Puffed Up or Edified?
Dearly beloved of God, knowledge puffs up, but the love of God edifies. If any man thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know, but if any man loves God, the same is known of Him. We all have room for growth.
Knowledge without the love of God is like so much hot air, compared to knowledge mixed with the love of God which edifies.
When it comes to spiritual matters where do we gain knowledge? We get our knowledge from God, either from His Word or by revelation.
How does God expect us to use the knowledge that He gives us? He expects us to mix it with the love of God and manifest to others for their edification. Knowledge in and of itself may puff up, or if it is mixed with the love of God it will edify.
Our primary concern ought to be to use our knowledge to edify one another, not to cause someone for whom Christ died to stumble and be hurt.
When we sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, we sin against Christ. Dearly beloved, we ought to walk in love toward one another.
There should be no schism among the members of the body of Christ. He gave his life to make this body. As members of his body we should have the same care for one another. We ought to be so likeminded that if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Dearly beloved, the body is of Christ. Jesus Christ gave his life for every member of the body.
We should not be carnal, but while one says, “I am of Peter,” and another says, “I am of Paul,” are we not carnal? Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Peter? Let's grow up into Christ and practice the love of God towards one another, dearly beloved.
We should not be like immature children that are blown about with every wind of doctrine, we ought to speak the truth in love and grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ.
God set the members of the body so that we can edify one another in the love of God so that every need is met among His people.
The Father wants us to walk in love toward one another, not to be hard hearted to each other. Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ has forgiven you. Pointing the finger or wagging the tongue about others are not ministries of service in the body of Christ.
Be followers of God as beloved children, and walk in love as Christ loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling fragrance.
Who does not want to be around those who walk in the good pleasure of our Father’s will? Fellowship with one another ought to be like the gathering together before the gathering together in the air. There ought to be fullness of joy as we love one another.
God wants us to have fellowship with one another, but it starts with our fellowship with the Father and with His wonderful Son.
What does our service profit us if it is not out of the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation to one another?
Go ahead and spoil me rotten with the love of God, I can take it. How about you, dearly beloved of God?