1 Cor 8:1b-3 Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.

 

In this passage, Paul turns his attention to a problem in the Corinithian church. Some of the Corinithian believers were exercising their Christian liberty by eating meat offered to idols. However, other believers (having been saved out of the pagan environment) viewed this as sin. The first comment Paul makes is regarding knowledge and love. He isolates love as a governing principle for the Christian life. Verse 3 is interesting because Paul does not immediately go where I would think he would. He ends up there in verse 13 when he declares that if his eating meat will cause a brother to fall into sin (by partaking in eating meat and violating his conscience), "I will never eat meat again." But it's not where he starts. He starts with love for God (vs. 3).

 

All relationships we have with others must flow from a love for God. Unless we love God, our love for others will be self gratifying. If I do not first love God but attempt to love others, I find my love to be contingent on their actions. It is as I love God and am known by Him that I am able to truly love. Because my focus is Godward, not toward people, their actions have no impact on my love. It is in this way that we can love those that are "unlovable." Not only the unlovable, though, for even those we love most (for me, my wife) will let me down. It is of vital importance that we develop first a love for God before venturing into the realm of loving others. It is then that we can truly love with God's love.