"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (I Corinthians 8:1)

Paul uses this amazing little phrase in the context of food sacrificed to idols. You probably know the issue: eating meat that has been sacrificed to idols is no big deal, because we know that idols are nothing. Unless, that is, our eating causes someone else offense, in which case our knowledge is useless, because love must prevail over knowledge.

In other words, I can be completely wrong, even when I'm totally right.

Later in the same epistle, Paul expounds on the worthlessness of knowledge (and lots of other valuable things like prophecy and faith and giving all to the poor) without love.

Oh, but knowledge is so much easier than love!

One of the great dangers of being in a church body that has taken great historical pride in being knowledgeable and right on matters of doctrine is that we can sinfully raise that knowledge to a level beyond love. It's not that we should compromise doctrine. Never. It's that we should love those who don't have our knowledge. And we should love those with whom we disagree. Both externally and internally.

And this is where the puffing occurs. As I evaluate myself, I do so in terms of my knowledge. Am I right? Do I properly understand the situation? Have I looked at the available evidence and come to right conclusion? If the answer is yes, then, well, my self-evaluation is complete: I'm all good! After all, Jesus said, "They will know you are my disciples if you are right..." No, He didn't.

Read more