But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 1 Corinthians 8:1b
In our study yesterday, we learned from Jesus' example of living with grace and truth, compromising neither. The question we are going to look at today is, How do we live this way? How do we follow the example that Christ set before us and fully speak and live in truth and grace at the same time? At the heart of speaking both words of grace and words of truth is love. When we love the people around us, we cannot help but be filled with grace and speak the truth to everyone around us.
The apostle Paul taught about the importance of showing love to everyone around us as we speak the truth in 1st Corinthians 8. In this passage of Scripture, Paul addressed a debate going on about eating food that had been sacrificed to idols. Some believers had a conviction that it was okay to eat food sacrificed to idols, while others believed that it was wrong. Amidst the argument on whether or not it was okay to eat that food, Paul reminded readers to focus on something more important than being right or wrong, and that is showing love. He wrote in this passage of Scripture to members of the church in Corinth who had clearly asked Paul his opinion on food being sacrificed to idols, "Now, regarding your question about food that has been sacrificed to idols. Yes, we know that 'we all have knowledge' about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church." (verse 1). Instead of focusing on being right or wrong about the issue being debated, Paul encouraged members of the church in Corinth to focus on love. In this circumstance, Paul explained that showing love meant not eating meat sacrificed to idols around those who believed it was wrong to eat it. Instead of focusing on “rights” and “wrongs,” Paul encouraged readers to choose an approach centered on love for the people around them.
In the final chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul continued to write about the importance of loving those around them. He wrote in 1st Corinthians 16:13, “Do everything with love.” This, my friends, ought to be our goal. When love is our motivation, we cannot help but speak the truth along with grace, loving the people around us enough to speak the truth and to speak that truth in grace. This kind of love makes all the difference!
Take time now to pray. Ask God to give you His love for the people around you so that you speak both words of truth and grace. Ask Him to break your heart for what breaks His and for a love for others that points people straight to Him.
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
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