does. If anyone goes out of their way to pick fights and divide Christians, if they are unwilling to listen to someone else, they have created an illusion of themselves. They are focused only on themselves. They have gotten puffed up by so-called knowledge.
Knowledge puffs up. It focuses on ourselves, creates an illusion of ourselves.
We cannot serve
We cannot serve
The result is that we cannot serve.
Paul is going to later say:
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Did you hear that?
Paul said, If I can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I have sought knowledge for the sake of knowledge, it is nothing.
It doesn’t matter how good I preach, how logical I am in my proofs. I doesn’t matter how many courses I have taken, or how many degrees are on my wall. It doesn’t matter if I can quote the whole Bible, or explain a text so simply that John MacArthur would be jealous.
If I have pursued knowledge for the sake of knowledge, so that I am puffed up and have created an illusion of myself, I cannot serve. I am chained.
In evangelism
In evangelism
What do I mean?
I cannot serve in evangelism.
Have you heard of the people who walk up to others and tell them “You are going to hell!”
Gotta love the passion, but it is wrong.
Those people have created an illusion in their own mind that they are God’s gift to humanity, to bring truth and conviction. Other people buy into this conviction, that think this person is probably perfect, so they are hopelessly going to hell, but what can they do about.
Quickly, the discussion and morphed from a focus on God and his values, to the person who is talking. Like an eclipse, this person stands in front of God, hoping that the aura of God would give him a heavenly glow.
Anytime we focus on “look what I know about you and look what I know about God”, we have muddied our chances of evangelism, because it is about us and what “I know”
In edification
In edification
I also cannot serve in edification.
In our text, the Corinthians are trying to convince certain people in their church that all types of food are okay. They are trying to teach good theology and edify their brothers and sisters in Christ. However, they are doing it wrong, because their knowledge has puffed up. They are focusing only on themselves and what they know. They have created an illusion of what they know and their importance.
They forget who they are talking to, the needs of those they are talking to.
As Paul says:
So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
What a sad epitaph. How many people, professing Christians, have we destroyed because of our knowledge.
We could all benefit from James’ teaching:
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
When I am with people, I do a lot of listening, and I am constantly praying: God, help me know what to say to build this person up in you.
I never want my words, or what I perceive as write, to stop the work that God is doing in someone’s life. God only knows how much destruction I have done in my life.
Knowledge puffs up. It causes us to focus on ourselves. It creates an illusion, and chains us so that we cannot serve.
Love Builds Up
Love Builds Up
While knowledge puffs up, love builds up.
Which is exactly what Paul said.
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
Why is this so?
Focuses on Loving God
Focuses on Loving God
Knowledge puffs up because it focuses on ourselves.
Love, Biblical love focuses on loving God.
Paul says
Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.
Love starts with God as its object.
An expert of the Law comes to Jesus during the week before Jesus crucifixion. He tries to test Jesus with a question.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The greatest command is to love God. Based upon that command, we love others.
We cannot love our spouse adequately, unless we love God. We cannot love our kids adequately, unless we love God. We cannot love the person that we would normally avoid in the grocery store, unless we love God.
Biblical love is a focus on God.
Think about what Jesus said in the upper room, the night before his crucifixion.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
A few minutes later, Jesus says:
“If you love me, keep my commands.
We love God, therefore we love others.
Biblical love is a focus on God, not on ourselves, not on others.
Shows us God
Shows us God
When we focus on loving God, we see God.
Listen to what Paul says:
But whoever loves God is known by God.
So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
When, instead of gaining knowledge to boost ourselves us, we focus on loving God, we start seeing God for who he is.
Who is he?
The Creator
The Creator
We see him as the Creator.
Paul describes God the Father as the one from whom all things came. The Lord, Jesus Christ, as the one through whom all things came. Both describing Creation, but in their respective tasks.
We know Genesis 1 1-3 which describes the Trinity, Father, Spirit, and Word, taking part in creation.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
All things in Creation, the trees, flowers, grass, animals, everything came from God and through Jesus Christ.
I love Colossians 1 15-17
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
He is the creator of not just everything we see, but of us. He is the one who spoke each of us into existence. We are alive because of him.
We see him as our creator.
Who Gives Purpose
Who Gives Purpose
Our creator who gives us purpose.
Paul describes God, the Father, for whom we live, and the Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom we live.
We live for the Father. We live through Jesus. God defines us. He gives us purpose.
I think about what Jesus said in the upper room:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
He gives us purpose to bear fruit that will last.
Before Christ, we were doomed to a purposeless existence. A life without hope, direction. An emptiness.
You can see it in so many of the young generation who do not have Christ. They want to belong to something. They want their life to matter. But, they don’t have Christ. So they join gangs. They do drugs, drink alcohol, binge sex. They shoot up schools, and threaten to blow up buses. All to gain attention, to try to fill the hole of purposelessness.
But Paul said:
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Micah prophesied:
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
God our creator gives us purpose. He gives us a deep, rich meaning to life.
Knows us
Knows us
Not only does God our creator give us purpose, but he knows us completely.
I love what Paul wrote in the text:
But whoever loves God is known by God.
When we turn to Jesus in faith, making that conscious decision to believe in Jesus for eternal life, we are submitting ourselves to the one who knows us deeper and better than anyone else.
God knows everything. We call it omniscience, all-knowing. When he sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, he wasn’t surprised later at the evil of humanity. Jesus willingly allowed himself to be nailed to that cross. He willingly allowed himself to slowly be strangled and ultimately die of a heart attack. He willingly went through that torture, knowing how evil we were. Knowing that we were sinners, ungodly, powerless to save ourselves, his enemies.
He knew us completely, and in spite of everything, he loved us.
When we turn to him in faith, responding to his amazing love, we encompassed by someone who knows us completely and accepts us unconditionally.
The amazingness of this.
I am the youngest of my family. There are a lot of perks to being the youngest, which you all know about. My sister still bears some grudges against me because of what I was able to get away with.
But, there are some dark sides to being the youngest. Growing up, no ever listened to me. I started believing a lie that no one cared about what I was going through. This is a lie haunts me to this day. It hurts my marriage, because I catch myself being afraid of telling Maggie what I am thinking or feeling, so I don’t tell her, though I should if I want to be one. I am afraid that she doesn’t actually want to know, that she doesn’t want to know me, because I felt like no one else wanted to know.
But, God, in spite of my fear, in spite of my sin, in spite of the sin of the humans around me, knows me completely and accepts me completely. How do I know this? Because Jesus died for me and the Bible tells me so.
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Love builds up, because it focuses on God and shows us God.
We can love
We can love
Having that focus and knowledge, we can love others as God has loved us.
I’ve already talked about the second greatest commandment:
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
And Jesus new command in the upper room:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Both of those loves, as I have said, is based upon the love Jesus showed us.
Our understanding of Christianity, our understanding of how we are to relate to everyone around us is based on the realization that Jesus loved them enough to die for them. Therefore we should to.
Our ethic, the way we live, is based upon love, not knowledge.
I think about the Apostle John, when he was old. He would be carried into people’s churches. They would want to hear words of encouragement from the last one alive who knew Christ personally. They wanted deep theology. And the only thing that he would say, over and over again: My dear children, love one another.
As Paul said:
“If I have all knowledge, but have not love, I am nothing.”
We are all going to disagree on places where the Bible is silent or ambiguous. We are going to disagree on application of Scripture. We are going to disagree on politics and health practices. We are going to disagree on clothing styles and car choices.
But, the driving factor for all those conversations, should be love. If we cannot show love to the people Jesus died for, something is wrong.
May we never focus on knowledge, so that we are puffed up, but may we love, so that we can build up.