Category: spiritual growth and maturity

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

“Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth” (1 Corinthians 8:1 KJV).

Ignorance can be very dangerous—knowledge can be equally detrimental!

Romans chapter 14 continues: “[15] But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. [16] Let not then your good be evil spoken of: [17] For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. [18] For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. [19] Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. [20] For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. [21] It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.”

The verse following today’s Scripture says: “And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.” A Christian who boasts in his knowledge of Scripture rightly divided actually does not “know it all.” While he may know some doctrine, he is ignorant of Christian charity (other Bible doctrine, that which epitomizes grace living—today’s Scripture). Verses 8,9: “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.”

Love in action is the mature Christian (wisely) curtailing his liberties if those behaviors can be stumblingblocks to believers without knowledge. Through a Christian’s spiritual knowledge exercised without wisdom, however, a weaker believer’s Christian life will be negatively impacted. This is the “walkest thou not charitably” of Romans 14:15. First Corinthians 8:11,12: “And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.”

We conclude with Paul’s personal example….

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

“Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth” (1 Corinthians 8:1 KJV).

Ignorance can be very dangerous—knowledge can be equally detrimental!

Friends, there is yet one more reference in 1 Corinthians to “puffed up.” It was purposely withheld until now. Chapter 13, verse 4: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,….” Through the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit wrote an entire chapter dedicated to charity (love in action). All of chapter 13 dealt with this most critical part of Christian living, something so desperately lacking in the Corinthian assembly. Charity and pride are totally incompatible. Comparing this to today’s Scripture, we see two contrasts—fixated on ourselves, or looking out for others.

In the context of today’s Scripture, the question is if Christians should eat foods offered to idols. A knowledgeable saint—skilled in God’s Word rightly divided—would see the idol as nothing, powerless to contaminate the food. The food could be eaten. Unlike the Dispensation of Law (Exodus 34:12-17), the Dispensation of Grace lacks dietary restrictions (1 Timothy 4:1-5). But, there was something else to consider…. the weaker Christian! A believer ignorant of dispensational distinctions would be uncomfortable with the food. Without that internal edification of doctrine, the immature Christian would stare aghast at the stronger Christian consuming the food! The stronger Christian, though knowledgeable, would be unwise. Verbally and/or visually, he would castigate the weaker Christian—“I know more Scripture than you! I can eat this without harm!” (Oh really? He too was ignorant… and harm was inflicted….)

Romans chapter 14 had already said: “[13] Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. [14] I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. [15] But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.”

Behold, dear brethren, we have finally arrived at the “charity” of today’s Scripture….

Our two latest Bible Q&A articles: “Can you explain Matthew 11:11?” and “Can you explain Matthew 11:12?”

Monday, August 28, 2017

“Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth” (1 Corinthians 8:1 KJV).

Ignorance can be very dangerous—knowledge can be equally detrimental!

The Greek word translated “puffeth up” in today’s Scripture is physioo, from physa, “a pair of bellows.” Bellows are a device that consists of a bag between two handles, the handles squeezed together to blow air (as to stoke a fire). Think of an air pump inflating balloons or tires—or pride swelling a “big head!”

It describes people “boasting” concerning their favorite spiritual leaders (1 Corinthians 4:6), believers who “brag” that they have gotten away with misbehavior (1 Corinthians 4:18,19), fleshly members of the Body of Christ “proud of” and encouraging their brother guilty of sexual perversion (1 Corinthians 5:2), and “haughty” individuals extremely fixated on their unique so-called “supernatural” experiences (Colossians 2:18). Notice how every reference save one applies to the Corinthians—the audience of today’s Scripture. Pride overwhelmed Corinth because carnality abounded in it.

First Corinthians chapter 3 is such a sad commentary touching a group of Christians whom the Apostle Paul himself taught for 18 months (Acts 18:11): “[1] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. [2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. [3] For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”

They “walk[ed] as men” in that they were depending on their own viewpoint as the basis for Christian living. Rather than divine thinking, sound Bible doctrine, there abounded in Corinth philosophy, man’s opinions. Man by nature, of course, is sinful. Instead of behaving like saints, they were acting like sinners! Rather than thinking like saints, they were thinking like sinners! Sinners by nature, of course, are selfish. Sinners by nature, of course, are prideful, boasting of their self-sufficiency (“I can do without God!”). If not being educated and grounded in God’s grace, saints will be “puffed up.” God’s grace teaches us to deflate….