Love and Knowledge

Factions in the church at Corinth

Factions in the church at Corinth

Back and forth, blaming one another, each claiming to be more spiritual or informed than the other.

So much of this in our world today.

This is what Paul calls immaturity.

We have become so immature.

How do we let go of this, and grow?

One of the arguments in Corinth was over whether or not it was OK for Christians to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols:

“The question that Paul addresses in 8:1 – 11:1 is whether it is permissible for Christians to eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols. In Corinth, much of the meat available for human consumption had been sacrificed to idols. Typically, part of the meat was burned on the altar, part was reserved for the priests, part was consumed by the people making the sacrifices, and the rest was available for sale. Of the meat available for purchase, some would be served, restaurant-style, in temples. The rest would be sold in meat markets throughout the city. While it was clear that meat served in temples had been sacrificed to idols, it would be more difficult—often impossible—to determine the origin of meat for sale in meat markets.

There were two dimensions to the problem for Christians. One was whether it was permissible to eat meat served within the temple precincts. The other was whether it was permissible to purchase meat that had been sacrificed to idols and to eat it at home. Eating meat within the temple precincts could be a particular problem, because neophyte Christians seeing more sophisticated Christians eating meat at a temple would almost certainly conclude that the sophisticated Christians were engaged in idol-worship (8:10). Eating meat at home, even thought it might have been sacrificed to idols, would be less liable to be interpreted in that way. However, if someone happens to interpret it that way, Paul says that the one eating the meat should cease and desist (8:13; 10:28-31).”

“Knowledge puffs up while love builds up”

Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know

vs.

Whoever loves God is known by God

Knowledge -/> freedom

Freedom <- love. Our love for God, God’s love for us. (Work into trinitartian metaphor)

It’s not about us knowing, it’s about God knowing us.

What is right, what is wrong?

This passage in 1 Corinthians is often quoted when we are wrestling with the morality of a particular issue.

Is it Ok for Christians to …?

Paul turns it around into an ethical issue.

Morality: Right or wrong? Ethics: What should we do about it?

Focuses the ethics back on Jesus, back on the living God. Everything revolves around him, our love for him, his love for us.

Acts 14:15 NIV

“Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

Paul turns the argument inside out

Seem to be quotations from the letter sent to Paul from Corinth - he’s spitting their words back at them.

-> Immature one-up-manship

Paul’s manner is almost a caricature of this one-up-manship. “We all know that” “We all possess knowledge” “even if there are” “Everyone knows”

Inversion of “spiritual” knowledge. “Those who sit in judgement” (9:3) are the ones who lack truly spiritual understanding.

This can lead to he said/she said bickering back and forth. How do we get off the broken record?

Love.

When he is the centre, I am no longer the centre. You are no longer the centre. Instead, together, we orbit Him in love.

The question that Pauls poses us, as Christians, is this. When we find ourselves in conflict will we seek authority in our “knowledge” of what is right and what is wrong, or will we reach out to one another in love?

What a different place the world would be

But there are barriers in the way.

Stumbling blocks.

The biggest stumbling block is our own desire to be right all the time.

We need to let go of that.

It’s an old-fashioned word, but we need to repent.

That’s what this Jesus thing is about, isn’t it? Seeing Jesus. Seeing in him a Way that leads to truth, to peace, to love. That leads to the Kingdom of Heaven.

In the light of that vision we recognise that where we’ve been heading doesn’t lead there.

And so we turn around. Seek forgiveness. Follow him.

Because it turns out we aren’t right all the time. And the pathway to freedom doesn’t involve clinging on to that false security.

The pathway to freedom comes from love.

Our love for Him. His love for us.

Becuase knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

Let’s find ourselves in his love.