Lessons #255 and 256
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GW = God’s Word Translation, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New English Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+AMP = Amplified Bible, UBS = United Bible Society +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
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Food sacrificed to idols: knowledge and love (1 Cor 8:1-3)
1Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But the man who loves God is known by God.
The message of this section of 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 that we have been considering is that You must temper knowledge with love when you deal with any debatable subject matter. The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul focused our attention to two concepts of knowledge and love. Subsequently, the apostle contrasts for us the difference between knowledge and love. We have been informed that knowledge of certain type produces arrogance in one that possesses it whereas love of the type that the Holy Spirit produces in a believer enables a believer who has it to be helpful to others regarding their spiritual life. We noted that on the one hand, a believer with this love would be so concerned with unbelievers that the individual would endeavor to preach the gospel message to them in the hope that through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ unbelievers would escape hell where there is an unimaginable suffering. On the other hand, a believer with love strives to use the word of God to encourage or strengthen another believer so that the one strengthened could be in a better position spiritually than prior to the encouragement from the word of God. Furthermore, demonstration of this love would lead to doing good to believers and promoting of unity among believers. Anyway, the Holy Spirit through the apostle did not stop with the contrast between knowledge and love but continued to say more about the two concepts of knowledge and love. In other words, the apostle returned in verse 2 to the concept of knowledge introduced in verse 1. Then he continued with the concept of love in verse 3 that he also introduced in verse 1. It is with this further elaboration of the two concepts of knowledge and love that we begin our study today.
The elaboration of the Holy Spirit on knowledge through the apostle in verse 2 is that a believer with knowledge should endeavor to temper it with humility of understanding that the person’s knowledge is limited. In effect, any believer with knowledge must recognize that his or her knowledge is quite limited which in a sense is still cautioning a believer to avoid being arrogant about the knowledge the person possesses. It is this fact that is implied in 1 Corinthians 8:2 The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
Let me begin by saying that the word “man” of the NIV does not appear in the Greek text because the sentence of the NIV The man who thinks he knows something is literally in the Greek If anyone thinks to have known something. The literal translation we gave indicates clearly that the word “man” was not used in the Greek text. Some English versions used either the word “anyone” or “someone” in their translation of the clause. You may wonder why the translators of the NIV used the word “man” in their translation. It is probably because the Greek pronoun (tis) that means “anyone, someone, somebody” is in the masculine gender in the Greek. However, the fact that the Greek used a masculine gender does not necessary mean that it refers to a man as a male person. The Greek pronoun may be used to refer to an indefinite person regardless of gender. Take for example, when the woman who had bleeding problem was healed, Jesus knew it was a woman that was healed but what He said is reported using the masculine form of the Greek pronoun that means “anyone, someone” in Luke 8:46:
But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
The Greek pronoun is translated “someone” here but clearly it is a reference to a woman that was healed as the next verse indicates, I mean Luke 8:47:
Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.
Why even bother to deal with something this trivial? You may ask. It is because of the time in which we live where there are many who accuse the English versions as being sexiest. Thus, it is important to explain that the original Greek was not intended to exclude female believers in what is stated in the clause. It is probably to avoid the charge of the English versions reflecting a sexiest bent that is behind the use of the phrase those who to translate the Greek pronoun in the 2011 edition of the NIV since the translators translated the clause in the 1984 edition The man who thinks he knows something as Those who think they know something . Truly, there is nothing wrong in using the word “man” as done in the 1984 edition of the NIV since the word “man” is a word that represents both male and female in some contexts. Such usage could be traced to the original word used to describe Adam and Eve, as we read in Genesis 5:2:
He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man.”
The Hebrew instead of “man” reads literally “Adam” that may mean “mankind” or “human being” or the proper name of the first male God created. Nonetheless, the word “man” can be used to describe a combination of male and female.
Be that as it may, the apostle in the clause of 1 Corinthians 8:2 The man who thinks he knows something assumes for the sake of what he is teaching that a believer may think of having much knowledge. Of course, the translation of the NIV does not seem to support our assertion that the apostle assumes something to be true. However, recall that we indicated the literal Greek reads If anyone thinks to have known something. The word “if” is translated from a Greek particle (ei) that may be used to express a condition thought of as real or to denote assumptions relating to what has already happened. Apostle Paul used it to assume the Romans who were the recipients of his epistle are indeed believers so he could make the assertion he did, as recorded in Romans 8:10:
But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 8:2, the apostle used it to assume that the condition he states is true for the sake of his argument.
