Love Builds Up: When Knowledge Isn't Enough

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

1. THE PROBLEM WITH KNOWLEDGE ALONE (vv. 1-3)

• Paul begins with a statement that must have stung the Corinthians:
• 1 Cor. 8:1 Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
• Notice Paul doesn't say knowledge is bad. 
• He acknowledges, "We know that 'we all possess knowledge.'" The Corinthians were right about their theology concerning idols. They understood that 
• 1 Cor. 8:4 an idol is nothing in the world and that there is no God but one
• Knowledge WITHOUT LOVE DOESN’T BUILD A PERSON UP 
• CLOSED HANDED ISSUES
• The Deity and Humanity of Jesus Christ
• The Authority of Scripture
• Some closed handed issues fall under this one
• The Trinity
• Salvation through Grace by Faith
• The Life, Death, Resurrection AND Ascension of Jesus
• The Second Coming of Christ
• OPEN HANDED ISSUES
• Worship Style
• End Times Views
• Political Involvement or Party Affiliation 
• Should Christians Drink and Smoke
• What about Tattoos
• How to School our Children.
• 1 Cor 8:2  If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it
• If you think your knowledge is the finish line, you've missed the point entirely. 
• 1 Cor. 8:3 BUT if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. 
• IT IS NOT “WHAT” WE KNOW BUT “WHO” KNOWS US.

1. THE ISSUE AT HAND: FREEDOM AND FOOD (vv. 4-6)

• 1 Cor. 8:4-6 About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— YET FOR US THERE IS ONE GOD, THE FATHER! All things are from Him, and we exist FOR HIM. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through Him, and we exist through Him.
• THIS IS GREAT THEOLOGY. 
• It's the foundation of Christian monotheism. AND BECAUSE OF THIS, idol meat really is just meat.
• THERE IS ONE GOD - THE FATHER [intimate, personal familial title]
• OUR DESIRE IS TO PLEASE OUR FATHER
• ALL THINGS ARE FROM HIM and we exist FOR HIM
• HE IS THE CREATOR
• HE GETS TO ESTABLISH WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG - GOOD AND EVIL
• We exist FOR HIM
• Our Life - our being - our choices are all for Him.
• In Christ, your life is not your own.
• You were bought with a price.
• We are slaves to Christ now.
• THERE IS ONE LORD (He is God, Ruler, Master) - Jesus Christ
• We see the unpacking of the Trinity here
• Father, Son and Holy Spirit - ONE
• And we all THROUGH [because of, by] Him 
• Jesus was present and a part of creation
• HE IS GOD!
• We exist THROUGH Him.
• When we live, we are living THROUGH or IN Christ.
• It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives through me.
• In many of these areas, mature Christians have genuine freedom in Christ. The question isn't usually 
• "What does the Bible clearly command?" 
• But rather 
• HOW DOES MY FREEDOM AFFECT MY BROTHER AND SISTER IN CHRIST?

1. THE WEAKER BROTHER OR SISTER (vv. 7-8)

• 1 Cor. 8:7 However, not everyone has this knowledge. Some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled
• CONSCIENCE: the moral inner sense of what is appropriate or inappropriate.
• In their mind, they were watching Christians participate in idol worship. Their weak conscience was defiled [make dirty, soiled, stained].
• WEAK CONSCIENCE: 
• Has a conscience not yet fully formed by gospel truth. 
• Could be led into sin against their own conscience. 
• Romans 14:23 But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin. 
• Are vulnerable to spiritual harm. 
• Paul uses the strong word "destroyed" in verse 11. This isn't about hurt feelings—it's about genuine spiritual danger.
• In verse 8, PAUL MAKES CLEAR: 
• 1 Cor 8:8 Food will not bring us close to God. We are not worse off if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat.

1. LOVE LIMITS FREEDOM (vv. 9-13)

• 1 Cor. 8:9-10 But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols?
• This is revolutionary.
• And Paul says something very shocking in verses 11-12: 
• 1 Cor 8:11-12 So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died, is ruined [destroyed] by your KNOWLEDGE. Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ.  
• JESUS DIED FOR US TO SET US FREE SO WE COULD LIVE AS HE CREATED US TO LIVE IN RELATION TO OTHERS AND TO SHOW THEM THE GOODNESS OF GOD.
• Gal 5:13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
• 1 Cor 8:13 Therefore, if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won’t cause my brother or sister to fall. 
• "My freedom is not more important than my brother's faith. I will gladly limit my liberty for the sake of love."

