When Knowledge Puffs Up

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." Romans 12:16

Everyone values knowledge. And the more we get, the better we feel about ourselves, or feel we are better equipped to share Christ, or give eloquent oratory on our doctrinal points etc. So it feels pretty good to put down a thick book on a hotly debated theological topic. And of course we want to do something with all that info. 

"Biblical knowledge and accurate theology are valuable traits. Right thinking leads to right living, just as stinking thinking leads to stinking living. But as valuable as biblical knowledge is, I think it should come with a warning label. The fact is, the more we know, the more we're tempted to look down on people who don't know what we know." ~Accidental Pharisees~Larry Osborne

As we live the Christian life, we are always in search of "what is it God wants me to do?" But we often pass over one of the most vital and repeated commands of God's: "Love your neighbor", "love with abandon","if you do everything except love, you are nothing."  So while we pursue sound doctrine, we must do so with love, seeking peace where it is possible, remembering that when in doubt, love trumps.

"Let's be honest. Most of the biblical and doctrinal points that we love to argue about (and take such pride in knowing) are not matters of salvation. They may be important, but they are not essential. They're not damnable heresies....when we use the Bible as a prop, every issue and doctrinal disagreement becomes a flash point, an opportunity to show off our superior knowledge and understanding, a way to set us apart. We forget that pride and a lack of love nullifies our knowledge, even if it's a full and complete understanding of all the mysteries in the Bible." ~Accidental Pharisees ~Larry Osborne