July 12, 2020 | 1 Corinthians 8
There is a lot of satisfaction in building something. In I Corinthians 8, Paul challenges us to love one another with a self-sacrificing love, a love that is focused on doing what is good for others. This love edifies or builds up. He suggests that the misuse of knowledge can hinder any effort to sacrificially love each other. In this day of social media, where thoughts and opinions can frustrate, confuse and often provoke to anger, we can relate. Today, we will look at some of the ways we misuse information and how we can recover a love toward each other that contributes to the positive building of our faith.

Knowledge

Reveal Answer

up, but love

Reveal Answer

up.—8:1

Questions to ask before posting, reposting, or forwarding
anything:
1. How old is the report?
2. What is the original context?
3. Are you reading it from its original source?
4. Who wrote it and why?
5. What credentials does the writer have?
6. Does the writer have something to gain from his/her conclusions?
7. What assumptions are being made?
8. How does the context compare to Scripture?

Ways that knowledge is abused or misused:
1.

–The false belief that there are only two answers.
2.

Reveal Answer

to

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–Moving from provable facts to assumptions.
3.

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–Believing in the morality of the cause and missing the immorality of the consequences.
4.

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–Believing that those who disagree are enemies.
5. The

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of

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–The notion that all Christians believe this.
6. The

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of

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–Assigning inappropriate expertise to the originator.

How do we love in such a way to build up another person?
1. Recognize what is important.—8:4
2. There is only one God.—8:5
3. We exist for God.—8:6
4. We are all in different places.—8:7
5. We choose how to act toward others.—8:9-12

Followers of Jesus love, and love builds up.

This week:
1. Be more sensitive to what is read and posted (or re-posted) on social media.
2. Read Galatians or Ephesians or Philippians or Colossians, (or all of them), taking note of references to how we should treat each other.