Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 by John W. Ritenbaugh

"Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. (2) And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. (3) But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him."

These seemingly innocuous words may be the central issue in this whole book (or both books to the Corinthians) because this was the sin that led Satan to separate from God's government. He became puffed up about himself. Likewise, the Corinthians were puffed up about how much they knew.

Satan thought so much of himself that he became twisted in his thinking, and he attacked God. We do not attack God directly —this book shows us we attack each other! Therein lies the problem. We attack each other through gossip, rumors, accusations, and other malicious words.

We begin to draw up lists in our minds of the faults of those who have offended us, and we begin to withdraw from them. We will not associate with them. Division begins to occur because they offend us. We say to ourselves, "Well, they were mean to me," or "They aren't intelligent enough," or "They are peculiar," or "They wear garish clothing," or "They have strong opinions about unimportant things."

This is not to say that one should not be discerning,

Nevertheless, Satan can, if he is given the opportunity, lead our minds to find reasons to avoid associating with others who differ from us — reasons that have nothing to do with sin but are merely our perception that we can find no common ground with people who God may have sent to us because they need the grace, the wisdom, the maturity, the deepening of faith that our fellowship can bring to them. Indeed, there may be lessons He desires that we receive from them.

If the feeling continues unabated, we will eventually come to the place where we will withdraw from fellowship altogether. It will not happen quickly, but gradually. Perhaps we may stop attending Bible studies or find reasons to stop attending church services, or we will arrive late to services and leave early. In these ways, Satan is slowly but surely moving us toward self-indulgence rather than love.