The thing the apostle assumes to be true is that some in Corinth claimed to have attained a full knowledge in spiritual matters as we read in the clause of 1 Corinthians 8:2 The man who thinks he knows something or literally If anyone thinks to have known something. The word “thinks” is translated from a Greek word (dokei) that may be used to express subjective opinion and so may mean “to be convinced” as Apostle Paul used it to express his subjective opinion regarding the Christian way before his conversion as we read in Acts 26:9:
“I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
The word may mean to consider something probable so means “to think, to suppose” as the apostle used it to describe those who consider themselves wise as measured by world’s standard as we read in 1 Corinthians 3:18:
Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise.
It is in the sense of “to suppose,” that is, “to think or believe (something) without being fully settled in mind or opinion” the word is used in our passage of 1 Corinthians 8:2.
The thing some in Corinth supposed, is to have knowledge about something, as stated in the sentence he knows something. The word “knows” is translated from a Greek word (ginōskō) that may mean to arrive at a knowledge of someone or something, hence “to know, know about, make acquaintance of.” Thus, it may be used to arrive at understanding of truth, as it is with this meaning that the word is used in Jesus’ declaration of being set free by knowledge of truth in John 8:32:
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
In the same meaning, it can refer to arrive at the knowledge or even be acquainted with someone as it is used by Apostle Paul regarding Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:16:
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
The translators of the NIV used the meaning “to regard” in translating our Greek word here since, for example, the sentence we once regarded Christ is more literally we have known Christ. The word may mean to acquire information through some means and so means “to learn (of), to ascertain, to find out.” Thus, it is in the sense of to find out something that our Greek word is used to describe Apostle Paul’s desire to learn about the faith of believers in Thessalonica, as we read in 1 Thessalonians 3:5:
For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.
The word may mean to grasp the significance or meaning of something and so means “to understand, comprehend” as it is used to indicate the disciples of Jesus did not comprehend what He said to them about His coming death and resurrection when they were on their way to Jerusalem as reported by Luke in Luke 18:34:
The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.
Of course, it is in this meaning of grasping the significance of something that our Greek word was used in the apostolic prayer of Paul for Ephesians to comprehend Christ’s love for them although our word is translated “know” in Ephesians 3:19:
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
The word may mean to be aware of something, that is, “to perceive, notice, realize”, as it is used to describe that the woman Jesus healed of her bleeding, realized or perceived it, as recorded in Mark 5:29:
Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
The sentence she felt is more literally she knew, that is, she realized or perceived that she has been healed because her bleeding stopped. The word may mean “to acknowledge, recognize” as it is used in Galatians 4:9:
But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
Although the NIV translated our Greek word with “know” twice but the sense of the Greek word in this passage is that of “to acknowledge.” Thus, the clause now that you know God is translated in the NEB as now that you do acknowledge God.
We have examined the range of meanings of the Greek word translated “know” in our passage of 1 Corinthians 8:2, so the question is to determine in what sense the apostle used it in our verse. It is in the sense of “to know or to have knowledge about (something) experientially.” However, the apostle did not tell us the thing that a person has knowledge in the verse we are considering. This is probably because he wanted what he said to be considered in a general way before he cautioned believers about the knowledge, they think they possess. The context suggests that the apostle might have also had in mind the knowledge of the subject of divinity that most believers claim to have. In other words, many in Corinth have knowledge about God and about existence of idols or even of other gods. So, the apostle cautioned those with knowledge about anything in general but specifically about God or gods and possibly the instruction against eating food sacrificed to idols. In short, many claimed to have full knowledge of spiritual truths.
The caution of the apostle is that believers should temper their knowledge with humility by recognizing that whatever knowledge they have is limited as in the last clause of 1 Corinthians 8:2 does not yet know as he ought to know. This clause makes two points that address the reasons we should temper our knowledge with humility. The first point is that our knowledge is limited, and the second is that we have not yet reached the level of knowledge expected of us. These two points although related but we will expound separately. Hence, we begin with the first point.
