Knowledge vs. Love: What Builds Up the Church?
Christian liberty is a gift, but without love, it can destroy. Discover why Paul says being “right” isn’t enough, and how guarding the conscience of others reflects the very heart of Christ.
-
Food Offered to Idols
1 Now concerning[a] 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.[b]
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. 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[c] in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged,[d] if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers[e] 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.
Knowledge That Puffs Up: Christian Liberty and Love for Others
The Corinthian church faced a practical dilemma that revealed a deeper spiritual problem. In 1 Corinthians 8, the Apostle Paul addressed their question about eating meat sacrificed to idols, a controversy that might seem irrelevant to modern readers but contains timeless principles about knowledge, love, and Christian liberty.
The believers in Corinth possessed accurate theological knowledge: idols were merely wood, stone, or metal with no real power. They reasoned correctly that eating meat sacrificed to these lifeless objects couldn’t contaminate them spiritually. However, their knowledge had produced pride rather than love, leading them to act in ways that damaged weaker believers’ faith.
The Apostle Paul’s response in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 established a foundational principle for Christian living: true wisdom means using our freedom in Christ to build up others rather than simply asserting our rights. This passage could be called one of the “ultimate love chapters” because it demonstrates sacrificial love in action; believers willingly limiting their liberty for the spiritual good of others.
Cultural Context: Temples as Ancient Restaurants
In the ancient world, two sources of meat were available in the marketplace. Regular markets sold meat at higher prices, while local temples offered cheaper meat from animals that had been sacrificed to various gods. Archaeological evidence reveals that many temples in Corinth contained dining rooms where feasts were held regularly. As New Testament scholar Ben Witherington observed, “Temples were the restaurants of antiquity.”
For economically minded believers, purchasing the cheaper temple meat made perfect sense. Their theological knowledge told them that idols possessed no real existence, so the meat’s association with idol worship was meaningless. This “knowledge” enabled them to save money while maintaining their doctrinal purity.
However, this practice deeply troubled newer believers, who were those the Apostle Paul called “weaker Christians.” These weren’t necessarily young in age but young in faith, still learning to navigate their new identity in Christ. Many had recently converted from idol worship and couldn’t understand why their fellow believers would have anything to do with meat sacrificed to idols. The practice seemed like a return to their former spiritual bondage.
The Problem with Knowledge Alone
The Apostle Paul began his response by quoting the Corinthians themselves: “We know that all of us possess knowledge” (1 Corinthians 8:1). He immediately contrasted their emphasis on knowledge with a higher priority: “This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”
Paul never characterized the knowledgeable Christians as more mature or developed than others. He simply acknowledged they possessed certain information and warned that this knowledge had made them prideful. Having correct facts about idols didn’t settle the matter because knowledge alone can cause arrogance and insensitivity.
The parallel to modern parenting illustrates this principle clearly. When a seven-year-old cries out at midnight, terrified of monsters in their room, a parent doesn’t simply state the truth,” There’s no such thing as monsters,” and walk away. While this knowledge is accurate, it doesn’t solve the problem. The child needs comfort, security, and loving reassurance. Knowledge without love fails to address human needs effectively.
Similarly, knowledge about psychology won’t ease the pain of losing someone you love. Information about theology won’t automatically solve relational conflicts. Knowledge alone is insufficient for many problems and can actually become destructive when it breeds pride.
Love Builds Up Rather Than Puffs Up
The Apostle Paul emphasized that true spiritual maturity focuses not on accumulating knowledge but on loving God and others. In verse three, he wrote, “If anyone loves God, he is known by God.” Notice that knowledge doesn’t make believers known by God, because even Satan possesses knowledge about God. Instead, loving God properly is how believers become known by Him.
This principle echoes Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 22:37-39, where He quoted the Shema:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The Corinthians’ knowledge was fueling prideful insensitivity toward people Jesus was reaching and drawing into their church. They had their facts right, but their hearts wrong. Their theological accuracy had become a weapon against weaker believers rather than a tool for building them up.
