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In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.
1 Corinthians 8:1-3
This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Does God know you?
It’s a question that might seem impossible to answer, right? I mean, does God reveal that He knows us? How do we now that He does?
As you can see, the question, “Does God know you?” raises more questions than it does answers.
This is just one more reason why we need God’s word. We need it so to gain concrete answers to life’s most complex questions. Let’s see how the three opening verses of 1 Corinthians 8 help us to that end.
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.
What is the Apostle Paul getting at here as he continues to write to the Christians in Corinth?
Let’s call it two approaches to handling sin: the head approach and the heart approach.
In the head approach, we allow our knowledge to drive things. We lean on our own understanding.
Applying this to the biblical matter of sacrificing food to idols, it was common knowledge that this was in violation of God’s command to not bow down and worship idols in any way. And so a person could use their head knowledge to avoid committing the transgression and falling out of God’s favor.
This is strikingly different from using the heart approach. Rather than rely on one’s head, the heart approach drives a God-believer to do the right thing out of sheer love for their Maker and Master. They don’t dare sin because they know it would hurt and offend the God they love so very much.
Knowledge is limited. Those who think they know everything fool themselves because they don’t know all that they should know. They allow their knowledge to puff them up, tearing a person down as it moves them toward arrogance and away from humility.
Conversely, love in its purest sense, a love that comes from God, edifies. It builds a person up because this is what God does. He’s in the building up business and when we allow His love to edify and build us up then something amazing happens.
We become known by Him. God’s word assures of it and His word is perfectly true.
And thus we come around full circle to our question for today, “Does God know you?”
You can be assured He does if you first love Him and then allow that love and devotion to shape the way you live and care for others.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
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comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com
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