The purpose of this lesson: to show from scripture that in God's priorities, love is more important than correct knowledge.
A problem Christians have as "the church": we assume God thinks like us instead of allowing God to teach us how to think. A significant New Testament emphasis: Christ's people "think" differently. The difference results from seeking God's mind. God's thinking dramatically changes human perspectives.
In the New Testament there is heavy emphasis from Jesus' teachings through the epistles on the fact that those who come to God must learn to think differently. God teaches His people His thoughts, priorities, and concepts. From the beginning, human priorities resulted in rebellion to God. Christ leads to God, not human concepts and priorities. A great weakness in religious people is found in their common assumption that God thinks as they think. Though God repeatedly declared to Israel that is not true, Israel believed it was true.
No, human thinking ever reaches the level of God's thoughts. That has never been the situation and never will be!
Human thinking, regardless of what it is based on, will never be on the same elevated plain as God's thinking. The thinking of the created never will rise to the mind of the Creator. Thus, the Creator will act in ways the created will not comprehend.
Isaiah 55:8,9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.
1 Corinthians 2:16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Christians will never reach the heights of God's thoughts. God commonly did [does] things in human history that exceeded [exceeds] human comprehension [forgiving Ninevah (Jonah); using Babylon to punish Israel (Habakkuk); Jesus' crucifixion; saving non-Jews without requiring conversion to Judaism (Colossians 1:24-29)]. Yet, the closer we come to God, the more influenced we are by God's thoughts. A common instruction: "renew your minds."
At the foundation of Job's thinking was the conviction that God acted unjustly. At the foundation of Jonah's thinking was the conviction that it was God's merciful nature to forgive those He should destroy. At the foundation of Habukkuk's thinking was the conviction that God could not use a people more evil than Israel to punish Israel. Each person began with the assumption that God either did or should think as he thought.
Romans 12:1,2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Ephesians 4:23, "that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,"
Most epistles focused on changing Christians' thoughts. God's thoughts changed the thinking of Christians. Through Christ a merciful God filled with grace saved them. This merciful God filled with grace taught all in Christ a new way to think.
Most epistles [and quite obviously Paul's] declared to Christians new concepts and new ways to think. The change in concepts and thought patterns were founded on God's concepts, perspectives, and way of thinking.
Consider the way "the church" thinks. Are our thoughts the result of human logic and deductions [human concepts] or from God's revelations [divine concepts]? Before you answer, read 1 Corinthians 8. Note Paul's divinely inspired insights reflecting God's revelations.
It is frightening to note how easily [and frequently] Christians substitute accepted human logic for divine revelation. Commonly such Christians' intent is not rebellion, but a desire to substantiate or reinforce a human system. We easily can conclude that "God thinks as we do" with such certainty that we do not even see God's revelations when we read His word. We have been taught to "see" something so clearly that we refuse to consider things we have never "seen" before. Too easily new thoughts ["new" to us, but actually ancient] become a faith crisis instead of a growth crisis.
The first emphasis (verses 1-3): regarding idolatrous sacrifices [a worship issue!], "the church" must function with motives based on divine love, not human knowledge. Human knowledge produces arrogance in Christians. God's love produces compassion in Christians. Knowledge is prideful. Love builds up. Knowledge often is destructive (without apology!). Love encourages.
Help your students understand the context of this concern dealt with first century worship issues. Does eating a meat [a sacrifice] offered to an idol honor a god? Is eating that meat an act of worship? Can those with "correct knowledge" spiritually destroy those with "incorrect knowledge?" Obviously there were at least two perspectives: that of the Christian who incorrectly thought many gods existed, and that of a Christian who correctly knew only one God existed. Note that knowledge, even correct knowledge, of itself is often destructive.
The second emphasis (verses 4-6): knowledge understands there is only one God. Knowledge understands idols represent nothing. Therefore, knowledge understands a sacrifice to an idol has no spiritual significance. Knowledge understands a Christian can eat food offered to an idol and not honor a god competing with the one God. Knowledge correctly understands that food is spiritually insignificant.
