(1 cor 8:1) - Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

phusioo, foo-see-o'-o; sense of blowing; to inflate, i.e. (fig.) make proud (haughty):--puff up.

"Punching Bag"

What is the difference between this little pile of plastic than the other ones in the box on the shelf?……he is full of hot air! He just received somebody else's information and now he has that attitude that he is suddenly somebody. He is still just a pile of plastic!

Knowledge takes someone who is no different than anybody else and makes them think they are better than everybody else.

The church has majored on knowledge.

We have force fed our intellectual gospel on people and produced an inflated church!

Even the world understands the blessings and cursing of knowledge.

We in the church can see it too!

We call seminary cemetery!

We talk about the dryness of highly educated people and their apparent inability to see the spiritual

Am I opposed to education?

NO!!

I am opposed to unbalanced knowledge!

We have told people to stay away from emotion and feelings!!

We have made the Christianity a religion for the intellectual!!

We have generisized the gospel so as not to offend to embarrass!

God has never promised to excite your intellect!

(1 Cor 1:27 KJV) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

Confound - shame - make blush - disgrace!

God doesn't want to save your brain He wants your heart!!!

(1 Sam 16:7 KJV) But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

God is not impressed with the contents of our brain but the contents of our heart!

We have tried to reach people through their intellect!

Trying to think them into knowing Christ!

God comes to the heart of a man!

(1 cor 8:1) - Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth

Edifieth (Greek) - oikodomeo, oy-kod-om-eh'-o; to be a house-builder, i.e. construct or (fig.) confirm:--(be in) build (-er, -ing, up), edify, embolden.

Knowledge PUFFS UP!

God's love BUILDS UP!

We have been puffing up the church and God wants to build a church!

Joe Bob may not have graduated from college but he can be saved by the power of the Holy Spirit!!

It is not education but Sanctification!

God wants BALANCED KNOWLEDGE!

You don't love with your brain!

You love with your heart!

God wants us to stop making His gospel fit into our curriculum like "Jesus 101"!

Most of the church is trying to win the world trying to impress them with our smarts or our talent! It will never work!!

You can be smart but you better not be dead!!!

(2 Cor 3:6 KJV) Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Life!!

Why is there any danger in knowledge alone?

There is a church out there full of Christian information thinking they are saved and ready to go!

Salvation is not a brain experience…it is a heart experience.

Knowledge is HOT AIR!!

Spirit is LIFE GIVING!!

I went to Sunday School……!

Did you have a born again experience???

The real plant can grow and grow but that hot air bag will only pop when it has passed it’s ability to contain anymore puffing!!

God is not trying to educate you into His kingdom!

God doesn't want to save you for your money!

GOD WANTS YOUR HEART!!!

It requires moving beyond your natural ability into His supernatural ability!

It is a Spiritual experience!!!!

God loves knowledge…but it is not instrument of salvation!

It may lead you there but the Spirit gives life!!

(Hosea 4:6 KJV) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

If you are sitting here today believing you are OK because ok what you know!

If you think your knowledge as secured you a place in His kingdom!

You are in trouble!

The word of God says "…You must be born again"!

It does not say…You must have information!