Knowledge or Love

In our spiritual journey, we all continue to increase in our knowledge of God. Many of us have the revelation that there is but one Power (God Omnipotent) and that it is always good, that there are not two powers, one of evil that we must “overcome” while we are in “this world.” We know that the kingdom of God is within each of us and that we can experience that kingdom now, that we don’t have to wait until we die to enter it. We know that every man is God in expression, made in His image and likeness and given dominion over all the rest of creation.

Since, in reality, there is no power apart from God (who is always good), it follows that we who have dominion have given power to whatever seems to harm us—and that is the only power it has. So how are we who have this knowledge to conduct ourselves while living in this world with those who don’t have it?

Paul addresses this issue in 1Corinthians 8 which I have quoted in its entirety at the end of this contemplation. His key statement is, “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity [love] edifieth.” We would do well to also note his next statement, “And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.”

Paul is in this instance talking about eating meat sacrificed to idols, but this is instruction for every area of our lives. Paul, and those he is addressing, have the “knowledge” that whether we eat the meat or not makes no difference to God. Like circumcision or uncircumcision, it doesn’t matter at all:

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

I quoted this verse because Paul here again introduces this matter of “love.”

Back to the matter of eating meat sacrificed to idols or not, Paul goes on to say that for some people to eat the meat, they would be going against their conscience—that which came in with the law which tells us what we ought and ought not to do. To eat the meat would “defile” their conscience because their consciences, unlike Paul’s, had not been “purged from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14).

But notice that Paul wasn’t “puffed up” with this knowledge, ready to show how “spiritual” he was by eating the meat. He knew that although God would not “punish” anyone for eating the meat sacrificed to idols, those who believed that harm would come to them if they ate it would indeed experience that harm, for what we believe in our heart is what we receive—good, bad or indifferent. So, living according to “love” rather than “knowledge,” Paul chose not to be a “stumbling block” to those who were “weak”; he knew that they might eat the meat because they saw him (whom they thought to be “spiritual”) eating it and might consequently “perish” as a result.

I think all of us can identify with this in one way or another—attempting to do what we see other “spiritual” people doing, but not receiving the desired results because we have not the knowledge of God that guarantees success. I think I’ve done it all—taken my glasses off, stopped taking medicine, fasted until I had dry heaves—you name it. Paul is reminding us, as he so often does, that we must always behave toward others as we would toward Christ—for that is who they are in their true identity—Christ in expression. If we sin against them “and wound their weak conscience” we are “sinning against Christ” (1Corinthians 8:12).

This Scripture came to me as I was seeking the wisdom of God on the matter of cholesterol. Since the first time I ever had mine checked, the number was higher than what the medical profession considered “normal.” In those years I did not have the “knowledge of God” that I have now. Like everyone around me, I believed that whatever science “proved” to be true was indeed true and that I had no choice but to accept it as such. I made no distinction between God’s wisdom and the wisdom of this world, which Scripture tells us is “foolishness” in the eyes of God (1Corinthians 3:19). It’s not difficult to discern its “foolishness” when we have the revelation of God’s goodness and omnipotence and of our oneness with our Father and our dominion in this earth.

Last February as I was watching a video on plant-based eating, I felt in my “gut” (heart) that I was to go on that diet to lower my cholesterol. Since I’ve committed to doing whatever I feel in my heart to do as I remain in communion with my Father, I went on the diet “cold turkey” while everyone in my world kept insisting that I had lost my reason. I confess I questioned it myself—this did seem like going further “under the law” that I have spent so many years getting free from. I really did “know” that food has only the power that we give it since we have dominion, that in and of itself it has no power either to help or harm me. But I also knew that following the still small voice inside has to take precedence over any “truth” that we think we know. For God is doing in each of us what needs to be done that He might best live His life through this vessel—for whatever purpose He chooses.

I should point out that the diet “worked”—that the numbers went down and I was able to get off the statin drug I was taking. But I have begun introducing other foods into my diet as I “feel” to do so. I told a friend last night that I was having my cholesterol checked. She couldn’t understand why I would do that. My response was that God invites us to “prove” His Word in our lives and that I guess I wanted to know if I really had the revelation that it was I who was giving the power of evil to cholesterol that was being reflected in the high numbers.

During the night I awakened with 1Corinthians 8 being spoken to me by the Spirit. And I saw it. Even if I should increase in my knowledge of God to the place where I alone determine the effect of any food on my body, that would still be only knowledge that “puffs up.” The physical laws of nutrition, though man-made and given power to do good or evil by man alone, are always operating in man who is “weak.” It is imperative that I conduct myself according to “love” in relation to everyone in my world (Matthew 25:40 . . . inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.) God has led me to increase in my knowledge of the world’s wisdom not for myself but for the benefit of those around me. The obesity that runs rampant in this country is caused first of all by unsatisfied spiritual hunger and then by being disobedient to the physical laws of good nutrition. While the one living in the kingdom of heaven ascends above these laws, the one who is “of this world” will indeed “perish” if he continues to violate them.

God has taught me the meaning of Paul’s words, and now the “why” of it:

1Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Like Jesus, I have come into this world “that I should bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:37). This is what Jesus told Pilate. He knew the truth that He could avoid the crucifixion altogether by calling upon His Father for angels to rescue Him (Matthew 26:53), but “love” for us constrained Him to submit His will to that of the Father (the Christ of Jesus). Notice Jesus’ other words to Pilate, “Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.” Rather than acting on the truth that he knew, He heard the voice of his Father within and acted on that. It meant death to His humanity. He would not be the King of the Jews who saved the Jewish nation from the Romans. He would be the Savior of all mankind by taking upon Himself the humanity of us all and taking it to the death, thereby destroying the “devil,” the carnal mind of man that thinks itself separated from God and keeps us in bondage to the fear of death.

(Hebrews 2:14   Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;  15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.)

And like Jesus, I can either act upon the “knowledge” of the truth that I have, or I can listen to the Voice within and act upon that. If I choose the latter, I can be assured that I won’t be “puffed up” but will rather be “edifying” those around me because I am acting in accord with the “love” that never fails.

(1Corinthians 8:1   Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.  2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.  3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him. 

1Corinthians 8:4   As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.  5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)  6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 

1Corinthians 8:7   Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.  8 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.  9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.  10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;  11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?  12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.  13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.)