2. Knowledge Puffs up, but Love Builds up Studies in 1 Corinthians Series [20] 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 October 19, 2014 Pastor Paul K. Kim

3. THE QUESTION REGARDING FOOD OFFERED TO IDOLS The Issue: Most meat sold in Corinth was offered to idols: Corinthian Christians have differing opinions. Two Sides: For some, eating meat meant to sin—against their conscience [the weak] while for others, eating meat meant to exercise their Christian freedom and right [the strong]. How Paul Answers This Question [& Why]: Rather than a short answer, Paul uses it as a teaching moment by giving— (1) a general principle [Chap 8], (2) Paul himself as a personal example [Chap 9], (3) Israelites as a historical example and practical conclusions [Chap 10]. “Knowledge” [without love] vs. Love [with knowledge]: Paul starts with this as an introductory remark of general principles for exercising one’s rights.

4. WHAT PRINCIPLES CAN WE APPLY IN GRAY AREAS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE? 1)PRINCIPLE #1: Make sure that you seek to know God personally—beyond knowing about God. 1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. (vs. 1-3)  Paul’s contrast of knowledge vs. love does NOT mean that knowledge is bad; rather, loveless knowledge is incomplete.  Why? Because incomplete knowledge puffs up with pride and entitlement while complete knowledge builds up in love.

5. 14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me...” John 10:14 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:19-20

6. WHAT PRINCIPLES CAN WE APPLY IN GRAY AREAS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE? 1)PRINCIPLE #1: Make sure that you seek to know God personally—beyond knowing about God. 1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. (vs. 1-3)  Paul’s contrast of knowledge vs. love doesn’t mean that knowledge is bad; rather, incomplete knowledge is not enough.  Why? Because incomplete knowledge puffs up with pride and entitlement while complete knowledge builds up in love.  Head knowledge is knowing about God [incomplete]; true heart knowledge is knowing God and being known by God.

7. Knowing God vs. Knowing about God Knowing God is more than knowing about him; it is a matter of dealing with him as he opens up to you, and being dealt with by him as he takes knowledge of you. Knowing about him is a necessary precondition of trusting in him, but the width of our knowledge about him is no gauge of our knowledge of him… What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we have in life? To know God. What is the eternal life that Jesus gives? To know God. What is the best thing in life? To know God. What in humans gives God most pleasure? Knowledge of himself. ― J. I. Packer

8. WHAT PRINCIPLES CAN WE APPLY IN GRAY AREAS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE? 2)PRINCIPLE #2: Realize that others may not have the “working” knowledge that frees their conscience of faith. 4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7 However, not all possess this knowledge... (vs. 4-7a)  What is “this knowledge”? It is the truth about “One God and One Lord” that proves that meat offered idols is meaningless.  But not all has this knowledge that works in their hearts, freeing them from conscience when eating the meat.  The LOVE principle is this: Think of others and to become aware of their unique needs that may be different from yours.

9. WHAT PRINCIPLES CAN WE APPLY IN GRAY AREAS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE? 3)PRINCIPLE #3: Don’t let exercising your rights become a stumbling block to others’ faith. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?. (vs. 7b-10)  The problem here (in gray areas) is two polarized attitudes: (1) legalism/judgmentalism and (2) cheap grace/antinomianism.  By exercising our rights it is easy to be prideful and blinded by self-entitlement, becoming a stumbling block to others.

10. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Romans 14:23

11. WHAT PRINCIPLES CAN WE APPLY IN GRAY AREAS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE? 3)PRINCIPLE #3: Don’t let exercising your rights become a stumbling block to others’ faith. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?. (vs. 7b-10)  The problem here (in gray areas) is two polarized attitudes: (1) legalism/judgmentalism and (2) cheap grace/antinomianism.  By exercising our rights it is easy to be prideful and blinded by self-entitlement, becoming a stumbling block to others.  We should never leads others (esp. “the weak” in faith) into temptation to violate their conscience because of our rights.

12. WHAT PRINCIPLES CAN WE APPLY IN GRAY AREAS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE? 4)PRINCIPLE #4: Give up your rights gladly in order to build up others in love. 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. (vs. 11-13)  If we have the heart knowledge of God who sent his own Son to die for brothers and sisters in Christ, we see our sin in this.  Furthermore, to sin against those who belonged to Christ means to sing against Christ—we must feel his pain in it.  Therefore, we are to gladly give up our rights and freedom as needed so that we can build up others in love!

13. THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1.In what ways are you more convinced that knowledge without love only puffs up our pride in entitlement of our rights? 2.What is one area of your life that you must be cautious not to become a stumbling block to others’ faith? 3.In what ways can you build up others by gladly giving up your rights/freedom in love?