Dangers Associated With Knowledge 1
David W Palmer
Jesus expects us to grow in knowledge and to learn. Yet Scripture reveals that knowledge can be dangerous, so we must maintain the proper safety guidelines:
Christians are responsible for learning knowledge, but are also responsible for growing in maturity and love so they can put the knowledge to good use. Knowledge used in love—with eternity in mind—to help self and others is the true knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have listed some hidden dangers of knowledge below:
1. Knowledge Can Make You Proud
(1 Corinthians 8:1 NKJV) “Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”
(1 Corinthians 8:1 HCSB) “… We know that ‘we all have knowledge.’ Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.”
Here we see that although knowledge can be virtuous, it can also arouse pride—puffing us up with superiority and arrogance. We know that knowledge is good, so how can this happen? A person gaining some new insights or knowledge is vulnerable to enemy attack; Satan tempts them to believe that they are now somehow superior to those who do not yet have that knowledge.?
Believing we are superior to others is pride. We are all equal in value; Jesus proved this by paying the one price for us all—the shedding of his innocent blood. Any temptation to think we are superior to others for any reason is wrong and is from the enemy, the very spirit of pride himself.
What’s more, we know from Jesus’s teaching that whenever God’s truth is being shared, the enemy comes “immediately” to stop it taking root and bearing fruit for God’s kingdom.
(Mark 4:14–15 NKJV) “The sower sows the word … Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.”
When God’s pure knowledge reaches a human heart, Satan tries to steal it, kill it, or choke it out with weeds (See: Mark 4:14–19). He seems instantly to be involved in a battle for the effectiveness of God’s truth. No wonder pride is always lurking, ready to attach itself to knowledge, thus making it unfruitful for God’s kingdom; pride is the spirit of the enemy.
(Genesis 4:7 NIV) “… sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
In truth, Satan will try any way he can to stop God’s word coming to any kind of fruitfulness in the world. He is trying to protect his own kingdom from God’s take-over. God, of course, plans to do this through his word; kings reign by speaking. God reigns when his word takes root in people’s hearts and grows there to fruitful faith and obedience. This is the enemy’s greatest threat, so he fights it in any way he can … especially while it is fresh and tender.
Puffing us with pride is only one of the temptations surrounding knowledge, but it is a very sinister, significant, and destructive one; that’s why it is vital for us to stay humble. When you learn something from God, don’t try to force it on anyone else. Our first priority is to receive it deeply into our own hearts, let it take root there, and use it to renew our minds. We need to believe it and obey it before we try to apply it to changing others. Next, we wait for an opportunity to share it—an open door from God. This may happen immediately, or it may take decades. Nevertheless, we wait prayerfully in anticipation … always ready to “explain” the reason for the hope we have:
(1 Peter 3:15–16 NLT) “… if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear …”
What has God shown you? What has he revealed to you? Today, I encourage you not to see this as an opportunity to confirm your superiority or to be proudly puffed up. Instead, take it to heart, love it, obey it, feed on it, and put your faith in it. Then, when the right opportunity from God comes along, share it in love. Then it will benefit you and those who hear you:
(1 Timothy 4:16 NLT) “Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.”
(1 Corinthians 8:1 HCSB) “… knowledge, however, puffs a person up with pride; but love builds up.”