1. A WORD TO THOSE WHO FEEL WEAK

• In 1 Corinthians 14:20, he says: 
• Brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking.
• And Ephesians 4:14-15 tells us: 
• Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.
• So if you're genuinely struggling with a weak conscience in some area, here's what you should do:

1. DON’T DEMAND EVERYONE ELSE LIVE BY YOUR RESTRICTIONS

• Romans 14:3 says "The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does." The weak and the strong both need humility.

1. ACTIVELY PURSUE GROWTH

• Immerse yourself in Scripture. 
• Let your mind be renewed by truth (Romans 12:2). 
• Seek out mature believers who can help you understand gospel freedom. 
• Don't stay stuck in fear or old patterns of thinking. 
• Train your conscience through constant exposure to God's Word and practice in distinguishing good from evil.

1. BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF

• Growth takes time. If you're coming out of deep legalism or a past that makes certain issues difficult, that's okay. God is patient with you. But don't make a home in spiritual infancy. Press forward toward maturity. Walk in the growing freedom Christ is giving you.

1. FOCUS ON CHRIST, NOT RULES

• Colossians 2:20-23 warns against being bound by "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!" Maturity means moving from rule-keeping to Christ-following. Freedom is found in Him, not in keeping (or breaking) rules.

1. DEVELOP GOSPEL CENTERED CONVICTIONS

• Romans 14:5 says One person judges one day to be more important than another day. Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. 
• Mature Christians focus on what HONORS GOD

1. A WORD FOR THE STRONG

• And if you're the stronger brother or sister—if you understand your freedom in Christ—remember this: 
• Your job isn't just to avoid the weak. Your job is to help them become strong.
• Yes, limit your liberty when it would cause genuine harm. 
• Strong believers, you have responsibilities:
• BUILD UP, DON’T BACK OFF. 
• BE PATIENT AND SERVE OTHERS
• Romans 15:1 says, Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. 
• CHECK YOUR MOTIVES
• DON’T ENABLE PERPETUAL WEAKNESS

1. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: THE PATH FORWARD
2. Check your heart about your knowledge. 
3. Consider the genuinely weaker brother or sister before you exercise your freedom. 
4. Remember that love is the measure of Christian maturity, not knowledge. 
5. Create a culture where both truth and grace thrive. 
6. Be willing to sacrifice your rights for others—temporarily.
7. Finally, prioritize unity in the body of Christ. 

Reflection and Application Questions

1. Paul says "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Can you share a time when you were more concerned with being right than with showing love? What was the outcome? How can we pursue both truth and love without sacrificing either?
2. Who might be a "weaker brother or sister" in your sphere of influence—someone whose faith could be genuinely harmed by watching you exercise certain freedoms? How is this different from someone who is simply offended or disagrees with you?
3. If you identify as "weaker" in some area (coming from legalism, struggling with past associations, etc.), what practical steps can you take to grow into greater freedom in Christ? What would it look like to "train your conscience" through Scripture and practice?
4. What are some current "meat sacrificed to idols" issues in the church today—disputable matters where Christians have genuine freedom but that freedom might cause others to stumble? How should we navigate these issues with both truth and grace?
5. Describe a situation where you've had to choose between exercising your Christian freedom and limiting your liberty for someone else's sake. How did you decide? Looking back, would you make the same choice?
6. If you're "strong" in an area of freedom, how can you help others grow into that same freedom rather than just hiding your liberty or avoiding "weaker" believers? What does it look like to disciple someone into gospel freedom?
7. Paul says that when we wound a weak conscience, we "sin against Christ" (v. 12). Why do you think Paul makes this connection so strong? How does viewing our actions toward other believers as actions toward Christ himself change your perspective on your choices?
8. Based on this passage, what is one specific, practical change you will make this week? 
9. Will you limit a freedom out of love for someone else? 
10. Will you pursue growth in an area where you've been stuck? 
11. Will you help someone else grow? 
12. How can this group support you and hold you accountable?

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHILE READING SCRIPTURE

What does this reveal about God?

What does this reveal about you in relation to God?

What do you need to do about it?