Knowledge, Pride, and Love

We know that we all have knowledge…However, there is not in everyone that knowledge. 1 Corinthians 8:1a, 7a

You know that feeling you get when you’re playing final Jeopardy with your family and you’re the only one that gets the answer (question) correct? Well, my mom tells me it’s a pretty good feeling.

Why does it feel so good to know something that others don’t? I guess it just makes us feel smart. If I know something that you don’t, there’s a temptation to feel proud about that, to feel superior because of my knowledge. But Paul puts the proud know-er in his or her place with these simple words:

Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 1 Corinthians 8:1b

Speaking of love, in June we hear a lot of talk about love. We hear that “love is love,” and the conclusion is drawn that because love is a good thing, I ought to be able to act on any feeling that feels like love.

We Christians also talk a lot about love. In fact we are supposed to be known by our love. Jesus himself said:

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35

And yet those who believe “love is love” often accuse us of hate.

Of course we argue that their definitions of both love and hate are incorrect.

And yet when we only ever argue the point in this way, when our intellectual arguments seem to fall on deaf ears, perhaps we are focusing too much on knowledge and not enough on edification.

Love edifies. If we made it our goal to edify the unbelievers around us, yes, even those who are taking pride in their sin, how might we accomplish it?

To edify means to build up and encourage. Of course we cannot encourage sin. And we may at times encounter the “deadly sin” of wrath simply for noting that a particular behavior violates God’s word. But pride and lust and wrath are not a recipe for joy. Could we edify the world around us by living out a picture of a higher order of love, the kind that leads to a higher order of happiness? How could we display such love and joy through our relationships with each other as Jesus commanded?

We shouldn’t expect people who are antagonistic to traditional Christianity to visit our church services. If they’re to know us by our love for one another, it needs to be evident everywhere— in restaurants, at public events, in the workplace, at the gym, etc. Are we spending time with each other in these places? Are we talking about our brothers and sisters in Christ in casual conversation? The world knows if we really love our fellow Christians.

Furthermore we are to love our fellow man, to love sinners including those who count themselves as our enemies; including those who do things that we don’t approve of. If all we ever do as Christians is pridefully quote Bible verses, content to show off knowledge to those who don’t have it, we are likely not communicating our love to them very effectively.

Serving others and being kind isn’t a replacement for teaching the gospel, but sometimes it’s the key to getting someone to listen. If they won’t listen, we may have to focus more on edifying through love.

It should not surprise us that the world holds up things like pride, lust, and even wrath as virtues. As Christians we must seek opportunities to share the truth about these matters. But we need to make sure we’re not using these discussions as opportunities to indulge our own pride— pride in what we know that others don’t know. This isn’t Jeopardy! We’re supposed to be helping each other.

Knowledge is a wonderful thing. Without knowledge of God’s word, we are lost. But it doesn’t follow that knowledge saves. In fact, knowledge alone puffs up. And it isn’t always wise to share knowledge if someone isn’t ready or willing to listen.

What we can always do is show love.

Though I have.. all knowledge.. but have not love, I am nothing…. the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:2,13

Dear God, please help me to be humble about the limits of my knowledge, especially compared to Yours. Strengthen my faith in Your word and my courage to defend it, but also help me to live it out, remembering that the greatest virtue is love. I pray that through my life others may see Your love and come to know You. Forgive my pride, Lord. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

by Christie Cole Atkins

Related reading:

Pictures of Jesus

Staying Teachable

Test Time!

Pride v. Shame