Not Everyone Possesses This Knowledge
The Apostle Paul acknowledged in verse seven that “not all possess this knowledge.” The Corinthian church consisted primarily of first-generation believers who had all emerged from idol worship upon coming to know Jesus Christ. While some had progressed to understanding that idols were powerless, others hadn’t reached that level of theological sophistication.
Those with “former association with idols” still struggled with the implications of eating sacrificed meat. When they saw their fellow believers purchasing and consuming such food, especially in temple dining rooms, they interpreted this as endorsement of idol worship. Their consciences, though Paul called them “weak,” were being defiled by what they perceived as a compromise with their former spiritual bondage.
These believers didn’t understand that Roman gods were nothing. They lacked knowledge about the powerlessness of idols. Because of their former association with idol worship, they viewed eating sacrificed meat as tantamount to returning to worship of real gods and idols. Their faith was being destroyed and weakened by the actions of their more knowledgeable brothers and sisters.
The Danger of Violating Conscience
The Apostle Paul used strong language to describe the consequences of causing others to act against their conscience. In verse 11, he declared that “by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.” The Greek word for “stumble” means “something that leads a Christian to sin against his or her own conscience.”
Conscience, while not equivalent to God’s law, is a God-given gift that bears witness to truth. It aligns with the Ten Commandments and God’s moral standards. When believers are encouraged to violate their conscience, they’re being trained to ignore God’s internal guidance system. They learn to live with guilt and spiritual conflict.
Consider this modern parallel: In Europe, the legal drinking age is typically 18, while in America it’s 21. Imagine an 18-year-old American traveling in Europe who says, “I know drinking is legal here, but it violates my conscience because I’m not 21 yet.” If others pressure this person to drink despite their conscience, they’re training them to ignore God’s internal voice and live in spiritual conflict.
This principle explains why the Apostle Paul used such severe language in verse 12: “Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.” When believers cause others to violate their conscience, they sin against Jesus Himself. The stakes are eternally significant.
The Principle of Sacrificial Love
The Apostle Paul concluded this section with a remarkable personal commitment in verse 13: “Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” Paul was willing to permanently abstain from eating meat if it would prevent causing spiritual harm to a weaker believer.
This principle establishes a fundamental guideline for Christian liberty: if something believers have the right to do would cause others to sin against their conscience, love demands abstaining from that action. The goal isn’t legalism but love and protecting the spiritual welfare of brothers and sisters for whom Christ died.
This principle applies to countless modern situations.
Should Christians attend R-rated movies if it confuses non-believers about their values?
Should they publicly support political candidates whose positions contradict Christian beliefs in ways that might influence other believers?
Should they get tattoos with designs from other religious traditions?
The specific answers may vary, but the principle remains: love for others takes precedence over asserting personal rights.
Practical Applications for Modern Believers
Several contemporary examples illustrate how this principle operates in church life today:
Communion Elements
Many churches use grape juice rather than wine for communion, not because they believe drinking wine is sinful, but because they’re sensitive to those struggling with addiction. They recognize that living in a culture marked by substance abuse requires careful consideration of how their practices might affect vulnerable members.
Social Gatherings
Churches reaching into communities affected by addiction often choose not to serve alcohol at church functions. This isn’t legalism but loving sensitivity to those for whom alcohol represents spiritual danger.
Cultural Sensitivity
When churches actively reach across socioeconomic, racial, or cultural lines, they often adjust their practices to avoid creating unnecessary barriers for new believers. This might affect everything from music styles to dress codes to social customs.
The goal isn’t to eliminate all potentially controversial practices but to ensure that love for others, especially newer believers, guides decision-making about Christian liberty.
Witnessing Through Sensitivity
The Apostle Paul’s teaching parallels the example of Daniel and his friends in the Old Testament. When King Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone to bow before his golden statue, Daniel’s companions could have reasoned, “It’s just metal. It can’t speak or breathe or do anything. It’s not real.” (Daniel 3)
However, they understood that their actions would communicate something to others about who truly reigned in their hearts. Their refusal to bow wasn’t based solely on the statue’s material composition but on their witness to surrounding nations about their exclusive allegiance to the living God.