The first point, as we have stated, is that our knowledge is limited. Those in Corinth who claim to have attained full knowledge have not in fact done so. They have limited knowledge despite their claim and in general we have limited knowledge. It is this point that is conveyed in the verbal phrase of 1 Corinthians 8:2 does not yet know. The fact conveyed in the phrase is similar to what the apostle declared later in this epistle about limited knowledge believers have regarding the subject of prophecy as we read in 1 Corinthians 13:9:
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
When the apostle declared we know in part he meant to convey that we have limited knowledge. Thus, we should temper whatever knowledge that we have with humility that we have limited knowledge regardless of what we may think. I trust that you are not arrogant to dispute this point but so no one would think otherwise, let me provide you seven proofs to the fact that we have limited knowledge not just in spiritual matters but in general.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
The fact we do not know the future certainly impacts the choices we make. Take for example, if some married individuals knew the future that their marriage would turn sour, they would not have married the person they are married to. They did not know that what they understood as love when they married, for those who base their marriages on so called being in love, would turn sour in the future. This would fit into what the wise Teacher declares about no one knowing whether love or hate awaits the person in the future, as we read in Ecclesiastes 9:1:
So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him.
Anyway, the point is that ignorance of what happens in the future even in marriage should cause us to recognize that we have limited knowledge.
A second proof of limited knowledge we have even as believers in Christ is that we do not know how another person facing difficult situation feels. We often hear people attempting to comfort others in time of difficulties or problems say such thing as “I know how you feel.” That is a sentiment that is not in accordance with the Scripture. Take for example, a person loses a loved one and you say something like “I know how you feel” when you have not experienced the loss of a loved one. Even if you have lost someone, you still would not know how the other person feels. This is because there are several factors that may affect how a person feels about the loss of a loved one that make it difficult to claim to know how the person feels. The person who lost a loved one may not be in the same spiritual status as you. This means that the way you approach death of a loved one would not be the same as the other person. There is also the fact of the value of the loved one who died to that of the one living. If a loved one, for example, is a husband that left very little material things for the family then a woman who lost a husband that has left substantial material things to help take care of the family could not know what the other woman feels. My point is that although we mean well by telling others we know how they feel in time of disaster or loss of loved one, we are limited in our knowledge of how another feels. You may think that when I said that expressing such sentiment is contrary to the Scripture that I am making it up. If so, let me show the passage that is my authority for my assertion; it is Proverbs 14:10:
Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.
In this passage “heart” refers not merely to the center of feelings but to the whole person, that is, the knowledge, feelings, and awareness that a person has. So, the first line of the verse states that only a person knows the individual’s experience of sadness or sorrow. This is further elaborated by the fact that no one else can share your joy. A person may say I am glad for you, but that individual could not know the extent of your joy. Hence, the point is that you alone know your sorrow and your joy; no one else knows them. Thus, you cannot know how another person feels.
A third proof of limited knowledge we have even as believers in Christ is that we do not live in perfect obedience. There are generally two reasons we do not live in perfect obedience. It could be because we are ignorant that an action that we are about to take is contrary to God’s word or it could be because we have forgotten truth that we know that may then result in taking an action that is a sin. A person with knowledge of God’s word would prove his knowledge by living in obedience. The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul referenced this when the apostle chastised those who claim to know the law but do not live in accordance with its requirements, as we read in Romans 2:18–22:
18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
The apostle also conveyed the fact that if anyone truly understands that the individual in Christ has been freed from the power of sin then such a person would not live in sin, as stated in Romans 6:6–7:
6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
What the apostle wrote in verse 7 implies that whenever we sin, we have demonstrated a lack of knowledge of the freedom from sin that we have received from being united with Christ. The Holy Spirit through Apostle John makes the same point that if we do not live in obedience, that is a proof of our limited knowledge as we read in 1 John 2:3:
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.
You see, the test of knowledge of God is obedience; so if we do not obey God’s word then that is a proof of limited knowledge that the Holy Spirit says makes a person a liar in the next verse, that is, in 1 John 2:4:
The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
The point is that until you can live perfectly, something that is not going to happen in this life because of the presence of sin nature in us, you cannot say that you are not limited regarding the knowledge you possess.
