Knowledge that Puffs Up

Today’s reading: I Corinthians 7, 8, 9, Proverbs 8

I Cor. 8:1-2
1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.

This passage of Scripture contains some irony in it. The Lord tells us here that knowledge puffs up. On the surface it sounds like knowledge is bad for us. How could that be when Proverbs tells us in several places we are to seek knowledge and understanding? Hosea tells us God’s people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.

Revelation knowledge from God’s Word has changed my life, my behavior, my rotten attitudes, delivered me from unbelief and helped me fulfill my potential. How could something so good become bad? Knowledge is a lot like money. Each gives us power and leverage. We can use money for good or for evil. The same is true with knowledge.

We are called to be stewards of both. How we steward these gifts will determine who – you and I or God – receives the glory for them. The Apostle Paul is warning us here that knowledge by itself will tend toward pride. If we use the knowledge we receive to prop up our image, take advantage of others’ ignorance, or condescend toward others, the knowledge we have does not bring glory to God.

In v. 2, Paul continues by telling us if anyone thinks he knows something he knows nothing like he ought to. In other words knowledge mixed with pride places major limitations on us. None of us has the last word on any subject. I like what Will Rogers said, “We are all ignorant, just on different subjects.”

The opposite of pride is humility. Humility is teachable. It doesn’t act like it knows everything. Don’t you love the mechanics, engineers, doctors, computer and web experts who make you feel like you don’t even have a brain when it comes to the subject they know something about? This kind of disbursement of knowledge doesn’t encourage anyone.

The Holy Spirit through Paul gives us the answer after He identifies the problem. After telling us knowledge puffs up, He declares, “but love edifies.” That’s it. That’s the solution for the pride problem. Make sure we attach love to our knowledge. It must be dispensed with others in mind. It must benefit someone else besides us.

In the letter to the Ephesians, he tells us spiritual growth is achieved by speaking the truth in love – Eph. 4:15. I don’t want the truth I share with others to be like a clanging cymbal to them. If I desire them to be changed, I must deliver the knowledge I have received with a heart of love, mercy, and grace. Love – thinking about others first – never fails.