Similarly, the Corinthians’ actions in temple dining rooms communicated messages they might not have intended. Other believers, watching their behavior, could conclude that idol worship was acceptable or that the gods represented by those idols possessed some reality.
Jesus Himself warned about the severity of causing others to stumble spiritually. In Matthew 18:6-7, He declared:
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!”
This sobering warning should cause every believer to carefully consider how their exercise of Christian liberty affects others’ spiritual welfare.
Moving Beyond Self-Interest
The Apostle Paul’s teaching challenged the Corinthians to move beyond self-centered approaches to faith. Their knowledge had enabled them to save money on meat purchases, but their focus remained on personal benefit rather than community edification. True Christian maturity means willingly sacrificing personal comfort, convenience, and rights for the spiritual good of others.
This principle extends far beyond questions about food or drink. It applies to how believers use their time, money, talents, and influence. Do they consider only their own preferences and rights, or do they actively seek ways to build up others, especially those newer or weaker in faith?
Churches that embrace this principle often discover that God blesses their sensitivity to others. When communities consistently guard against creating stumbling blocks while reaching people for whom Christ died, they often experience God’s presence and power in remarkable ways. Their love-driven restraint becomes a platform for greater gospel impact.
The Foundation of True Wisdom
The Apostle Paul concluded this section by reminding the Corinthians of the theological foundation underlying all Christian behavior. In verses 4-6, he declared:
“We know that an idol has no real existence, and that there is no God but one. For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’—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.”
This confession of monotheistic faith provided the ultimate motivation for sacrificial love. Because there is one true God who created all things and one Lord Jesus Christ through whom all things exist, He deserves complete allegiance. This allegiance expresses itself not through asserting personal rights but through loving service to others, especially those for whom Christ died.
The same Jesus who created and sustains all things willingly sacrificed His rights and privileges to redeem humanity. His followers are called to imitate this pattern, using their knowledge and freedom to build up others rather than simply asserting their theological correctness.
A Call to Mature Love
First Corinthians 8 challenges believers to examine their motivations and actions. Do they use their theological knowledge to justify self-serving behavior, or do they allow love for God and others to guide their decisions about Christian liberty? Are they more concerned with being right or with being loving?
The passage doesn’t eliminate Christian freedom or demand legalistic adherence to every possible restriction. Instead, it calls believers to exercise their liberty responsibly, considering how their actions affect others’ spiritual welfare. This requires spiritual maturity, cultural sensitivity, and genuine love for fellow believers.
True wisdom recognizes that knowledge without love destroys community, while love-guided knowledge builds up the body of Christ. When believers willingly limit their freedom for others’ spiritual benefit, they demonstrate the sacrificial love that Jesus modeled and commanded.
This principle has profound implications for how churches navigate cultural differences, generational gaps, and theological disagreements. It suggests that unity in Christ transcends individual preferences and rights, calling all believers to prioritize love over personal convenience.
The Corinthians faced a specific question about meat sacrificed to idols. Still, the Apostle Paul’s response established a timeless principle: In Christ’s kingdom, love always trumps rights, community welfare always supersedes individual preferences, and building up others always takes precedence over asserting personal knowledge or freedom.
This is the wisdom that pleases God and builds healthy Christian communities, wisdom that chooses love over license, service over self-assertion, and spiritual sensitivity over theological pride.
TL;DR
In 1 Corinthians 8, the Apostle Paul warns the Corinthians that knowledge without love leads to pride and spiritual harm.
While idols are powerless, eating food sacrificed to them caused confusion for newer believers.
The Apostle Paul’s principle is timeless: Christian freedom must always be guided by love for others, even when it means limiting personal rights.
True maturity is measured not by knowledge but by sacrificial love that builds up the church.