A fourth proof of limited knowledge we have even as believers in Christ is limited knowledge of what we petition God in our prayers. I know that some of you will say that you do not have problem praying because you always know what you need. Therefore, that you always pray to God for your needs. Do you really know all you need? I do not think so. Have you received blessings from the Lord that you did not pray for? How did you receive them? The answer should remind you that you do not always know what to pray. If you do not have limited knowledge, then you will ask for those blessings that you received. Thus, you should recognize that you have limited knowledge when it comes to prayer requests you present to God. The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul indicated that God provides for us far above what we ask for, as we read in Ephesians 3:20:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
One of the reasons we receive blessings we did not ask for in prayer is because the Holy Spirit who knows the will of God the Father and what we need, prays for us as testified in Romans 8:26:
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Anyway, the point is that because we have limited knowledge, we are unable to ask from God all we need for enjoyment of our lives on this planet.
A fifth proof of limited knowledge we have even as believers in Christ is our inability to interpret our sufferings consistently correctly. By this I mean that most often when we suffer, we do not know the cause or reason for our suffering. Our suffering could be discipline for a failure in our spiritual life that we are not aware, or it could be that God is proving a point to the unseen world about us. The later reason I gave requires that we be so spiritually matured so that the Lord can use us to make a point to the angels or all the beings of the unseen world as was the case with Job. We should be careful in interpreting our sufferings as related to our spiritual maturity. This is because Job received God’s testimony regarding his spiritual life before his testing as we read in Job 1:1:
In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
By the way, we know that Job was used to prove a point to Satan because it has been revealed to us, but Job did not know this fact because he had limited knowledge like we have. I am saying that it is because of our limited knowledge that we are often at a loss to explain the reason for our suffering. Thus, we often have problem facing the suffering or testing that comes to us. However, if we do not have limited knowledge, we will consistently interpret our suffering or testing in way that we will correctly understand that testing or suffering has many purposes; one of which, is to develop spiritual character of perseverance as the Holy Spirit states through James in James 1:3:
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
A sixth proof of limited knowledge we have even as believers in Christ is our inability to comprehend fully the love of Christ for us. Jesus Christ loves us that He gave Himself for us. We do not fully understand this truth. You may say to me that you do. Do you? Do you at any time think that there are situations in your life where the Lord seemed distant? If you ever felt that, the implication is that you did not understand the love of Christ or God for you. I say this because the Holy Spirit tells us through Apostle Paul that nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ as we read in Romans 8:38–39:
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If we have full knowledge of the love of Christ for us, we will never feel that God is distant from us regardless of what the situation is in our life. Furthermore, if we believers have full understanding of Christ’s love for us, there would have been no need for Apostle Paul under the control of the Holy Spirit offer the prayer recorded in Ephesians specifically in the passage we cited previously, that is, Ephesians 3:19:
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
The word “know” here means to grasp the significance or meaning of something. I submit to you that we do not fully grasp the significance of Christ’s love for us because of our limited knowledge. If we did not have limited knowledge, we will comprehend better the love of Christ for us.
A seventh proof of limited knowledge we have even as believers in Christ is Apostle Paul’s desire of wanting to know Christ more as described in Philippians 3:10:
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
The sentence I want to know Christ is one that should cause us to sit up and recognize that we have limited knowledge of our Savior. The Lord Jesus appeared to Paul and not only that, but Christ had also appeared to him at several other times to encourage him in his ministry; so, for him to say what he said here is very remarkable. He is saying that he is on a constant struggle of learning about our Savior, becoming more acquainted with Him and cultivating His friendship daily. The apostle’s desire implies that there is no way anyone can claim he has full knowledge of Jesus Christ in this life. Every day is designed to teach us a little bit more about our Savior; hence there is no such thing as thinking that we know enough about our Savior, for what we know is just the tip of the iceberg. There is much more to our Savior than we could possibly know in this life. But our struggle should be to become more acquainted with Him. We should seek to experience Him more in our lives. Our desire should continue to be how to become so occupied with Him to the point that we focus our energy to become His acquaintance. Anyway, the desire of Apostle Paul causes us to recognize that we have limited knowledge.