Please note the fact that the knowledge was correct! Even though the knowledge of these Christians was correct, they used it in a way that was destructive to other Christians.
The third emphasis (verses 7-9): the problem--some Christians lacked correct knowledge. To them, nonexistent gods "existed." Therefore, eating food offered to an idol honored an "existing" god who opposed the God who raised Jesus. When they saw Christians eating food offered to idols, they were encouraged to eat such food. Their uninformed consciences, "after-the-fact," felt guilt for honoring a god who rivaled the God who raised Jesus. They concluded they had diverted back to their former state--simultaneous worship of gods--more than one!
Please note that there were Christians who had incorrect knowledge that made them weak but who were in Christ. These Christians were not to be destroyed.
Knowledge correctly understood food was without spiritual significance. Yet, it was unconcerned about weak Christians. It was only concerned about being right. It acted quite selfishly [is that not the soul of arrogance?]. The only concern was "my liberty" without regard for the impact of "my correct knowledge" on weak Christians. Thus knowledge created stumbling blocks love would never create.
Please note there is more involved in Christian relationship than possessing correct knowledge. One cannot lovelessly disregard one who has been baptized into Christ simply because "my knowledge is better and more accurate than your knowledge."
The fourth emphasis (verses 10-12): correct knowledge prompted a Christian to disregard the impact of his/her actions. A knowledgeable Christian went to an idol's temple and ate. A Christian with inadequate knowledge saw this act, thought this "strong Christian" honored another god, and rejected faith in Christ.
Please note that a Christian must not neglect, disregard, or hurt a person who has been baptized into Christ because "I am right and he/she is wrong--even if he/she does not know it!" "My" treatment of another person who is in Christ is determined by God's love living in "me," not his/her correctness.
Thus correct knowledge disregarded God's enormous investment in weak Christians. Correct knowledge destroyed Christians for whom Christ died. By wounding weak Christians, the knowledgeable Christian sinned against Christ.
The awareness of the enormous investment God made [makes] even in the weakest Christian must never be forgotten. Remind yourself of God's investment by reading Romans 5:6-11, noting especially verse 8. Also consider Romans 8:31-35. God extends justification on entrance into Christ at that point of spiritual birth, not at the point of spiritual maturity.
Paul's conclusion (verse 13): "I will not use my knowledge selfishly to cause my brother to fall away from Christ." Did Paul know there was one God? Yes! That idols did not represent existing gods? Yes! That sacrificial food did not spiritually affect a Christian? Yes! Was Paul correct in what he knew? Yes! With all he knew, if the acts of correct knowledge destroyed the ignorant's faith, would he follow knowledge or love? Love! Regardless of what he knew, he would not destroy God's investment!
If God loves a person with such depth that He sustains that person through His forgiveness, no Christian should disregard his brother or sister.
[Caution: Paul did not discuss the weak's preferences controlling the strong. Paul discussed destroying Christians for whom Christ died. He did not discuss those who say, "Do it my way or I will go somewhere else." He discussed those who stopped being Christians because they misunderstood the deeds of knowledgeable Christians. He said the foundation of an act must be love for the weak for whom Christ died, not mere knowledge. The issue: regard for the less informed, not "who controls in matters of preference."]
If we conclude that the weak's preferences should control the positions and understandings of "the church," "the church" always will be controlled by the perspectives of the weak, and never the strong. Remember the context is based on this situation: causing one for whom Christ died to leave Christ. The context is not based on this situation: going to another congregation which holds a compatible view point. There is a vast difference between leaving Christ and changing congregations.
Thought Questions:
In the problem of 1 Corinthians 8, there were some Christians who had incorrect knowledge: (1) they believed there were many gods; (2) they believed that eating sacrificial meat honored the god. Even these Christians were to be treated with love even though they functioned on an incorrect conclusion.
The basic declaration of 1 Corinthians 8 is that there were uninformed Christians (1) who were in Christ because of God's great investment and (2) who were to receive love's consideration.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 12