I Cor 8:1-3, notes/thoughts for CG

I Cor 8:1-3, thoughts for group, Tuesday May 4th
Paul is not condemning knowledge or learning, the whole of the bible, that we even have a bible, shows this point; in fact the scriptures go so far as to even indict men of sin for their lack of knowledge (Acts 3:17; Rom 1:18-28), describing lost men as fools, ignorant and without knowledge. Rather, what Paul is condemning is a prideful, loveless knowledge, a knowledge which lifts us up in pride.
Proverbs, (which alone should squash any attempt to discourage learning and knowledge) tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (1:7), this is very close to what I Cor 8:3 is saying, knowledge (rightly known) begins in God and with God. God sanctifies knowledge but apart from Him nothing can be known as it is or known rightly. Our minds are naturally sinful and futile, but in Christ we are given His mind (I Cor 2:16). Knowledge, that is washed in the light of Christ, is never prideful but actually humbles us and submits us. We cannot stand before God and be lifted up in our knowledge. When we are in the presence of a very learned and knowledgeable person we are reminded of how very little we know, how much more God. This is exactly what these three verses, 8:1-3, are saying: even if we are correct in the content of our knowledge, apart from Jesus we will be fools in the application and understanding of that knowledge.
It is important to remember that knowledge is essential to faith (but not the whole of faith). The great commission commands teaching and making disciples (learners). Knowledge is essential to faith and growing in Christ but content alone is not enough it must be understood/applied rightly. We can know that our knowledge is right when it increases our love of God and consequently our love of our brothers. We can know our knowledge is wrong when it tends to pride, selfishness and ultimately turns us from God and our brothers good.
A distinction is needed here: those these are good tests of knowledge they are not absolutes. For example: some true doctrines of scripture can cause pride not because of the rightness of wrongness of the doctrine but because of our sin and consequently some false doctrines can seem to tend to greater humility and love of God. This is the Corinthian mistake, Paul affirms that what they knew was true, but because of their wickedness it was not serving the end to which it was aimed and intended, thats why this chapter was written. Just because someone finds something helpful does not make it true. Truth is not subjective and fluctuating or based upon the fickleness of man. Just because some find mormon teachings helpful does not make them true any more then some people being offended by the exclusivity of Jesus makes Him untrue. We must be able to discern truth from God's word and then judge our understanding of that truth based off of the effects of that truth. Make sense? We will discuss this more group.
Though Paul is changing subjects from chapter 7 to chapter 8, he is still writing under the broad head of liberty and even broader, over-arching head of unity. The right use of liberty is essential to unity, and at the heart of liberty is the knowledge that we are free. The problem in the Corinthian church was that their liberty was being seperated from the end or purpose of unity. Rather than using their liberty to build unity they were using their liberty to build self. At the root of this sin was a seperating of knowledge from the love to God (which always includes love to His Church).
It is very importantd not to take these verses out of context as if knowledge is in opposition to love or that knowledge is bad in and of itself or that we should pursue an ignorant purely sentimental "love." Paul is not condemning knowledge but knowledge apart from love. Knowledge and love are inseperatable. Trying telling your spouse that you are not interested in learning about who they are: likes, dislikes, desires, joys, past, etc...you just want to love them. "My wife would be offended if I defended my ignorance about her with the excuse that I wanted to experience 'a truth, not a proposition,' and the same would be true of faith in God." Learning is essential to loving and knowledge is essential to faith.