Make Strong
I have been thinking about this verse for a few days. God used it to correct me and the value of the lesson is one I think everyone needs a reminder on.
But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.
1 Cor. 8:1 NLT
I used to think that knowledge was the most important thing you could possess but I was wrong. It does not matter how much of the Bible you know if you don't live it. It does not matter if you have memorized the book of Proverbs if you do not apply it to your life.
Pride sneaks in with knowledge making us think more highly of ourselves than we ought and this can be very dangerous. Having knowledge does not make us a better person but having love does.
We are commanded by Jesus to love others just as we do ourselves. We love the lost so that they may accept the love of Jesus and be saved. But we often forget that we are also called to love the people in church.
When we complain about the people in our church, what we are really doing is destroying the church. People in the church are just that - people - and they sin and mess up just like people outside the church. Our criticisms tear apart not only the individual we are talking about but the whole church by causing strife and division. This negativity breeds resentment and hostility and that quickly destroys not only the people it is focused on but the church as a whole.
Love does not criticize or find faults.
Our role in the church is to love and serve with a pure heart, not to complain and belittle the people we are working with. The church is the body of Christ. When we badmouth people in church, we are badmouthing Jesus and weakening the church. Likewise, when we demonstrate love by not speaking ugly about the people in church, we are doing our part to keep the body of Christ strong.
Knowledge builds us up and is "me" focused.
Love builds up the church and is "others" focused.
Do your part in keeping the church strong by treating the people there with love.
Heidirn
But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.
1 Cor. 8:1 NLT
I used to think that knowledge was the most important thing you could possess but I was wrong. It does not matter how much of the Bible you know if you don't live it. It does not matter if you have memorized the book of Proverbs if you do not apply it to your life.
Pride sneaks in with knowledge making us think more highly of ourselves than we ought and this can be very dangerous. Having knowledge does not make us a better person but having love does.
We are commanded by Jesus to love others just as we do ourselves. We love the lost so that they may accept the love of Jesus and be saved. But we often forget that we are also called to love the people in church.
When we complain about the people in our church, what we are really doing is destroying the church. People in the church are just that - people - and they sin and mess up just like people outside the church. Our criticisms tear apart not only the individual we are talking about but the whole church by causing strife and division. This negativity breeds resentment and hostility and that quickly destroys not only the people it is focused on but the church as a whole.
Love does not criticize or find faults.
Our role in the church is to love and serve with a pure heart, not to complain and belittle the people we are working with. The church is the body of Christ. When we badmouth people in church, we are badmouthing Jesus and weakening the church. Likewise, when we demonstrate love by not speaking ugly about the people in church, we are doing our part to keep the body of Christ strong.
Knowledge builds us up and is "me" focused.
Love builds up the church and is "others" focused.
Do your part in keeping the church strong by treating the people there with love.
Heidirn
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