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At the beginning of this passage concerning food offered to idols, Paul says, "We all know that 'We all possess knowledge.'" He's referring to their own attitude about the knowledge they have. He calls them out on it: "But knowledge puffs up while love builds up." Paul isn't saying that having knowledge is bad; he's talking about the attitude of the people—how they seem to be saying, "Come on, everyone knows there's no such things as idols." Their attitude is prideful, not loving.
Paul affirms that these more mature believers are right: "We know that 'An idol is nothing at all in the world' and that 'There is no God but one,'" but he goes on to say that not everyone has that knowledge. Some people aren't there yet, which is why their consciences are still pricked by eating food offered to idols. Paul says to the mature believers: Be mindful of where your brother is. Don't be puffed up with your knowledge of the truth.
John MacArthur once said regarding this passage, "Knowledge is essential, but it's not sufficient." That's why Paul says in chapter 13, the famous love passage, "If I have prophetic powers and I understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith so as to remove mountains but have not love, I am nothing." Knowledge is important, but it's not enough, because knowledge without love amounts to nothing. That means some of you could be brilliant and worthless. It's like being a great basketball player, never missing a shot, but you always shoot at the wrong basket. Paul is saying here, "Look, you're so brilliant, but you're killing the team. You're not building up the brothers; you're making them feel dumb. You're wounding their consciences; you're not stirring them up to love and good deeds." He goes on to say, "By your knowledge, this weak person is destroyed."
Sometimes I'll read comments that Christians leave on other Christians' blogs, or Tweets about an article or something, and some of the things people say burdens me. I can't believe some of the stuff Christians will say, and I wonder, How is that comment supposed to build this person up, or anyone else who read it? I thought we weren't supposed to let any of these unwholesome words come out of our mouths or out of our fingers.
Joni Eareckson Tada is one of my heroes. Joni's been a paraplegic for over 40 years now, and she's started some amazing ministries. When we got together a few months ago, she had to leave because she was experiencing so much physical pain. I didn't realize that as a paraplegic she would feel that kind of pain, but she does, and it's so hard to see. Recently, Joni found out she has breast cancer, and she started chemo treatments, which have really wiped her out. Then a couple weeks ago, we found out she got pneumonia. I don't understand why all of this would happen to her. And while she had pneumonia, she wrote me a letter encouraging me to stay strong. She wrote, "Francis, I love you as a brother. You stay strong in the faith. I believe in what you're doing."
I'm thinking, Are you kidding me? How can you be thinking about anyone else? When I just have the flu I'm only thinking of me. But Joni's constantly thinking of other people. That's humility, right?
