1 Corinthians 8

N 1Corinthians8,Paul addresses an arrogance that can be difficult to recognize n our lives.An arrogance that can come from an incorrect sense of our “position” n Christ as believers and followers of Christ.The believers n Corinth had allowed their “freedom” n Christ to redefine their lives to suit their personal interests,instead of realizing the purpose of our freedom found n Christ as THE WAY for us to have a personal relationship with ALMIGHTY GOD-remember that a theme of this letter to Corinth is addressing the problems/complications/challenges/dangers brought on by spiritual immaturity...,& the signs of this immaturity that cuts our life path short of knowing GOD as our FATHER-1Cor8:1-3 says,”Now concerning food offered to idols:we know that “all possess knowledge”(the people Paul is addressing have “knowledge” of being saved by Christ).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.”Paul is telling the believers n Corinth that their “faith/belief” n Christ has stopped far short of the PURPOSE for which Christ suffered to give us!AND because of these shortcomings they have been MIS-PURPOSING their freedom n Christ according to their personal interests/puffing up!They had the right knowledge,but they were MIS-PURPOSING this knowledge by stopping far short of the RIGHT PURPOSE of the knowledge/THE PURPOSE GOD INTENDED...which is to be the FULL

PROVISION for them to have a personal love relationship with God(“But 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”). If we stop at BELIEF n THE KNOWLEDGE of the Gospel,without rightly realizing THE FULL PURPOSE of the Gospel of Christ n our lives,we end up at the arrogance & immaturity Paul is describing n these verses.An arrogance that robs us of having the Love Relationship with Almighty God that The Gospel of Christ was intended to free us from sin to have.N fact by stopping short n this way,we inevitably n up making excuses for sin n our lives-just as the people n Corinth were doing.The byproduct of this n the Corinthians lives was that their lives were we’re making those around them “stumble” instead of being edified because of their FAITH n Christ(1Cor8:9).A “faith” that is wrongly purposed for personal motives always results n sin & immaturity of some kind...that ultimately causes those around us to stumble.This includes the sins&attitudes of legalism,as well as those that r part of the wrong kind of freedom Paul is addressing here.The boil-down of what Paul is saying is that knowledge ALONE will change our lives n ways God never intended His Word and His Gospel to impact our lives,but when we apply the same knowledge too free us “INTO” a Love Relationship with GOD as our FATHER our lives will be changed in miraculous ways that bring us a joy surpassing all understanding,& weave our hearts/minds/lives so with The Holy Spirit that people around us are eternally edified.Dear Lord,there r so many ways that I have MIS-PURPOSED the LOVE expressed by Your Gospel for me...forgive me...and may Your Word& Spirit teach and guide me away from this...and into a better/deeper/broader Love Relationship with You as my Father n Heaven.