Built Up Not Puffed Up

This blog is based on the following Bible reading plan passages: 1 Corinthians 7, 8, 9, 10, 11:1-16 & Psalms 63, 64, 65. 

1 Corinthians 8:1 –2 challenges something that our culture often celebrates: being right, informed, and knowledgeable. Paul writes, “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.” It’s a striking reminder that spiritual maturity is not measured by how much we know, but by how deeply we love.

Knowledge itself is not the problem. Learning, studying scripture, growing in understanding — these are all good things. The book of Proverbs encourages us to pursue wisdom wholeheartedly: “Get wisdom *, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:5). But knowledge can have a dangerous side effect when disconnected from humility. 

It can quietly inflate our ego. We begin to think we are more spiritual, wiser, or more “correct” than others. Paul says that this kind of knowledge “puffs up.” It makes us bigger in our own eyes while often making others feel smaller.

Love does the opposite. Love “ builds up .” Rather than elevating ourselves, lovestrengthens other people. Love is patient with those who are still learning. Love listens before speaking. Love cares more about helping people grow than proving a point.

The Bible Exposition Commentary (vol. 1, Victor Books, 1996, p. 595 ) puts it this way, ‘If our knowledge is not tempered with love, we are simply bloated, puffed -up know -it-alls.’

Paul expands on this beautifully later in his letter: “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal … If I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge … but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing . Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. ” (1 Corinthians 13:1 –4, NLT ). Paul is reminding the church that the goal of following Jesus is not simply to become more informed, but more loving.

Verse 2 is especially humbling: “Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.” The more we truly know God, the more aware we become of how much we still must learn. Real wisdom produces humility, not arrogance. James writes, “God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble”(James 4:6). Genuine spiritual maturity softens us rather than hardening us.

Jesus Himself modelled this perfectly. Although He carried all wisdom and authority, He described His own heart as “gentle and humble” (Matthew 11:29). He never used truth as a weapon to crush people. Instead, He used it to restore, heal, and draw people closer to God. Ephesians 4:15 calls us to be people who are “speaking the truth in love.” Truth without love can become harsh, but love without truth loses its foundation. Jesus held both together perfectly.

In a world where opinions are loudly expressed and everyone wants to be seen as an expert; these verses invite us into a different way of living. Before speaking, posting, correcting, or arguing, we should ask ourselves: Am I building people up, or simply trying to prove that I’m right?

Maybe today the challenge is not to seek more knowledge first, but to practise more love. Because according to Paul, love is the true sign that we are growing in Christ.Who in your life could you intentionally “build up” this week through your words, attitude, or actions?

*In this blog , I am not distinguishing between knowledge and wisdom . After all the former is a prerequisite of the latter, so to obtain wisdom we must first obtain knowledge. Simply put, ‘Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, whereas wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.