"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being priest to Me. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will also forget your sons, even I."We must know and understand God's will. Many have been and will be destroyed because of a lack of knowledge.
However, with knowledge comes a peculiar temptation -- pride. There is a natural temptation for those that have gained some level of knowledge of the scriptures to be critical of those that have not. Those that have their "senses trained to discern both good and evil" can become frustrated with the worldliness of others less attuned to the principles of God's word. Righteous indignation directed toward sinful practices can easily turn to contempt for those still struggling to free themselves from such practices. 1 Corinthians 8:1 states it very concisely,
"Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies"Knowledge and understanding has a way of "puffing up" -- of exalting the spirit and creating a prideful attitude. Knowledge must be tempered with love.
I think we can easily mistake knowledge for spiritual maturity. We can think we are "spiritually mature" if we have a thorough understanding of scripture and we abstain from a particular set of worldly practices. Spiritual maturity is much more than that. It also includes embracing the principle of love and forbearance. When we fail to understand this we are in danger of becoming like the Pharisees who "trusted in themselves and despised others".
In the context of 1 Corinthians 8 Paul was addressing the problem of eating meat that had been part of an idolatrous sacrifice. In principle there was no problem with buying and eating such meat. However, some of the "weaker" brethren didn't understand that. Eating such meat would violate their consciences and seeing other Christians do it was a stumbling block to them. Even worse, some might be emboldened to participate in idol worship after seeing the example of their "stronger" brethren.
Paul's teaching here is clear. The strong often need to yield to the weak. They need to forbear and sacrifice lest they cause others to stumble. We all need to have patience with one another. Not everyone has the same knowledge, the same understanding, the same level of maturity. We have to allow for these differences as we all grow up in Christ.
--PG
This is an important topic, and I can certainly identify with it. A few commments....
ReplyDeleteI recently heard a sermon about pride/comparison. I know that my pride often comes from doing horizontal comparisons with others- I can think I'm mature because I can point a finger at someone I think is less spiritually mature.
"For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor." (Gal 6:3-4)
I have to remember that apart from Christ, I am nothing (I have nothing good or can do anything good in God's eyes). But, if I remember that even growth in knowledge and grace is something that God works in me, then I can boast in Christ.
"But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." (Gal 6:14-15)
In fact, this conviction was so great, that Paul counted everything as loss compared to the greatness of knowing Christ:
"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish.... (Phil 3:8-9)
"All things" counted as rubbish- anything that certainly doesn't lead to an attitude of "He [Christ] must become greater and I must become less". Any sort of knowledge (that may even be good knowledge or Biblical knowledge) is rubbish if it doesn't lead me to humble submission to Christ).
Finally, it's possible to have great spiritual gifts, but without a love for God and for people, it is all worthless. Love seeks the welfare of others, and in humility considers others better than ourselves.
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." (1 Cor 13:1-2)
I know that if I measure myself by these standards, I fall short and need God's help to redeem even the things I want to do for Him. I have to remember to do vertical comparisons (comparing my life and my heart against God and Christ) and not horizontal comparisons. When I forget that, I become proud.
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