Knowledge, Liberty, and Love

Temple Baptist Church - 10-29-2025

1 Corinthians 8:1–13

 

Introduction:

 

A.  The church at Corinth was a church rich in spiritual gifts, knowledge, and zeal. Yet, Paul had to correct them often because their knowledge was not always tempered by love. In this chapter, Paul addresses a very practical problem in the early church—whether Christians should eat meat that had been offered to idols.

 

B.  Sacrifices offered to idols often ended up with street vendors and were sold to the public as food. This was a common practice that caused some division among the Corinthian believers. Although these believers knew that the meat was simply meat, some bought it while others avoided doing so. It had become a problem within the Corinthian church.

 

C.  Paul addresses the problem both here in chapter eight and also in chapter ten.  In this chapter, we find three things addressed concerning the problem within the church.  The chapter is not about meat.  It is about knowledge, liberty, and charity. The question was not just about food—it was about conscience, testimony, and the proper use of Christian liberty.

D.  We face these same issues today. Too often, men's preferences turn into “convictions.” Many of the challenges we encounter are not directly addressed in the Bible, so we need to apply its principles correctly. Many of these so-called “convictions” quickly change for the individual when their circumstances change, making them preferences.  Over the years, I have found that preferences change with circumstances, but convictions do not. 

 

Illustration:  For years, Barbara and I chose not to support restaurants, grocery stores, etc., that sold alcohol.  There were places that did not sell it so we frequented them instead.  Today, everywhere you go — Walmart, Dollar General, Ingles, etc. — they sell it.  We buy at Walmart, Dollar General, and Ingles.  Some will disagree with me here, so, you do you. 

 

E.  Paul did not admonish these believers for going to places where this “idolatrous meat” was sold, nor did he admonish these believers not to buy it.  It was just meat.

 

F.  In this passage, Paul teaches that knowledge alone can puff up, but love builds up; and that our liberty in Christ must never become a stumbling block to others.

 

1.  Verses 1-3.  Knowledge Without Love Is Dangerous.

 

“Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” — 1 Corinthians 8:1

 

a. Knowledge can puff up!  The Corinthians pride themselves on their superior understanding.  They knew that an idol was nothing (verse 4), and therefore that eating such meat was not sinful in itself.

 

b.  Yet, their knowledge had made them proud rather than compassionate.  Knowledge without humility becomes arrogance; knowledge without love becomes cruelty.

 

c.  Charity edifies.  Brotherly Love always builds others up.  The goal of Christian maturity is not to win arguments, but to win people.  True knowledge should lead to compassion, not condemnation.

 

d.  True knowledge comes from loving God (verse 3).  “But if any man love God, the same is known of him.”  The test of spiritual maturity is not how much we know about God, but how much we love God and His people.

 

2.  Verses 4-6.  The Reality of Christian Liberty.

 

“We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.”

 

a. The truth about those idols was that they are powerless—they are mere objects, Paul called them “nothing in the world.”  The believer knows there is “one God, the Father... and one Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 6).

 

b. This knowledge brings about liberty.  A mature believer understands that food cannot commend or condemn him before God (verse 8).

 

Romans 14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

 

c.  The limitations of liberty:  Therefore, a Christian has liberty to eat such things if it does not violate his conscience or harm his testimony.

 

3. Verses 7-12.  The Limitation of Christian Liberty.

 

“But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.”

 

a.  Not every believer has the same knowledge. (verse 7)  Some converts from paganism were still sensitive to anything associated with idols.  Though idols were nothing, their past experiences made eating such food feel wrong.  There is a huge difference between the person who never touched strong drink and the one who was saved from drunkenness.

 

b.  Liberty can become a stumbling block (verses 9–10)  If a stronger believer eats idol-meat publicly, the weaker believer might follow his example against his conscience.  Thus, the strong brother’s liberty leads another to spiritual harm.  A liberty exercised without love becomes sin.

 

c. Wounding a weak conscience is sin against Christ (verse 12)

 

“But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.”

 

d.  Every believer is precious to Christ; therefore, we must handle each other with care.

 

4. Verse 13.  The Example of Love’s Self-Denial.

 

“Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”

 

a. Paul’s resolution.  Paul was willing to give up his liberty for the sake of a weaker brother.

 

b.  Love always chooses self-denial over self-indulgence.

 

c.  He does not say that eating meat is wrong, but that causing someone else to stumble is.

 

Conclusion: 

 

a.  Knowledge without love puffs up—but love builds up.

 

b.  Liberty without love tears down—but love edifies.

 

c.  Love limits liberty for the sake of others.