Paul and Barnabas admonished the heathen to turn from “vanities unto the living God.” One cannot trust in the Lord and simultaneously trust in anything else. In order for an individual to be saved, he must repent of trusting in anything other than the Lord. One aspect of repentance involves ceasing to trust vanity and turning one’s faith toward the living and true God. This saving faith needs to become a living faith following salvation. Believers should consistently turn from “vain thoughts” and love the law of God (Psalm 119:113). They should turn from the vain labours that spend their strength for nought (Isaiah 49:4) and be “steadfast . . . in the work of the Lord” knowing that their “labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Additionally, believers should turn from “vain words” (Ephesians 5:6) and hold “forth the word of life” (Philippians 2:16).
The book of Ecclesiastes contains documentation of Solomon’s life experiment apart from God. He examined the worth of subjects involving happiness, wealth, labour, and death. Ultimately, he concluded that life “under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:14) was vanity. The word vanity means empty or meaningless. Though Solomon wrote extensively concerning vanity, he was not the only person in the Bible to declare the vanity of life. In fact, Solomon’s father David declared that “every man at his best state is altogether vanity” (Psalm 39:5). King David added that if both men of high and low degree were laid in a balance together, they would be “lighter than vanity” (Psalm 62:9). Thus, regardless of worldly accomplishments and accolades, a life void of God remains meaningless.
The Bible reveals that carnality infected and infested the first century Corinthian church. Divisions were commonplace as the believers were polluted by strife and envy. When the believers gathered together, every man did that which was self-pleasing. Every believer desired to be the center of attention rather than giving others first place. Every one of them had a psalm, or a doctrine, or a tongue, or a revelation, or an interpretation; but nobody sought to use those things for edification. Each of these things could have been used for good, but Paul said that the church being edified was most needed (1 Corinthians 14:5). As believers, every aspect of our service to God should seek to edify others. This most especially includes the times when we gather together.
The knowledge of something wrong helps a spiritual person avoid such activity. On the surface, one might fail to distinguish much of a difference between the fruit of knowledge and charity in today’s passage. Both evidently build up the believer. Yet, a closer look reveals the major difference. The Bible says that knowledge “puffeth up.” The idea is that knowledge makes one feel superior and can offer a false strength. Knowledge seems to do the same work as charity, but knowledge without the charity serves as a façade. Charity, however, offers real growth and stability. Unlike knowledge, charity edifieth. Charity not only builds up the believer but also those who associate with that believer. The only way to be edified and the only way to edify others involves seeking the Lord for pure, unadulterated charity.
The Christian life usually contains some very difficult decisions. Life's choices do not always involve choosing between good and evil; sometimes our choices involve choosing between something good and something better or best. For instance, a choice may involve something not necessarily wicked, but equally not edifying. This choice may not involve sin, but also fails to build others in the Lord. Believers who truly love the Lord may, at times, have to choose to forsake some things in life because they do not edify. Our passage confirms these truths as it says that all things do not edify. Paul emphasized this when he stated, “if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth” (1 Corinthians 8:13). Clearly, edification serves a much greater purpose than simple convenience or liberty.
