Knowledge Puffs Up

There is an element of Christendom that despises knowing. "It is wrong," they say, "to know for sure. You should always question." And they can even trot out a verse for us to follow.

Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. (1 Cor 8:1)

Well, that ought to clear things up pretty well. Knowing anything will make you proud. If you want to avoid pride, the best thing to do is to remain ignorant. So, good! Now we can move on.

This, of course, is nonsense. The psalmist writes, "Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments." (Psa 119:66). That is, knowledge is good. Solomon writes, "Fools hate knowledge" (Prov 1:22). Indeed, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." (Prov 1:7). If you want to discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course, it is necessary that you have wisdom and knowledge (Prov 2:8-9). He advises us to "Apply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge." (Prov 23:12). Oh, no, knowledge is not a problem. Knowing is good.

So what is the problem Paul is writing about? It might be good to look at the context ... starting with the verse itself.

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. (1 Cor 8:1)

Okay, now, see? We've already found an indication of the knowledge in question--knowledge about "things sacrificed to idols". By simply looking at the whole verse we've suddenly changed from "all knowledge" to "one particular piece of knowledge". Much better. So what is the issue with this knowledge?

Paul explains in the following passage that we all know that "there is no such thing as an idol in the world" since "there is no God but one." (1 Cor 8:4). So, things sacrificed to idols? Nothing to worry about. Ignore it. They were sacrificed to nothing. Feel free to eat. But wait! That's the knowledge. You know, the knowledge that makes you arrogant. So what is the problem Paul is writing about?

Here's what Paul warns against. "But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak." (1 Cor 8:9). Ah, now we're getting somewhere. You see, Paul tells us that it's abundantly clear--"we know"--that there is no such thing as an actual idol. I mean, sure, we make fake gods, but there is only one real God. So there is no reason to avoid eating food sacrificed to idols ... but--and here we run into the problem. That knowledge has the capacity to make you proud and, knowing better than a weaker brother, you may cause him to violate his conscience. Problem.

The solution is there for us, too. Right up front. "Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies." Knowledge is good. Right thinking is very good. But love is better. That's why we read just a few chapters later, "If I ... know all mysteries and all knowledge ... but do not have love, I am nothing." (1 Cor 13:2). Love, you see, is the key. That quality that seeks the best for others. That attitude that is not arrogant and does not seek its own (1 Cor 13:4-5). That love.

I remember one time I ran into this kind of knowledge that puffs up. It was in Romans 14. There we read, "Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions." (Rom 14:1). Think about that. The text speaks of those who are weak and only eat vegetables (Rom 14:2). So we read that vegetarian Christians are weak Christians ... and we are not supposed to pass judgment on it. Is that even possible? Isn't calling it "weak" judgment? If you're a meat-eating Christian, don't you naturally read this text and snicker? "See that? The Bible says those vegans are weak." That's a knowledge that puffs up. How do you accept the one who is weak in faith without passing judgment? Same answer as before: love.

As it turns out, knowledge, as good as it may be, makes you arrogant when it is acquired and exercised without love. Knowing without loving will cause arrogance and will often harm a brother. But back in Paul's epistle to Corinth he concludes, "Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble." (1 Cor 8:13). Ah, now, see? There it is. Paul knew that meat sacrificed to idols was just fine, but that was secondary to loving others. That is the point. Knowing is good and wise and important. Knowing without love is pointless. Because while knowledge is good, love is always better.