In any case, the various proofs we have supplied are intended to support the first point we made about the last clause of 1 Corinthians 8:2 does not yet know as he ought to know which is that our knowledge is limited, This understanding should cause us to temper our knowledge with humility. In fact, we should bear in mind the words of the Holy Spirit given through the apostle that should help us to become humble regarding whatever knowledge we have. I am referring to what the Holy Spirit says through Apostle Paul in Romans 12:3:
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Anyway, the first point that gives the reason we should temper knowledge with humility is that we have limited knowledge.
A second point we stated previously as part of reason we should temper our knowledge with humility is that we have not reached the level of knowledge expected of us. This second point is given in the last clause of 1 Corinthians 8:2 as he ought to know.
It appears to me from human experience of learning that we do not know as much as we think we know when we first learn a subject. One of the ways that this comes out is if you try to teach others what you have learned. I came to this realization when I first became a university professor. There was a specific subject that I thought I had mastered but when I was ready to teach that subject to students, I realized that I did not master it as I thought I had. Therefore, I doubled my effort to master the subject. I soon discovered I was not alone in this experience when I got together with other professors regarding the specific subject matter we discussed as the best way to explain to students. My point is that you may think you have mastered a subject, but rest assured that you have not mastered it as you should. The proof from human affairs, as I have state, is to try to teach a complex subject to someone that you think you have mastered. That is when you will recognize that you have not mastered it as you should. Preparation for teaching others involves anticipating the kind of questions those taught might have. If you cannot satisfactorily answer an anticipated question, that will cause you to recognize that you have not mastered the subject as you think you have. You will realize that even at your best you do not have all the answers.
Be that as it may, the last clause of 1 Corinthians 8:2 as he ought to know implies that there is a level of knowledge expected of believers on this planet regarding spiritual life. I had cited Paul’s desire to know Christ which is also a proof that there is a level of knowledge that is expected of us while on this planet regarding our Lord. Moses also had this realization as indicated in his prayer to the Lord as recorded in Exodus 33:13:
If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
Notice what Moses requested in Exodus 33:13 teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Recall the Lord appeared to Moses and commissioned him to be His agent of deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The Lord communicated to him personally on different occasions; gave him various instructions that we have recorded in the law. Nonetheless, he prayed that the Lord would teach him His ways. This is, in part, because he realized that he had not known the Lord as he should. The implication of this realization is that there is an expected level of knowledge that we should possess on this planet regarding spiritual things. Thus, it is not surprising then that the Holy Spirit through Apostle Peter encouraged believers to have more knowledge of our Savior in 2 Peter 3:18:
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
We are encouraged to grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ because there is a level of knowledge of Him that we are expected to have on this planet, but we have not yet attained that level. Moses’ desire and the command of the Holy Spirit through Apostle Peter enable us to recognize that there is a level of knowledge we should have. This is further conveyed in the word ought in the last clause of 1 Corinthians 8:2 as he ought to know. The word “ought” is translated from a Greek word (dei) that may mean “to be something that should happen because of being fitting” so it is used with the meaning “it is necessary” or “it is a must” in Apostle’s Paul instruction to Titus of ensuring that false teachers, especially Jews in Crete, should be silenced as we read in Titus 1:11:
They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
The word may mean “to be something which should be done as the result of compulsion” so has the sense of “one ought as a matter of necessity” or “should” as it is used in Apostle Paul’s prayer request to the Ephesians regarding his proclaiming the gospel message as he ought or should, as we read in Ephesians 6:20:
for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
In our passage of 1 Corinthians 8:2, it is used in the sense of “to be required by obligation.” The implication is that as believers, we are under obligation to have a certain level of knowledge or comprehension about spiritual matters while on this planet. However, the Holy Spirit through the apostle conveyed to us that we should not think we have arrived but that we should continue to desire to know more than we now know about God. In anyway, because of the second point that we have not yet reached the level of knowledge expected of us, it is necessary that we temper our knowledge with humility.
