Topic: Love versus Knowledge
Bible Reading: Psalm 132-135; 1 Corinthians 8
Memory Verse: “And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?” 1 Corinthians 8:11 (KJV)
Knowledge has been defined as a clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact; the perception of the connection and agreement, or disagreement and repugnancy of our ideas. It could simply be explained as learning or illumination of mind. It is important to seek knowledge. This is why people generally go to school so as to learn one thing or the other. God sees knowledge as fundamental such that he gave us a body of knowledge in the Bible so that we can learn and illuminate our mind with it!
God makes knowledge so fundamental that he says in Hosea 4:6 (KJV), “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” To be His priest, you need to acquire knowledge about Him. Furthermore, God said to prosper and have good success, you need to study and meditate on His word, i.e. acquire knowledge He has provided. This importance of knowledge, particularly that of God, is further clearly stated in 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV), “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
But as important as knowledge is, its correct application is more important. Imagine David knew that sleeping with the wife of another person was wrong but he still slept with Bathsheba and subsequently tried to cover his sin ( 2 Samuel 11:2-13). In this case, he had the knowledge but did not apply it. This is the case with quite a number of people. They know what is wrong and what should not be done but they do those things hoping not to be caught!
However, underneath such activities is lack of godly love. If David loved Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, as a brother, he would not have slept with his wife. If you think deeply over every wrong, you will realise, there is element of selfishness on the part of the perpetrator! This is clearly ungodly and unchristianly because the Bible says in 1 John 4:8 (KJV), “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
So, love should take priority over knowledge. This is why Apostle Paul said if you know that eating meat sacrificed to idols does nothing to your faith but if others see you eating at idols temple, it may wreak their faith and make them to stumble, then for their sake do not eat that meat! This why he asked the question in 1 Corinthians 8:11 (KJV), “And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?” His answer is clear that you should not let your brother perish but let love prevail! He says in 1 Corinthians 8:12-13 (KJV) “But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. [13] Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”
Prayer Point:
Father, whatever I will do that will make my brethren to stumble in faith, please give me the grace not to do them in Jesus name.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero