Puff Up or Build Up

Paul contrasts two paths that either puff up or build up—reminding us of that knowledge without love leads to pride, but love encourages others and honors Christ.

“‘All of us possess knowledge.’ This ‘knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.”—1 Corinthians 8:1–3

Food offered to idols presented major problems for first-century Christians. Early church leaders decided that one of the firm rules for Gentiles was that they “abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols” (Acts 15:29). They knew to live lives that were pleasing to God and good testimonies to others. Paul then moved on to a deeper issue: attitudes about “knowledge.”

Some Christians assumed they were special because of what they knew. But Paul stressed that everyone has some kind of knowledge. We can be prone to trusting in ourselves and our own special knowledge. The danger is that this knowledge can make us proud and arrogant: This knowledge “puffs up.”

This attitude can be crippling to Christians! But there is an antidote: love! While knowledge can cause us to be proud, love “builds up.” The Greek word refers to a person who builds a house. In short, those motivated by knowledge can destroy and tear down, but those motivated by love are constructive.

By our knowledge, we can destroy “the brother for whom Christ died” (v. 11). Thus, thinking we are completely right, we can be completely wrong and can even “sin against Christ” (v. 12).

Paul warned that if we have “all knowledge” but “have not love,” we are “nothing”
(1 Corinthians 13:2). Knowledge without love is meaningless, merely a collection of information.

Be careful about communicating what you know. Seek to be motivated by love!

Reflection Question: Is your knowledge building others up or just puffing yourself up?