The fact that the Holy Spirit tells us that we have not attained the level of knowledge that we should as believers could be discouraging to those who are striving to learn about God as revealed in the Scripture. However, the Holy Spirit through the apostle tells us we should not be if we meet a certain condition. It is to convey this contrast that 1 Corinthians 8:3 begins with the word but. In other words, instead of being discouraged because we have not attained the level of knowledge that we should have about our God, we should be encouraged if we meet a condition stated.
A condition the Holy Spirit stated that should encourage us concerns loving God as in the clause of 1 Corinthians 8:3 But the man who loves God is known by God. According to the translation of the NIV, it does not appear that this clause is concerned with a condition that should be fulfilled before something is true but it is as we will recognize with the literal translation of the Greek. As we indicated in verse 2, the word “man” does not appear since the Greek literally reads But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him.
The condition that a believer should meet is that of loving God. You see, we indicated that the apostle introduced two concepts of “knowledge” and “love in 1 Corinthians 8:1. In verse 2, he commented about knowledge but here in verse 3 he picked up the other concept of “love” although he did so with the literal clause that reads if anyone loves God.
The word “love” is translated from a Greek verb (agapaō) related to the Greek noun we examined in 1 Corinthians 8:1. The verb can mean to have a warm regard for and interest in another hence, means “to cherish, to have affection for, love.” We do not see God as we see other humans so that the word “love” when used of God as the object has the sense of “to be devoted to Him.” It is this sense of the word that is implied in 1 Peter 1:8:
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
To love the Lord Jesus is not merely to have affection for Him since we do not see Him but to be devoted to Him. It is in the sense of devotion to God that the word “love” is used in our passage of 1 Corinthians 8:3. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit did not leave us to fig out what it means to love God. The Scripture tells us that to love God is simply to obey His commands. Thus, the Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry states what is recorded in John 14:21:
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
The explanation of what it means to love God is echoed by the Holy Spirit through Apostle John when he penned 1 John 5:3:
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
Thus, it should be clear that to love God is to obey Him. This raises an issue of our loving God because no believer obeys God perfectly without sinning. Does it mean that no believer loves God? No, believers love God when we obey His commands, but we do not love Him when we disobey His word. Since we do not live in perfect obedience, to love God means that you should form the habit of doing what God commands. This in turn is that you should continue to learn more of the word of God since the more you know of His word the more you are in a position to know the commands, He has issued in the word that you should obey. No wonder the Lord linked Peter’s love and so all pastors’ love for Him to that of teaching the congregation the word, as implied in John 21:17:
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Anyway, the condition that should be fulfilled to become encouraged by God’s love despite not knowing fully what is expected of the believer is to live in obedience to God’s word.
The Lord recognizes those who obey Him, that is, those who love Him. It is this recognition of God that is stated in what follows love of God in the last verbal phrase of 1 Corinthians 8:3 is known by God. Literally, the Greek reads this one is known by him.
The word “know” is translated from the same Greek verb (ginōskō) used in preceding verse 2 where we indicated that it had the sense of “to know or to have knowledge about (something) experientially.” However, in our passage of 1 Corinthians 8:3, our word has the sense of “to recognize” or “to acknowledge.” God recognizes or acknowledges those who are obedient to Him in Christ as His children, as stated in 2 Timothy 2:19:
Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
God not only recognizes those who are His children, but He also recognizes those who struggle to live in obedience to His word as the Lord Jesus assured the church in Thyatira, as recorded in Revelation 2:19:
I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
The Lord knows believers who are struggling to live in obedience to His word, that is, those striving to love Him. If you strive to live in obedience to God’s word then you should be assured that despite not fully knowing what you should know about the Lord on this planet that He recognizes you as His child.
Let me end our consideration of 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 with a reminder of the message we have considered which is that You must temper knowledge with love when you deal with any debatable subject matter. The implication is that you should never put knowledge above love in the sense that your knowledge causes you not to act in love towards even those you disagree about doctrinal matters as many believers are prone to do. True knowledge manifests itself in love. If you have true knowledge, you will agree that the Lord Jesus commanded us to love others and that love would be the hallmark of His disciples. So, I encourage you to always act in love so that you do not use the information you have accumulated as a reason not to act in accordance with love.
09/11/20